Uber & Lyft Accident Attorneys in Smith County
Uber and Lyft have spearheaded the ridesharing service movement. Branding themselves as cost-effective, efficient means of transportation, while allowing their drivers to, in a sense, “be their own bosses.” People trust these ridesharing services, and rightfully so; they have proven, in large part, to be both reliable and relatively cheap. However, accidents do happen. If you’ve been involved in one, you are most likely now seeking financial compensation for your injuries. Fortunately, Attorney J. Chad Parker has over 25 years of experience representing injured people in Texas. If you were involved in a rideshare accident, contact J. Chad Parker, PLLC today to learn more about how we can help.
Causes of Rideshare Accidents
Uber and Lyft accidents can happen for various reasons, and though they are sometimes inevitable, this is usually not the case. Unfortunately, in rideshare accidents, passengers, pedestrians, or other motorists are most commonly injured due to driver negligence. If you were injured in a rideshare accident, you must hire an attorney who is ready to fight, tooth-and-nail, for the financial compensation you deserve.
Liability After an Uber or Lyft Accident
Unfortunately, it is oftentimes difficult to determine liability in Uber and Lyft accidents, as the drivers are considered independent contractors, as opposed to employees of a company. Fortunately, in some cases, Uber and Lyft provide injured parties with liability coverage up to a certain dollar amount, depending on whether the driver was on the clock or not. Uber and Lyft’s liability coverage system is as follows:
- Period 0: This is when the driver is not logged into the rideshare app. If an accident occurs at this time, Uber/Lyft will not provide liability coverage.
- Period 1: This is when the driver is logged in but has not yet accepted a ride. If he or she causes an accident, Uber/Lyft will provide liability coverage of up to $50,000 per person injured in the accident, $100,000 total injury liability per accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability.
- Period 2: When a driver has accepted a trip and is en route to the rider and causes an accident, the liability coverage will increase to $1 million.
- Period 3: This is when an accident occurs when the rider is in the Uber/Lyft vehicle at the time of the accident. In this scenario, Uber/Lyft provides coverage of up to $1 million, as well as limited coverage for damage to the driver’s car and uninsured motorists’ coverage.
Filing a Lawsuit After an Uber or Lyft Accident
In many cases, companies are responsible for their employees’ negligent actions. However, as mentioned earlier, this is generally not the case for Uber/Lyft accidents since their drivers are independent contractors. That is why you need an experienced attorney who knows the ins and outs of the personal injury claims process. J. Chad Parker is that attorney.
Contact a Smith County Uber & Lyft Accident Attorney
J. Chad Parker, PLLC is here to help all those injured in Uber and Lyft accidents. We know how difficult it is to sustain a serious injury in an accident that was simply not your fault. That is why we provide our clients with the aggressive representation they expect when they need it most. If you were injured in a rideshare accident, contact J. Chad Parker, PLLC today.