As ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft have grown in popularity in Athens and other Georgia cities, accidents caused by Uber drivers have increased. Uber passengers, drivers in other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists injured in Uber car accidents often get unclear explanations of who can be held responsible after a crash and how their losses might be covered.
Because rideshare services are relatively new, the rules and regulations governing them continue to change. If you have been injured in an accident involving an Uber driver, you should speak to an experienced Lyft and Uber car accident lawyer. In Athens, GA, the car accident attorneys at R. Alan Cleveland, LLC have more than 75 years of combined experience pursuing full and fair settlements and jury awards against large companies like Uber or Lyft.
We Have Some of the Best Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers in Athens
What you’ll find after an Uber accident is that the company considers its drivers to be independent contractors, which Uber will claim makes the driver alone responsible to you. But Uber also may have financial liability if the driver is transporting passengers for Uber when the accident occurs. With some investigation and aggressive negotiations, R. Alan Cleveland, LLC may pursue a much better Uber accident settlement for you than what you were initially offered.
Contact the Lyft accident law firm of R. Alan Cleveland, LLC in Athens, GA, about your Uber accident injuries. We offer a free initial consultation about the ride-share accident, your personal injuries, and your legal options. We will not charge any fees to begin work on your Lyft or Uber accident claim. You will not owe us anything unless we recover money for you.
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Damages Available In An Athens Uber Accident Claim
The objective of a car accident claim is to recover compensation for the costs and losses associated with the accident. In a serious car accident, damages extend far beyond the initial hospital bills and cost of vehicle repairs.
An Athens Uber and Lyft accident lawyer from R. Alan Cleveland, LLC will evaluate the full extent of your injuries and their impact on your life to determine what constitutes full and fair compensation to you. You may seek compensation for:
- Medical expenses/bills
- Future health care needs related to disabling or disfiguring injuries
- Lost income during your recovery
- Diminished earning capacity due to injuries
- Property damage, including vehicle repair or replacement
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Wrongful death damages for families who have lost loved ones.
It is important to understand the full picture of your costs and losses from a car accident when considering a settlement offer from insurers. Insurance companies often offer low settlements before accident victims have fully recovered from their injuries, so their total medical costs and losses cannot be known. An experienced Lyft and Uber lawyer with R. Alan Cleveland, LLC can identify all the insurance company policies available to provide compensation for your Uber accident injuries.
Lyft and Uber Drivers and Car Accident Claims in Athens
Typically, the employers of professional drivers – such as tractor-trailer drivers – have legal responsibility for their drivers’ actions. If a driver causes an accident, their employer is liable for damages. But if the driver is an independent contractor – not an employee – the liability may be disputed.
Uber has settled upon three approaches to its financial liability for accidents involving its drivers:
Offline or the driver app is off. If the driver does not have passengers and is not en route to pick up a passenger when the accident occurs, Uber says the driver – through their own personal auto insurance – is liable for damages. Most Uber drivers will have Georgia’s minimum auto liability coverage of:
- $25,000 in bodily injury per person
- $50,000 in bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 in property damage per accident
Waiting for a ride request (app on). Uber maintains third-party liability coverage applicable in this situation. The insurance will pay for losses beyond what the Uber driver’s personal liability insurance pays. This is coverage of:
- $50,000 in bodily injury per person
- $100,000 in bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 in property damage per accident
En route to pick up riders and during trips with riders in the vehicle. When an Uber driver is transporting a paying passenger and providing the rideshare service, the company insurance coverage provides:
- $1,000,000 third-party liability to cover losses beyond what the driver’s liability insurance pays
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury. Applicable when an uninsured driver or hit-and-run driver causes an accident, or the at-fault driver’s liability insurance coverage is depleted.
- Contingent comprehensive and collision (for the Uber driver’s vehicle)
What If Someone Else Was Responsible For The Lyft or Uber Accident?
In a third-party Uber or Lyft accident caused by the driver of a non-Uber vehicle, Uber maintains insurance coverage that protects the driver. But as an injured Uber passenger, you would have to look to the at-fault driver’s liability coverage for damages.
This part of an Uber accident claim is like a typical car accident claim. As your car accident lawyers, we would:
- Investigate to gather evidence of the at-fault driver’s liability
- Obtain a police report of the car crash
- Obtain medical records to document the harm you have suffered
- Calculate your current and future medical costs and lost income, property damage costs, and other expenses
- Submit a demand letter to all obligated insurance companies, including Uber’s, outlining the damages you are due and the evidence supporting your demand
- Negotiate with insurers for maximum compensation to you.
- Be prepared to file a lawsuit and present a persuasive case on your behalf.
After an accident involving an Uber driver, there may be multiple claims to pursue to recover all of the damages you deserve to have. It is best to speak to an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible after an accident so your attorneys can begin work for you right away.
It is important to note, that the state of Georgia has a time limit on how long you have to submit a personal injury claim. That time limit is called the Statute of Limitations. For the state of Georgia, that time limit is two years. You may be thinking that two years is a long time. But, if you look again at the bullet points above regarding the process our law firm will go through for your Uber car accident claim, two years can go by very quickly. So, do not delay. Contact our firm as quickly as possible after the accident.
Contact an Athens Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney
The involvement of a large, well-financed company like Uber or Lyft in a car accident can complicate matters. Large companies and their insurers have lawyers ready to defend their interests.
The knowledgeable Athens Uber accident lawyers at the law offices of R. Alan Cleveland, LLC understand Georgia’s personal injury law and are ready to fight for your interests. We will investigate your claim to determine the full extent of your losses and aggressively pursue compensation as part of an Uber accident claim on your behalf. Contact our Athens Lyft and Uber accident attorneys now. We are confident we can make a difference for you.