Why You Should Contact a Woodlawn Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft provide Woodlawn residents with a convenient alternative to driving. Uber and Lyft drivers provide a great option for those who enjoy Maryland’s nightlife, and many non-drivers rely on these services. While a convenient service, Uber and Lyft accidents are tragically common. If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident, a Woodlawn rideshare accident attorney can help you determine who should pay for your medical bills and other damages—the rideshare driver or the rideshare company?
Unfortunately, liability in a rideshare accident can be incredibly complex, especially because insurance companies frequently attempt to avoid paying out insurance claims to injured victims.
If you suffered injuries because of an Uber or Lyft driver, you need to contact a Woodlawn rideshare accident lawyer. An experienced accident lawyer will explain what you need to do to recover compensation, and they will help you identify all liable parties.
How Our Experience Matters
Depending on your case, we can help you recoup financial losses as well as compensation for pain and suffering through a rideshare accident claim. You pay nothing unless our accident lawyers win damages for your case.
Our Woodlawn rideshare accident lawyers will work tirelessly to gather evidence and prove your personal injury claim. We’ll negotiate with the liable party’s insurance company to help ensure you recover full compensation.
Our accident lawyers can also represent you in court if we cannot reach a favorable settlement with the liable party. Our law firm has assisted numerous Woodlawn and Maryland residents in recovering fair compensation in personal injury cases.
For experienced lawyers in Woodlawn, Maryland, contact Zirkin and Schmerling Law personal injury attorneys. Our law firm of seasoned rideshare and car accident lawyers can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
You can request a free consultation with a Woodlawn rideshare accident lawyer today: 410-753-4611.
Personal Auto Insurance vs. Rideshare Coverage
One of the primary factors that makes rideshare accident claims confusing is whether to file against the rideshare driver, Uber/Lyft or other parties.
The first factor you’ll need to consider is who caused the accident. In the event the other driver was at fault, you’ll seek compensation through the other driver’s insurance company.
Further, if a pedestrian, cyclist or other party caused the accident, you will file a claim through their insurance policy. Additionally, multiple parties can share responsibility in an accident, meaning you can file claims and take legal action against all liable parties involved.
Identifying all liable parties involved in rideshare accidents is frequently confusing and challenging, so it’s best to consult with a rideshare accident lawyer with many years of legal experience in car accident cases.
If an Accident is the Rideshare Driver’s Fault
Suppose the rideshare driver was responsible for the accident. Do you file a claim against the Lyft/Uber driver or the rideshare company?
If the accident was the rideshare driver’s fault, you’ll first file a claim against them and seek compensation through their insurance company. Like all Woodlawn motorists, rideshare drivers must have liability insurance since they use their personal vehicles.
Further, Maryland offers different types of insurance that could compensate you for injuries, including your own collision coverage, underinsured or uninsured coverage, and personal injury protection (PIP) insurance coverage.
In the event the rideshare driver’s insurance coverage doesn’t cover all of your losses, you’ll file a claim against the rideshare service with the help of an attorney. Rideshare companies offer insurance policies that cover damages inflicted by their drivers, including damage done to rideshare passengers and other drivers.
Rideshare Companies Are Vicariously Liable
Both Uber and Lyft offer up to $1 million in damages for an accident, but recovering compensation from these companies is tricky. Sadly, Uber, Lyft and their insurance companies do not have the best interests of injured victims in mind. They usually do everything they can to avoid paying out insurance claims to save money, and these companies have many stipulations for recovering compensation.
First, the rideshare driver must have been signed into the rideshare application when the accident occurred. Otherwise, Uber or Lyft will deny liability.
Next, the rideshare company will check to see if their driver had accepted a ride request at the time of the collision. In the event the driver had not yet accepted a ride request, the rideshare company will only offer limited coverage for damages.
This coverage includes:
- Up to $25,000 for property damage, such as other cars
- Up to $50,000 for bodily harm to an individual
- Up to $100,000 for all bodily harm caused in the accident
If rideshare drivers have already accepted ride requests, the rideshare companies will offer up to $1 million in insurance coverage, but they will still likely attempt to deny or reduce compensation for accident victims whenever possible.
For that reason, it’s critical to consult with a Woodlawn rideshare accident lawyer, as they will help you prove your rideshare accident claim.
