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If you or a loved one were involved in a recent wreck and suffered injuries due to the negligence or carelessness of an Uber or taxi driver, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your damages. Whether you were injured as a passenger, fellow motorist, or pedestrian, you have rights. A Lancaster Uber/taxi accident lawyer could review your case and help you hold the reckless party accountable for their actions. With the help of a seasoned car accident attorney on your side, you may be able to recover compensation for both your economic and non-economic damages.
Leading Causes of Uber/Taxi Wrecks
There are many instances in which an Uber or taxi driver or carrier may be held liable for the plaintiff’s damages. Speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, drug-impaired driving, and failing to obey traffic laws are among the leading causes of these types of wrecks. Driver fatigue, as well as following too closely are also common factors in Uber and taxi accidents.
Damages for Accident Victims
Economic, non-economic, and in certain cases, punitive damages may be available to compensate the plaintiff for their injuries. Examples of economic damages include the following:
- Ambulance bills
- Surgery bills
- Hospital bills
- Therapy bills
- Expenses incurred by home modifications due to the injury
- Income loss
Unlike economic damages, non-economic damages are not associated with a specific dollar value. The injured party may also be awarded non-economic damages and may be able to recover compensation for their pain, suffering, disfigurement, mental distress, and lost life enjoyment.
Additionally, punitive damages would typically only be awarded if the actions of the driver and their company were particularly appalling or egregious.
S.C. Code § 15-3-530 provides plaintiffs up to three years from the injury date to get their case started, but a plaintiff’s failure to file within the three-year window could inhibit compensation. If someone is injured in a wreck with an Uber or taxi driver and decides to pursue financial damages, they should seek help from a Lancaster lawyer without delay.
Determining Liability
The insurance policy through which the plaintiff’s damages may be sought would depend on the circumstances leading up to the crash. For example, a driver who is logged into the Uber application at the time of the crash and is either transporting someone or driving to pick up a passenger would be covered by a minimum policy limit amount of one million dollars.
On the other hand, if the driver is simply on the app but does not have a passenger assigned when the collision happens, the rideshare provider would be obliged to provide minimum policy limits of $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident, and $50,000 in property damage coverage. If the driver was not inside the app when they caused the wreck, the plaintiff could be entitled to seek compensation through the driver’s private auto insurance coverage instead.
A seasoned Uber/taxi attorney in Lancaster would dig deep into the details of the crash to determine whether one or more policies may apply to cover the victim’s damages. It is essential to hire competent legal counsel from the very beginning of a case, as it is not uncommon for taxi and rideshare companies to argue that they are not liable for the victim’s damages because the driver was a contractor rather than a direct employee.
Let a Lancaster Uber/Taxi Accident Attorney Handle Your Claim
After a collision with a rideshare driver, it is vital to collect all information available which may support your claim and ensure your injuries are well-documented. An experienced Lancaster Uber/taxi lawyer could handle all aspects of a case investigation on your behalf and determine which party may be legally liable to pay for your losses. Get in touch with an attorney at Schiller & Hamilton today to schedule your case consultation.