Lansing, Michigan, has a population of over 110,000, so roads can be pretty congested. Many residents and travelers rely on rideshare services like Uber and Lyft to get around the city, but they are still at risk of being in a motor vehicle accident.
Rideshare accident claims are more confusing than most because multiple insurance companies are involved and the complications in establishing liability. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers will improve your chances of succeeding with your claim by maneuvering these legal challenges.
Why Choose Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers
At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we are dedicated to securing the highest compensation for clients involved in rideshare accidents in Lansing. Our experienced legal team has a strong track record of handling rideshare accident cases and achieving substantial settlements and verdicts.
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We conduct thorough investigations to ensure all medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering are fully addressed. With our deep expertise in rideshare accident claims, we effectively navigate the complexities and fight tirelessly for your rights.
How the collision occurred is a crucial component in your case. It plays a role in establishing who is liable for the accident involving an Uber or Lyft driver. In addition, it determines which insurance policy may cover the legal damages you suffered, both for insurance claims and personal injury claims.
Common causes of rideshare car accidents include:
- Distracted driving – The driver is distracted by a phone, eating, drinking, a passenger, or even a GPS device.
- Impaired driving – If a driver has consumed alcohol or is on drugs while driving, their ability to drive well is compromised.
- Fatigue – Drivers who have worked long hours or have not gotten enough sleep could lose focus and cause an accident.
- Reckless driving – Drivers can behave recklessly or aggressively by speeding, tailgating, or brake-checking others.
- Road conditions – The surface of the road could be compromised by snow, rain, sleet, ice, potholes, or degrading pavement, causing drivers to lose control of their vehicles.
- Vehicle malfunctions – Faulty car parts that malfunction while the vehicle is on the road could lead to a collision.
- Driver inexperience – Those with little driving experience may not have the understanding, awareness, or reflexes of seasoned drivers.
An accident claim involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle depends entirely on the existence of evidence. For a personal injury claim, you must have enough evidence to establish that it is more likely than not that the defendant is at fault for the accident. Insurance claims are processed through the state system.
For your lawsuit, some key evidence to collect includes photos of the accident scene, recorded eyewitness testimonies, medical records about your injuries and treatment, and a copy of the police report. An experienced attorney from our legal team can help you collect this evidence and preserve it to ensure it supports your claim.
Preserving evidence is all about maintaining its validity over time, especially if your claim takes place months after the collision. Create duplicates of any documents you plan to present. Save photos in a separate folder both on a device and in the cloud. Make sure you write down or record what witnesses say so that the fading of memories does not compromise your case.
Typical insurance policy claims can cover damages like bodily injury and property damage, but a personal injury claim goes a step further if negligence is involved. To receive maximum compensation, you must be able to establish liability.
Usually, the rideshare company itself cannot be held liable because its drivers are independent contractors who own their vehicles rather than employees. However, if the rideshare service did not properly vet a driver or reneged on their insurance coverage commitment, then your lawsuit could be against them.
Other potentially liable parties in a ridesharing accident include the following:
The Rideshare Driver
Uber or Lyft drivers can be held liable if they are the cause of the accident rather than the company itself. This is because they are independent contractors, not employees. The rideshare driver could cause an accident because of distracted driving, impaired driving, or a failure to obey traffic signals or laws.
Other Drivers
Drivers of other vehicles may be liable for your accident for similar reasons. In that case, you could seek fair compensation for your injuries and ensuing damages by filing a claim against them.
Vehicle Manufacturers
Some accidents are caused by a vehicle part with a design defect or production error that malfunctioned while the car was being driven. Injured victims could then pursue the claims process against the vehicle or the specific part’s manufacturer.
Under Michigan law, you can file a claim for personal injuries if you experience damages not covered by the state’s no-fault insurance policy. To have the best chance of additional compensation, you need a strong accident lawyer from our firm who understands how this legal process works.
You can start with a Lansing rideshare accident attorney from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers by asking questions during a free consultation. We will then provide you with guidance about your legal options.
We will conduct a thorough investigation of the accident, assess damages to calculate compensation, consult with experts like accident reconstructionists, gather evidence, and negotiate with the insurance companies involved. We will even represent you in court if necessary, though this is extremely rare for car accidents.
Legal Damages in a Personal Injury Claim
If you want to maximize compensation for your claim, it will come down to damages. Compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages beyond policy limits or from an uninsured motorist can help with your financial recovery.
These losses include lost wages, medical bills, property damage, funeral costs for wrongful death, emotional distress, physical pain, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of companionship for wrongful death claims.
Insurance Coverage for Uber or Lyft Drivers
Figuring out how insurance works after a rideshare accident is one of the most complicated aspects of the case, which is why an experienced attorney from our law firm is crucial. Companies like Uber and Lyft provide additional coverage to their drivers in certain situations, usually depending on the driver’s status in the app at the time of the accident.
Let’s look at the various insurance scenarios:
- The Uber or Lyft driver is offline and not accepting rides – The driver’s personal auto insurance policy would cover any damages up to the policy limits
- The Uber or Lyft driver is online and waiting for ride requests – Both companies provide additional coverage that matches minimum requirements in Michigan. This includes $25,000 for property damage, $50,000 for bodily injury, and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury
- The Uber or Lyft driver is en route to a passenger or transporting one – A higher policy amount of at least $1,000,000 per accident for both injuries and property damage applies according to regulations set by the state of Michigan regarding rideshare services
You Have a Limited Time to File a Ridesharing Accident Lawsuit
The sooner you hire a rideshare accident lawyer from our team to guide you through the claims process, as it’s usually much easier to collect solid evidence while the case is still fresh in everyone’s mind. However, the other reason for an injured party to work with our Lansing ridesharing accident lawyer as soon as possible is to avoid running into the statute of limitations.
Under these laws, you have a limited time to file your lawsuit, depending on the circumstances of the accident. For most personal injuries in Michigan, you have three years from the date of the incident or discovery of the injury to file your claim. Wrongful death claims after an accident also have three years for surviving family members to file.
Some exceptions could affect this timeline. For example, if the injured victim is under 18, the three-year timeframe usually begins on their 18th birthday. If the negligent parties in your claim leave the state or are unresponsive, this could also lead to an extension of the time limit. Ask your Lansing rideshare injury lawyer if you have questions about these statutes.
The amount of compensation you receive after an accident involving rideshare services may be limited by several factors, including policy limits and underinsured motorists. Your best chance of winning additional compensation to cover all your legal damages is with the help of a Lansing rideshare car accident lawyer from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers. We have recovered millions for past clients and work on a contingency fee basis, so we only get paid if we win.
Call our team at 888-424-5757 or fill out the contact form to schedule a free consultation with a Lansing ridesharing accident attorney about pursuing fair compensation for your injuries.
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