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Practice Areas Americans don’t have to call a cab anymore when they need a ride. Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing services have made cost-effective alternative transportation available. However, ridesharing comes with cons as well as pros. Rideshare services are not subject to the same oversights as taxi companies, and accidents can and do happen.
Contact Fang Law Firm as soon as possible after you have been injured in a ridesharing accident. Our Denver rideshare accident attorneys can tell you if you have a personal injury case and what damages you may be entitled to claim.
Recovering compensation for injuries suffered in a ridesharing accident can be complicated. If you were injured as a rideshare passenger or hit by a rideshare driver as a pedestrian or bicyclist, or while driving another vehicle, your case may involve several potentially liable parties with insurance companies that will fight to pay as little as possible for your damages. These parties may try to shift blame from one to the other.
Our experienced Denver car accident attorneys can investigate the accident, determine liability, and fight hard for your recovery. You may be entitled to claim damages including:
Our lawyers will fight for the best possible results for your rideshare accident case, even if this requires taking your case to trial. We have the resources and ability to identify the defendant(s), collect evidence, file claims paperwork, hire experts, and go up against any adversary – including Uber or Lyft and its insurance company – to seek maximum compensation on your behalf.
Ridesharing companies are classified as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) in Colorado. TNCs have their own unique rules and regulations when providing transportation to riders. They are different from traditional taxi services in various ways. For example, drivers are not permitted to pick up passengers hailing them on the street; instead, rides must be scheduled through an app.
To use a ridesharing service, you need:
Using the app, enter your destination and a nearby driver will accept your request, pick you up in the driver’s own vehicle, and take you to your destination. Your credit card or PayPal account is automatically charged. The driver does not handle cash or credit cards.
Most ridesharing accidents are caused by driver error. With little to no oversight by the rideshare company, drivers are free to operate their vehicles in any manner they see fit while riders are present. Rideshare drivers can make several mistakes behind the wheel that threaten the lives of riders and the public as a whole.
Common causes of ridesharing accidents include:
Driver distraction can be a particular problem with rideshare drivers. They are frequently checking the app on their phones, operating a GPS system to navigate, and conversing with their passengers. These activities can cause accidents by diverting the driver’s visual, manual, and cognitive attention away from driving.
A rideshare accident can result in many types of serious injuries. The forces from the collision can injure virtually any part of the human body. If you were struck by an Uber or Lyft vehicle as a bicyclist or pedestrian in Denver, your odds of sustaining a life-changing, catastrophic injury are even greater.
Common types of rideshare accident injuries include:
At Fang Law Firm, we can help you seek justice and fair financial compensation if you suffered any type of injury in a rideshare accident in Denver. We will make sure you receive the medical care that you need and accurately assess your damages from the crash. This may include estimated necessary future medical treatments for a catastrophic or permanent injury.
Someone else is responsible when a ridesharing passenger is injured. Determining the liability can be difficult, and hiring a Denver ridesharing accident lawyer can help maximize your case against responsible parties. Potentially liable parties may include:
You may be eligible for compensation from more than one insurance company, depending on the circumstances. For example, a rideshare company will often exhaust the driver’s personal auto insurance policy before providing supplemental coverage.
In Colorado, all rideshare drivers are required to maintain automobile insurance policies. They must meet Colorado’s minimum car insurance requirements for all drivers, which are $25,000 for bodily injury or death per person, $50,000 for bodily injury or death per accident, and $15,000 for property damage.
If you get injured in a rideshare accident, you may be able to file a claim against the individual Uber or Lyft driver’s insurance for coverage for your medical bills and property damage. If the driver was not on duty at the time of the crash, this may be your only option. If the driver was on duty, you may be eligible for compensation through Uber or Lyft’s insurance, as well.
Colorado law (Revised Statutes Section 40-10.1-604) requires Transportation Network Companies to carry at least $1 million in insurance coverage per accident. Uber and Lyft both have policies that meet this requirement and can pay for accidents that involve their drivers. The amount of this $1 million coverage you can access depends on the phase, or period, of the ride.
Period one is when an Uber or Lyft driver is logged into the rideshare app and actively driving for the company but has not yet accepted a rideshare request. In this ride period, Uber and Lyft both offer $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage.
Period two is when a rideshare driver has accepted a ride request in the app and is traveling to pick up the passenger. In this phase of the ride, Uber and Lyft offer up to $1 million in liability insurance coverage for accidents caused by their drivers.
Period three refers to after a rideshare driver has picked up one or more passengers and is en route to the destination. The same amount of insurance coverage applies this period as in period two: up to $1 million for bodily injuries and property damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance is also available.
It is important to understand a law called the statute of limitations on civil lawsuits in Colorado. This law limits the amount of time you have to bring a personal injury cause of action after a car accident in Colorado. Colorado Revised Statutes § 13-80-101 states:
13-80-101. General limitation of actions – three years
(1) The following civil actions, regardless of the theory upon which suit is brought, or against whom suit is brought, shall be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrues, and not thereafter:
(n) (I) ALL TORT ACTIONS FOR BODILY INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR OPERATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE INCLUDING ALL ACTIONS PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (j) OF THIS SUBSECTION (1).
According to this rule, you have no more than three years from the date of your Uber or Lyft accident to file a related lawsuit, in most cases. It is generally recommended to take legal action as soon as possible, however, as evidence to support your case may not always be available. Certain situations can also shorten or extend the filing deadline.
Note that this three-year statute of limitations only applies to a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit for a rideshare accident, not an insurance claim. An insurance claim should be filed much sooner – ideally, within the first 24 to 72 hours of the Uber or Lyft accident.
Getting involved in a rideshare accident in Denver can be confusing and overwhelming. Knowing what steps to take in the aftermath of a crash can help you remain calm and think more clearly.
To best protect your physical health and legal interests, you should take the following actions:
These are just guidelines of general actions that should be taken by a crash victim. If you cannot complete them all, our lawyers at Fang Law Firm can pick up your case at any stage in the legal process.
You may already be dealing with financial stress from your medical expenses and property repairs as a crash victim; the last thing you may wish to do is add to your costs by hiring an attorney. At Fang Law Firm, however, you do not have to spend a dime out of pocket for legal representation that could potentially enhance the value of your final settlement or judgment award.
Our car accident attorneys in Denver do not charge anything upfront for our services. We offer free initial case reviews and front the costs of a claim or litigation so that you take on 0 percent of the financial risk. We will only charge if we win the ridesharing accident case. If we secure financial compensation for your claim, we will deduct our fee directly from the settlement or jury verdict won.
At Fang Law Firm, our Denver ridesharing accident attorneys are tough legal advocates for injured people. If you have been injured in a ridesharing accident, contact our firm today. We operate on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay us no legal fees until we settle or win your case.