West Palm Beach Uber and Lyft Accidents Attorney

Ridesharing is a way to get to your destination without having to wait for a taxi or use over-crowded public transportation. In the State of Florida, ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have become a popular choice for transportation today. Ridesharing services are faster, cheaper and easier to use than a traditional taxicab service. Uber and Lyft have taken over much of the ridesharing market to the point that taxicab business has been severely diminished in recent years. Disputes between Uber/Lyft and taxicab companies have been widely litigated.

Nevertheless, Uber and Lyft accidents can be confusing and frightening. Understanding who is responsible and what your rights are as an injured passenger is not easy. Contact Mr. Quackenbush for help after an accident.

There are a number of different ways that you might be compensated if you have been injured in a crash involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle. Firstly, you might be able to recover from an insurance policy associated with the Uber or Lyft driver because, in the State of Florida, drivers are not employees of Uber or Lyft. Uber or Lyft drivers have to use their own vehicles and carry their own insurance. Consequently, if you are injured because of the fault of an Uber or Lyft driver, you might be able to receive compensation from the Uber or Lyft driver him or herself.

In reality, this might be your only choice if the accident takes place while the Uber or Lyft “driver mode” is off and the vehicle is empty (meaning not carrying any passengers). The “driver mode” indicates the status of the Uber or Lyft. In an Uber, if the driver is “on the app,” then the driver is looking to accept a ridesharing job (in other words, to pick somebody up). In a Lyft, if the driver is in “driver mode,” then the driver is looking to accept a ridesharing job. In either case, if the driver/vehicle’s driver mode indicates that he or she is looking to accept a ridesharing job, then Uber or Lyft will provide insurance coverage. Conversely, if the driver mode of the driver that caused your crash is off, then you might have no other option but to pursue the insurance policy of the driver who caused the accident.

If the driver mode of the driver who caused your accident is on (that is the driver/vehicle is looking to accept ridesharing jobs), then you may still be able to pursue the insurance policy of the driver. However, you may now have a secondary option - being the insurance policy provided by Uber or Lyft. This will protect you in case the driver him or herself wasn’t insured or didn’t have enough insurance. In that case, Uber is required to carry $50,000 in bodily injury (BI) coverage per person, $100,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.

Bodily Injury (BI) coverage is intended to protect the careless driver of a vehicle so that he or she doesn’t have to pay for any damages out of his or her own personal assets. It covers a driver if he or she causes permanent or serious injuries or death resulting from an automobile crash. It covers such things as lost wages, medical expenses, pain, and suffering of the injured person. So, when you are injured by an Uber or Lyft driver who is in driver mode, you will be able to recover up to $50,000 from the Uber or Lyft driver’s BI insurance policy in addition to whatever insurance coverage the driver carried.

Moreover, if the Uber or Lyft driver causes damage to your vehicle in the accident, then the Uber or Lyft insurance policy will cover you for your property damage up to $25,000.

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury in any kind of Uber or Lyft wreck any place in the State of Florida (including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Miami-Dade County, and Broward County), contact Mr. Quackenbush at 954-448-7288 for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Mr. Quackenbush will work on a contingency basis, which means that you don’t pay any attorney’s fees until he wins compensation for you. Discuss your case with an experienced attorney like Mr. Quackenbush and let him take care of the rest.

The things mentioned above apply if at the time of your accident there were no passengers in the Uber or Lyft. On the other hand, if there were passengers in the Uber or Lyft, then the situation will be different. In that case, Uber or Lyft is obligated to carry one-million dollars of insurance coverage - so this will be the most that you can recover.

Also, you might be able to recover compensation from your own uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM) coverage if the at-fault driver did not carry bodily injury coverage or did not carry enough bodily injury coverage. Uber and Lyft are also required to carry $1 million in uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM) coverage. If you are injured due to the negligence of another driver who either doesn’t have any insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to compensate you for your injuries, then uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage will protect you. In that circumstance, your uninsured or uninsured motorist coverage should step in and compensate you for your severe injuries. If the at-fault driver did not have any bodily injury coverage, then uninsured motorist coverage should provide compensation to you. So, if you are catastrophically injured, you may be able to recover from your own uninsured motorist insurance policy if the value of your injuries is more than one-million dollars. The first one-million dollars would come from the company's insurance policy, and then anything in excess of that would come from your own uninsured motorist policy.

In a property damage case, Uber and Lyft provide $50,000 in coverage if the Uber or Lyft is carrying passengers, but this true only if the driver him or herself carries his or her own personal comprehensive and collision insurance.

With large numbers of Uber and Lyfts on the road, there also comes an increase in accidents involving ride-sharing vehicles. A distraction from an onboard GPS navigation system or the negligence of another motorist can easily cause a crash.

Car wrecks involving Ubers and Lyfts present unique challenges for victims. If you’re hurt in an Uber or Lyft wreck, you may be able to pursue a case against various parties. For one, if you were riding in an Uber or Lyft vehicle and the Uber or Lyft driver caused the crash, then you may be able to pursue a case against the driver of the Uber or Lyft.

Moreover, these companies typically don’t do much investigation into their drivers, and there are not many rules and regulations on who can be an Uber or Lyft driver. As such, when passengers get into an Uber or Lyft, they actually have no idea who is going to be driving them around or how good their driving skills are. Consequently, an Uber or Lyft client is always at risk of being in a collision. If you are in an accident caused by an inexperienced Uber or Lyft driver, you might have a case against the inexperienced Uber or Lyft driver. When you are injured in an Uber or Lyft accident, contact Mr. Quackenbush. He will take steps to help you recover the full compensation you deserve.

Additionally, in the situation that you are driving your own vehicle and you are hit by a driver of an Uber or Lyft, then you might be able to pursue a case against the Uber or Lyft driver. If you were in an Uber or Lyft at the time of your crash and the accident was caused by the other driver involved in the wreck (instead of the Uber or Lyft driver), then you may be able to pursue a case against the other driver. Lastly, you might be able to pursue a case against the driver of the Uber or Lyft vehicle if you were a pedestrian hit by an Uber or Lyft. If you need help filing a claim for injuries after an accident involving an Uber or Lyft, contact Mr. Quackenbush. He will fight aggressively to recover damages from those who are responsible.

If you or someone from your family has been hurt in a Uber and Lyft Accident anywhere in Palm Beach County (including Belle Glade, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Greenacres, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Lantana, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, Riviera Beach, Royal Palm Beach and Wellington), contact Mr. Quackenbush at 954-448-7288 to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.

Mr. Quackenbush takes most cases on a contingency basis, which means that you don’t need to pay any attorney’s fees until he wins compensation for you. Discuss your case with Mr. Quackenbush today.