Ridesharing and Car Accidents in South Florida: What You Need to Know
With just a couple taps on your smartphone, you can travel all throughout south Florida thanks to ridesharing applications like Uber or Lyft. The convenience and cost-effectiveness of these apps have revolutionized the way that people travel in and through Miami-Dade and Broward Counties.
The boom in ridesharing apps’ popularity has also changed the way accident victims can recover compensation for their injuries sustained in a ridesharing car accident. In this blog post, the elite Fort Lauderdale and Miami attorneys at Clayton Trial Lawyers (“CTL”) have put together a list of information that details the similarities and differences between a typical accident and a ridesharing accident.
1) Similarity: Conduct Post-Accident Should Remain the Same
Safety should always the number one concern following an auto accident—whether it’s a ridesharing accident, or otherwise. Always call 911 and seek immediate medical attention for serious injuries. Even if there are minor injuries, seeking medical attention following an accident is of paramount importance because certain soft-tissue and muscular injuries may not develop until days following the accident, as explained in this article.
If you or others are not seriously injured, you should stay at the scene of the accident to exchange information, take photos and videos of the accident aftermath, and comply with any instructions given by law enforcement officers. You can read more about these steps to take after a car accident in Florida here.
2) Difference: Uber or Lyft Drivers Are Covered by Their Companies’ Insurance
Given the large, national presence of Uber and Lyft, the companies keep robust insurance policies to protect their passengers, drivers, and accident victims. If your Uber or Lyft driver is the at-fault party in your accident while you are riding as a passenger, the ridesharing company would be responsible for compensation for your injuries, as you can find out more here.
3) Difference: Uber and Lyft Also Have Uninsured Motorist Insurance
In addition to carrying substantial insurance coverage for their own drivers, Uber and Lyft usually have uninsured/underinsured motorist policies, too. That means, if you sustained injuries as a result of a ridesharing accident as a passenger, where the driver of another vehicle has no (or little) insurance coverage of their own, you may be able to look to Uber and/or Lyft to compensate you for your injuries.
4) Difference: Reliance on Others in Causation Determinations
The causation determination in a ridesharing accident lawsuit is the same as a typical auto accident—the at-fault (or “negligent”) party will often be held liable for your injuries. However, as a passenger in a ridesharing accident, your vision and perspective in the back seat may be obstructed. Thus, whether you receive compensation for your injuries may depend on the statements, perspectives, and observations of third parties like your driver, the driver/passenger(s) of the other vehicle, or eye-witnesses to the accident. You can find more information on determining fault in car accidents here.
5) Consult with an Experienced Fort Lauderdale Injury Attorney
Ridesharing accidents have added a new layer of liability considerations and causation determinations to automobile personal injury law. Due to this, you should consider calling the experienced accident attorneys at CTL for a free consultation following your accident.
At Clayton Trial Lawyers, we provide first-class services to our clients so that they can focus on their recovery from the trauma of a car accident, instead of the headache of dealing with insurance companies or ridesharing company representatives. If you or someone you know has been involved in a ridesharing car accident, don’t wait, call CTL today to explore your legal rights to seek compensation for your injuries.