A rideshare accident is much like a regular car accident. It can result in severe, life-changing injuries that lead to incredible suffering. But rideshare accidents also have some differences in regard to obtaining compensation for those injuries. Victims will often have several options when it comes to pursuing that compensation, and this can create a confusing situation.
A Miami Uber/Lyft/rideshare accident attorney with Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh can help you cut through the confusion. We deliver results for our clients on a regular basis, whether they are injured in a rideshare accident or harmed in any other way due to someone else’s negligence. You can schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney by giving us a call.
The following is a brief overview of rideshare accidents. Remember to get in touch with Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh for more information, or to learn more about how we may be able to help.
There are many kinds of accidents involving a rideshare vehicle that a lawyer in Miami could help with. Here are a few of the ones that occur most often.
If one car is moving through an intersection and the other runs a red light or a stop sign, the result will probably be the negligent driver slamming into the other vehicle. The two vehicles form a “T” shape, which is where the accident gets its name.
In some instances, the rideshare driver will lose control and hit an object, such as a tree, a fence, or a house.
Sideswipe accidents can sometimes lead to severe injuries, but in most cases, they are relatively minor. They occur when two vehicles are side-by-side, and one drifts out of their lane and brushes against the side of the other.
Any kind of car wreck can involve multi-party liability, where more than one driver can be assessed blame. This can create complications when it comes to taking legal action. But those complications get even more pronounced when a rideshare vehicle is involved.
Consider this scenario. The Uber or Lyft driver is distracted because they are checking their phone to see who they need to pick up next. They collide with another vehicle, operated by a driver who was impaired due to alcohol use.
In this case, of course, both drivers contributed to the accident. Both are liable for your injury as a result. So, you will need to pursue each motorist’s insurance company for compensation.
But there is another consideration. Uber and Lyft both provide coverage for passengers. As a result, you could not only sue both negligent drivers, you may also be able to get money from the rideshare company.
This can be incredibly difficult for a non-attorney. That is why you need help from a rideshare car wreck attorney in Miami in order to have the best chance to get all of the money you deserve.
If you are involved in any kind of accident – rideshare or otherwise – your top priority must be summoning medical help, not only for yourself but also anyone else who may have been hurt.
When you call 911 and tell the dispatcher you and others have suffered injuries, they will not only send emergency medical personnel, they will also send a police officer to investigate. If you are physically able to do so, tell the officer exactly what happened to the best of your recollection. The report that the officer files could be a powerful piece of evidence in your favor.
Also – and only if you can do this in the safest manner possible – try to use your phone to get pictures of the accident scene. This means not only the damage to the vehicles involved, but also the road itself. There could be fresh skid marks indicating one of the drivers was speeding, and tried to slam on their brakes to avoid the accident.
More than likely, there will be someone nearby who saw what happened. Try to get their contact information and give it to your Uber car crash lawyer in Miami, who will then interview those witnesses. This could also prove to be very important to your case.
No attorney worth your consideration will ever promise you will make a certain amount of compensation without first having all of the facts. But once your rideshare car wreck attorney in Miami conducts their own investigation, they will have a very good idea of how much you might expect to receive.
The reason you will be taking legal action in the first place will be to recover the damages (financial losses) that you have experienced because of your injury. These include your medical care – not just your current treatment, but any other care you might need in the future – your lost wages, and more. Other types of damages include pain and suffering, emotional and mental trauma, lost earning capacity, loss of quality of life, and others.
The state of Florida has a statute of limitations of four years in car accident claims. This simply means you have four years from the state of the accident to pursue compensation from those responsible. If the statute of limitations expires, you will not be able to take any kind of legal action.
Does that mean you should wait this long? Absolutely not. You want to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible, which means hiring a Lyft car crash attorney in Miami as soon as you can. The main reason is that your legal representative will need to start an investigation immediately, before critical evidence disappears forever.
When you turn to the expert Miami Uber/Lyft/rideshare accident lawyers with Keller, Melchiorre & Walsh, you will be working with a team of professionals who will make it their mission to help you obtain every penny to which you are entitled. Our firm offers passionate, aggressive, and effective representation to all of our clients, and we are ready to put our skill and experience to work for you.
Please get in touch with us as soon as you can for a free case review.
