The last thing anyone wants is to get into a car accident after getting in an Uber or Lyft car. If you are seriously injured in an Uber or Lyft crash, an attorney can help you get compensation.
One of the first steps you should take after a Lyft or Uber crash is determining who should be held liable. The driver of the Uber or Lyft vehicle or numerous other parties might be liable for the collision. In many cases, multiple parties share liability, and each should be made to pay for your damages. You can claim damages like medical bills, damaged property, lost income, pain, suffering, and more. The evidence you need will vary based on your unique situation, and our team can help you gather enough strong evidence to prove your claims in court.
Call our Tennessee Uber and Lyft accident lawyers as soon as possible to discuss your accident and how to get compensation. For a free case review, call Howe Law at (844) 876-4357.
Holding Someone Liable for an Uber or Lyft Accident in Tennessee
Several factors determine liability in a car accident case. Generally, liability may be assessed if the defendant owed you a duty of care and then violated that duty. Drivers on the road are always under the legal obligation or duty to drive with reasonable safety under the circumstances. If they do something that violates this duty, like run a stop sign or drive recklessly, they may be liable for any accidents and injuries they cause.
The rideshare driver is one of the first people our Tennessee Lyft and Uber accident attorneys will look to for liability. Passengers rely on these drivers to get them to their destinations safely. Driving recklessly or otherwise doing something to breach the legal duty of care may leave your Uber or Lyft driver open to liability.
In many cases, other drivers on the road are liable instead of your Uber or Lyft driver. In other cases, both drivers share liability. For example, your Lyft driver might change lanes without signaling when, at the same time, another driver approaches from behind at a dangerously high rate of speed. Both drivers may be liable for the resulting accident because their negligent actions combined to create a dangerous situation.
Unfortunately, Uber and Lyft are usually beyond the reach of a lawsuit. Normally, an employer can be held vicariously liable for an employee’s negligence if it occurred within the scope of the employee’s job. However, Uber and Lyft drivers are not employees but are instead classified as independent contractors, making the ridesharing companies exempt from vicarious liability in most cases.
Recovering Damages for Your Injuries After a Tennessee Uber or Lyft Accident
Recoverable damages refer to the losses and expenses you want the defendant to pay for after an Uber or Lyft accident. Depending on your accident, the extent of your injuries, and the losses you incurred, you may have considerable damages you can claim in a lawsuit. Our Tennessee Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you accurately tally up your damages so that no expenses or injuries are overlooked.
One of the most significant sources of damages is medical debt. Your physical injuries may be severe, and emergency medical care is not cheap. You might also need ongoing treatment, including surgeries, physical therapies, and medication refills that are very expensive. Your medical expenses and future expenses should be factored into your damages calculations.
After being injured in an Uber or Lyft crash, injured victims often have a hard time returning to work. Some can never return to work fully and may rely on savings or other assistance to make ends meet. You can claim your lost earnings in your damages, including any future earnings, raises, or promotions that would have increased your earning potential.
You can also claim damages for pain and suffering, which can be physical or emotional. These are considered non-economic damages because they do not usually cost plaintiffs any money but are difficult to endure, nonetheless. These damages are more subjective, and we can evaluate them based on how they impact your life.
Evidence to Support Your Claims in a Tennessee Lyft or Uber Accident Case
It is not enough just to tell your side of the story and hope that the court believes you. Our Tennessee Uber and Lyft accident attorneys can help you gather multiple forms of evidence to prove your version of events is correct and that the defendant should be held liable.
Photos and videos may be invaluable to your case. Immediately after a crash, you should try to take pictures and record videos of the accident scene. Doing this helps you make a visual record of who was at the scene, how badly damaged the vehicles were, and the extent of any injuries.
Unfortunately, some people are too injured to get out of the car and take pictures. Our lawyers can track down security camera footage from nearby homes and businesses in such cases. If there were any cameras in the area, they might have caught the accident on video. We can also ask other drivers at the scene if they had dash cams in their cars.
Even if we cannot find any visual evidence of the accident, we can still rely on eyewitnesses to testify about what they saw. The more witnesses we can find with stories that back up your claims, the more likely we will convince the court to hold the defendant liable for your painful injuries.
To establish how bad your injuries were and how much they cost, we must present your medical records to the court. You must see a doctor immediately after the accident, even if you do not think you need to. Accurate medical records are imperative to proving your claims.
Call Our Tennessee Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers for Help
If you were hurt in an accident with a ridesharing vehicle, you deserve justice. Our Tennessee Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you whether you were another driver on the road or a passenger paying for a ride. Call (844) 876-4357 for a free case evaluation at Howe Law.
