Rideshare services have certainly brought a lot of convenience to getting around Henderson. Whether it’s a convenient shortcut around public transit, a ride home after a night out, or a quick lift while your car is in the shop, services like Uber and Lyft have certainly changed the way we get around town.
Uber and Lyft drivers cover a lot of miles throughout the day though, and driving is never without risk. All of these miles add up and can result in rideshare drivers being involved in many accidents. While the same rules as a normal accident still apply to one involving rideshare vehicles, involving a company like Lyft or Uber can complicate an accident case, so you need a personal injury attorney that specializes in these unique situations.
More Vehicles, More Accidents
While services like Uber and Lyft are convenient, affordable, and easy ways to get around Henderson and Las Vegas, how widespread they’ve become in recent years does have some drawbacks. Ridesharing does help give people responsible options to help prevent drunk driving and alcohol-related accidents, but can also add a lot more vehicles on the road. All those cars congest roadways and inevitably lead to more accidents.
It would seem intuitive that using rideshare services actually means few cars on the road, but statistically, that isn’t the case. While most Uber and Lyft drivers don’t have far to take their fares, on average they’ll drive several miles while looking for a fare. This creates a lot more cars clogging up roadways throughout the city.
This is particularly the case with Uber drivers, who are assigned a territory in which they can pick up fares. If they take a customer out of their territory, they will have to return alone rather than pick up a new customer. Often this can double the miles on the road, and with so many rideshare drivers out there, vastly increase the cars on the road which leads to more accidents.
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Rideshare Drivers Can be More Frequently Involved in Accidents
A rideshare driver is more at risk for accidents than many other drivers on the road. Uber and Lyft drivers spend a lot of time behind the wheel and much of it in busy areas of the city. Unlike taxis that are usually going to major locations like the airport, hotels, events, or downtown, an Uber driver may regularly be zipping through residential neighborhoods and be less able to take direct routes.
Rideshare drivers also have a lot to distract them in their car. Passengers could frequently be a distraction, and though care is typically taken with hands-free devices, drivers still rely on their phones to interface with the Lyft or Uber network. Even with safety precautions and practice, navigating with a phone or other screen while driving is still a distraction from the road.
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Professional Drivers can Complicate Claims for Compensation
When a rideshare driver is involved in an accident, it can cause just as much pain and suffering as any other automotive accident. With Uber or Lyft, however, accident claims can get much more complicated as more parties are involved. Not only does the accident involve one or more drivers, but also you and potentially the company that employs those drivers.
Fault and responsibility for an accident are determined in Lyft and Uber accident cases the same as any other, but with many parties and probably many insurance companies involved it can sometimes prove difficult to determine the best way to proceed to get the compensation that you deserve. If the driver is on duty, they will be covered by the company’s insurance policy for any liability. A case could be brought against Uber or Lyft as well if the company had direct liability in the accident like knowingly hiring an under-qualified driver or approving a sub-par vehicle.
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What to Do After a Rideshare Accident
Follow the same protocols you would after any other accident for one that involves rideshare drivers. First, make sure you are safe and healthy and call 911 if anyone has any serious injuries. Call the police and report the accident right away, as soon as everybody is safe and out of harm’s way.
Regardless of whether you are the passenger or not, you should still gather all the necessary information about the accident. Take license plate numbers, contact information, insurance information, and any statements from nearby witnesses. Grab pictures of the scene if you can, so that you won’t have to rely on memories as much to describe the event later. Make sure to see a doctor for an exam after the accident, as not all injuries will be immediately noticeable.
Finally, contact an attorney that specializes in Lyft and Uber accidents. Accidents involving rideshare companies can add some extra challenges to determining fault and getting compensation. You want someone who is well-experienced in these unique types of accidents.
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Attorneys Specializing in Uber and Lyft Accidents Can Help You get Compensation
A car accident can be traumatic and have lasting implications for your health and future. Sadly, the pain you experience from an accident often also comes with a financial burden for medical care, treatment, or lost wages during recovery. If all that hardship was caused by someone else’s actions, you deserve compensation for your pain and costs, as well as any costs you may incur long term effects of the accident in the future.
With Uber and Lyft accidents, often finding who to seek damages from is much more complicated than with a typical accident. If a rideshare driver is off duty, they will not be covered by the company’s insurance policy but instead their own. As both Uber and Lyft have stringent guidelines for vehicles and drivers that they employ as independent contractors, the corporation itself may actually have direct liability if either the driver or their car was not up to the standards set by the company themselves.
Your Expert Lyft and Uber Attorney in Henderson
Lyft and Uber-related accidents can be complicated and, sadly, are all too common in Henderson. You need a trusted ally in navigating your case in these accidents that knows the terrain and can get you the compensation that you deserve. Contact us at Pacific West Injury Law today for a free consultation and our lawyers will go through your case and let you know how we can help.
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