Nassau County Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accident Attorney
There’s nothing more convenient than pushing a few buttons to catch a ride anywhere at any time—no worrying about navigating traffic, finding affordable parking, or filling up on gas. Rideshare services have a sizable presence in New York. The ridesharing industry has boomed in popularity as a result of the comfort, dependability, and safety offered by these apps. Without a doubt, the transportation industry has been changed by ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft.
Despite its benefits, this new mode of transportation brings fresh uncertainty. What to do in the event of a ridesharing accident is undoubtedly a worry that many individuals have had. Those involved in a rideshare collision, including drivers, passengers, and even other motorists, may not know how to go about recovering compensation properly. Those involved in a rideshare accident can turn to an experienced lawyer for guidance when pursuing compensation.
Liability in a Nassau Rideshare Accident
Your case may involve multiple potentially liable parties with insurers that will try to pay as little as possible for your losses. Ultimately, whoever caused the accident will be held financially accountable. Liability may apply to the rideshare driver, another motorist, a bystander on foot or a cyclist, or any other party involved.
Even while that would seem relatively simple, the insurance guidelines for compensation in situations like these might be challenging to understand. When you take into account that rideshare businesses do not employ their drivers, things get much more complicated. Since drivers are independent contractors, victims may not be able to sue Uber or Lyft for a car accident that included one of their drivers. You may still seek damages for your injuries, though.
In rideshare vehicles, passengers can feel safe knowing that they won’t be held responsible for accidents unless they somehow interfered with the driver or vehicle. Your accident would most likely be covered by the ridesharing company’s third-party liability insurance since you were a passenger.
Dealing with insurance companies is rarely straightforward, and most of the time, they will hunt for any excuse to reject a claim or lower a settlement. You have a better chance of receiving just compensation from an insurance company if you employ a skilled ridesharing accident attorney.
Am I Entitled to Compensation From Ridesharing Services After an Accident in Nassau?
Following an accident, getting compensation from the at-fault driver might not be sufficient. Sadly, not all drivers have insurance or insurance that will cover the damages they can do. In some situations, you are in the unusual situation of being able to recover damages from the insurance policy offered by Uber or Lyft if you are involved in a ridesharing accident.
Uber maintains insurance for its drivers, so they and their passengers are covered in certain accidents. Uber is required to have $25,000 in property damage insurance, and $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $100,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident. If a rideshare driver causes an accident and injures someone, their bodily injury insurance will pay the victim’s damages. Similar to Uber, Lyft offers complete auto insurance coverage to both drivers and passengers.
In addition to any other insurance coverage the driver may have, if you are injured by an Uber or Lyft driver while they are in driver mode, you may be able to recover up to $50,000 from their bodily injury insurance policy. The Uber or Lyft driver’s bodily injury insurance coverage would pay all of the affected parties up to $100,000 if multiple persons were hurt in your collision.
Additionally, if the Uber or Lyft driver caused damage to your vehicle while the app was active, the insurance coverage of Uber or Lyft may pay you up to $25,000.
Nassau’s Comparative Negligence Law
When you file a claim for an Uber and Lyft accident, you should be aware that accepting responsibility for your accident may lower the amount of money you are entitled to get in a successful lawsuit. In personal injury cases, when the plaintiff bears some of the blame, comparative negligence is typically used to determine how much compensation the plaintiff deserves.
Any contributory negligence attributed to the plaintiff reduces economic and non-economic damages in proportion to the degree of that negligence. Still, it does not entirely bar the plaintiff from pursuing damages. The no-fault insurance provision in New York is distinct from comparative fault in personal injury lawsuits.
New York personal injury claims are subject to the pure comparative negligence rule, so no matter how significant your proportion of fault may be, you may still be eligible for compensation under the pure comparative negligence rule.
What is Nassau’s Rideshare Accident Statute of Limitations?
When you are involved in an accident, you should act as soon as you can. You only have a certain amount of time to file a claim for car accidents. There is no ridesharing-specific statute of limitations under New York law. All car accident cases, including those involving Lyft and Uber, are subject to a three-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims.
Retain the Services of an Experienced Nassau Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer
Uber and Lyft have improved both the convenience and safety of moving around large cities. However, Uber and Lyft accidents are significantly more complicated than typical auto accidents. Because of the insurance policies and contracts involved in ridesharing services, it is difficult for accident victims to obtain damages on their own.
Obtaining legal assistance may be the best way to ensure you can recover damages following a rideshare accident. Put your faith in the knowledgeable and sympathetic personal injury lawyers at the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP. Your family’s and your future’s health are our main priorities. After a ridesharing accident, our staff will take immediate action to support your right to justice and fair compensation. Call (866) 924-1787 to set up your consultation or complete our contact form.
