Getting around has become easier than ever before with so many options for transportation. One such option is to call an Uber or Lyft vehicle. If you are injured in an accident, you can file a lawsuit for damages.
The police and emergency medical assistance should be called right away. You should also contact a lawyer as soon as you can. Liability for an accident may vary based on numerous factors. You might sue the Uber or Lyft driver, or perhaps another driver on the road is liable. Evidence can be collected almost immediately after the accident. Photos, videos, security camera footage, and witness testimony are crucial to your case. Your damages may be very high, depending on your circumstances. You can demand compensation for your economic losses, like medical bills, and non-economic injuries, like pain and suffering.
Whether you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft car or were another driver on the road, you should be compensated for your painful injuries after an accident. For a free review of your case, call our Georgia Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
What to Do After a Lyft or Uber Crash in Georgia
After an accident with an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you or someone with you should immediately call for help. Even if you do not think you are seriously injured, you should seek medical treatment right away as some injuries might not be obvious right away. You should also try to exchange information with any other drivers in the crash, as you might need to file an insurance claim or lawsuit later.
Once you have received medical attention and spoken to the police, you should contact an attorney about your legal options. In many cases, the person or people responsible for an accident refuse to take accountability. Many negligent drivers try to blame the injured victims for the crash. In such cases, a lawyer can help you tally up all your damages and prepare for a lawsuit.
The sooner you hire a lawyer after an Uber or Lyft accident, the better. As time ticks by, precious evidence might be lost, and witnesses might leave the area. By starting early, our Georgia Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you secure evidence and witnesses before they disappear.
Liability in an Uber or Lyft Accident in Georgia
Determining who you should hold liable in a car accident lawsuit is not always easy. It can be downright difficult in many cases. If you have trouble tracking down or identifying the defendant in your case, our Georgia Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you.
Perhaps the first person we should be looking at for liability is the Uber or Lyft driver. All drivers on the road owe a duty of care to drive with reasonable safety under the circumstances. This duty of care is especially important if you were a passenger in the Uber or Lyft vehicle. A breach of this duty might be a traffic violation such as running a red light or driving recklessly. If we can demonstrate that the Uber or Lyft driver’s breach was the direct cause of the accident, we can hold them liable for your damages.
It is also possible to sue other drivers in the crash. Perhaps the reckless driving of your Uber driver and the speeding of another driver both contributed to the accident. In that case, both can be held liable in the same lawsuit.
It should be noted that while you can sue an Uber or Lyft driver, you typically cannot sue the companies Uber and Lyft. Normally, an employer can be held vicariously liable for an employee’s negligence. However, Uber and Lyft drivers are not considered employees. Instead, they are classified as independent contractors, placing Uber and Lyft beyond the reach of vicarious liability laws.
Evidence for a Lawsuit After an Uber or Lyft Accident in Georgia
Details about weather conditions, street signs, and the cars involved can all be found at the crash site. Unfortunately, law enforcement tends to clean up accident sites quickly, and evidence might disappear. Therefore, it is important to document the accident scene as thoroughly as possible. Our Georgia Lyft and Uber accident attorneys can help you collect and review evidence about your crash.
If you have a camera or cell phone with you, you should take pictures and record videos of the accident scene. Take pictures of your damaged vehicle, the Uber or Lyft vehicle, your injuries, nearby street signs, and the surrounding area. The details preserved in your recordings can make or break your case.
If you cannot take any pictures or videos – perhaps you were too badly injured – all hope is not lost. There might be security cameras at nearby homes or businesses that cause your accident and the aftermath on camera. Video footage depicting the accident can be extremely powerful, even if we have very little additional evidence.
Witnesses are also crucial to your lawsuit. Other drivers and passengers or people passing by on the sidewalk can testify about what they saw. Even if a particular witness did not see absolutely everything, they might know important details, like how fast the defendant was going or the road conditions that day.
Injuries and Damages Available After Uber and Lyft Accidents in Georgia
The damages available after an Uber or Lyft accident may be enormous. You might be looking at a mountain of debt from medical bills to lost property, all thanks to someone else’s negligence. Our Georgia Uber and Lyft accident attorneys can help you calculate your damages to get the most compensation possible.
Economic damages are related to the financial burden of the accident. The person who caused the accident should pay for these costs, not you. You might have a wide variety of economic damages depending on your situation. For example, you might face high medical bills with no way to pay for them because you cannot return to work due to your injuries. You can claim the medical bills and any lost income as part of your economic damages.
Non-economic damages are somewhat more challenging to determine because they are so subjective. These damages include injuries that did not necessarily cost the injured victim any money. For example, you can claim your mental and physical pain and suffering as part of your non-economic damages. Our Georgia Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you determine how much these damages are worth.
Call Our Georgia Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers for Assistance
If you were injured in a car accident with a Lyft or Uber car, you can file a lawsuit and have the defendant cover your damages. Our Georgia Uber and Lyft accident attorneys can help you get justice. Call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review.