What You Should Know If You Decide To Sue Uber
Before considering formal legal proceedings, you should go through the rideshare accident claims process.
If You Were a Passenger
In an Uber or Lyft accident, you’ll need to contact customer support or report the accident through their app.
Although you need to report the incident, you should avoid communicating with these companies further if you don’t have an accident attorney present.
Once again, rideshare companies will do everything they can to avoid paying out compensation— they are not interested in helping victims.
Avoid Talking to Rideshare or Insurance Company Representatives Without a Lawyer
If you say something that could be misconstrued as an admission of liability, they will claim that you were partially at fault for your own injuries. They will use this evidence against you in court. Maryland is a contributory negligence state, meaning you cannot recover compensation if you were partially at fault.
Injured victims should never speak to rideshare representatives or insurance companies without their attorneys to guide them.
Never Represent Yourself
Further, you’re likely aware that you’re allowed to represent yourself when filing a claim or lawsuit.
Seasoned accident lawyers have years of experience helping victims, and they will help ensure you recover the most money possible. Representing yourself is a costly mistake.
Another key mistake many rideshare crash victims make is posting about the car accident on social media.
Stay Off of Social Media
Anything you say online can be used against you as proof that you were partially at fault for your injuries.
For instance, suppose you post a seemingly innocuous statement on Facebook or X about how you’re feeling okay after the crash. Uber/Lyft or their insurance company can use the statement as proof that you didn’t actually suffer serious injuries. They will attempt to deny or reduce your accident compensation.
The Importance of Medical Care After a Woodlawn Rideshare Accident
The most important thing you can do after a rideshare accident is seek immediate medical attention.
Your injuries could be more serious than you realize, and you should always prioritize your health.
Delaying medical treatment can also jeopardize your accident insurance claim. You need to prove a direct causal link between the car accident and your injuries.
Consequences of Delaying Medical Treatment
If you delay treatment, Uber or Lyft could claim that you suffered harm from a separate event unrelated to the rideshare crash.
This may hurt your ability to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. Therefore, it’s best to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a car accident.
How the Woodlawn Rideshare Accident Claim Process Works
You’ll need to gather as much evidence as possible to strengthen your rideshare accident claim. Additionally, you will use this evidence if you eventually need to sue a rideshare company, such as Uber.
Injured victims often need to supply abundant amounts of evidence to prove Lyft or Uber drivers were at fault for their rideshare accidents. The rideshare company or their insurer could argue that you were partially responsible for your injuries and losses, meaning that you don’t have the right to recover compensation. You’ll need to prove the rideshare driver was responsible for the car accident and your damages.
Valuable forms of evidence in rideshare car accidents include:
- The police accident report
- Photographic and video evidence of the car accident
- Eyewitness statements
- Car accident reconstruction expert testimony
- Cell phone records proving the rideshare driver was distracted at the time of the car accident
Furthermore, you’ll need evidence showing the full extent of your financial losses. Personal injury claims are designed to compensate victims for specific damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, property damage, loss of future earnings, and pain and suffering.
You can prove your damages through:
- Documents and receipts proving your medical expenses
- Photos and videos of your injuries shortly after the car accident
- Doctor’s notes and medical records
- Expert medical testimony
- Estimates for future medical bills related to the car accident
- Records indicating lost wages
- Property damage appraisals and receipts
- Receipts related to mental health counseling
You’ll need to report the car accident to Uber or Lyft. Once again, although contacting them in this initial stage is necessary, you should not speak with an Uber or Lyft representative without an attorney.
Remember, anything you say to a rideshare company or their insurer can be used against you to hurt your claim.
Contact a Woodlawn Rideshare Attorney at Zirkin & Schmerling Law
If you were injured in a Woodlawn rideshare crash, you need to contact an experienced rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible. Here at Zirkin & Schmerling Law, we have many years of experience fighting for personal injury clients. Depending on your case, we can help you recover fair compensation from the liable parties involved, including Uber or Lyft.
Don’t wait—get started with your rideshare accident case today by requesting a free consultation with one of our attorneys. You pay nothing unless our accident lawyers win your case.
You can get a free consultation by calling 410-753-4611 or contacting us online here.