When you sustain injuries in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, figuring out who’s liable for your injuries can be challenging. Is it the rideshare driver, another driver, the rideshare company, or perhaps a third party? Determining who’s responsible for your injuries and holding them financially accountable are key roles of a rideshare accident lawyer.
Contact Bartholomew, Shevlin & Flack, LLP, for a free consultation with an experienced and knowledgeable car accident lawyer. Our lawyer will help you understand your rights and walk you through the process of seeking the compensation needed for your injuries.
Rideshare accidents can have many causes. Some of the most common of these causes in Illinois include:
After getting in a rideshare accident, you may be able to recover compensation for various losses you suffered. Losses are the adverse effects of the accident and your injuries, including:
In addition to the rideshare driver and rideshare company, other parties may be liable for your injuries after a collision. These liable parties may include:
By identifying multiple at-fault parties and seeking to hold them liable for your damages, your lawyer will spread your damages across them, reducing the impact of any one party’s insurance policy limits or lack of assets.
If the rideshare driver was responsible for the accident, whether you were a passenger in their vehicle or were in another vehicle that the rideshare driver collided with, the insurance options available to you may differ depending on what the driver was doing at the time of the accident. Your options depend on whether the rideshare driver was offline, online and available for a trip, or en route or on a trip.
When a rideshare driver causes an accident while not using the rideshare app, their personal auto insurance may cover your damages (compensation). Illinois drivers must carry the following minimum amounts of liability coverage:
If the driver only has the minimum amount of insurance required, it may not be enough to cover your damages, especially if your injuries are severe. Additionally, if multiple individuals sustained injuries in the accident, recovering the compensation you need may be challenging due to the at-fault driver’s insurance policy limits.
However, if their policy limits prevent you from recovering full compensation, your lawyer can help you explore other options for seeking additional compensation. These options may include filing a personal injury lawsuit against the driver or identifying other at-fault parties to file claims or lawsuits against.
Uber and Lyft provide the same liability insurance for accidents that occur when one of their drivers causes an accident while online on their apps and available for a trip. This insurance includes:
When a rideshare driver collides with you and causes injuries and property damage while using the app, your first option for seeking compensation is to file a claim against the rideshare service’s auto insurance policy. You may also be able to file a claim against the driver’s personal auto insurance policy if Uber’s or Lyft’s policy limits don’t cover all of your damages.
If the rideshare driver is en route to pick up a passenger or currently on a trip, including if you are a passenger in their vehicle, and they get into an accident that injures you, Uber and Lyft both offer $1 million in comprehensive liability coverage. This coverage is for bodily injury or death and property damage caused to all accident victims.
While $1 million is certainly a lot of money, it may still not cover all of your damages if you sustained severe injuries that leave you with extensive permanent disability. This is why it’s still crucial that you work with a lawyer who can identify all the parties that contributed to the accident so that you can file claims and lawsuits against each of them.
After getting in an Uber or Lyft accident in Illinois, it’s important to take the proper steps to strengthen your case and maximize your potential compensation:
Some rideshare accident victims believe they can handle their case on their own. However, this is a bad idea. You should always let an experienced attorney handle any insurance claims or legal cases you have to prevent the opposing side from taking advantage of you.
Without the knowledge and experience that comes from handling car accident cases routinely, it will be nearly impossible for you to know what your case is worth, and you won’t be able to fight back against the tactics insurance companies use to devalue claims.
A rideshare accident attorney will look out for your best interests and help maximize your financial recovery.
Were you injured in an Illinois rideshare accident? Contact Bartholomew, Shevlin & Flack, LLP, for a free consultation with our rideshare accident attorney. Our firm offers individualized strategies to meet your unique needs and will never charge you a fee unless we secure compensation for you.