Taxi app companies like Bolt, Uber, and Lyft are monopolizing the world of personal transport as we know it. They are a modern solution to an age-old problem and have become massively popular thanks to their innovation. Tracking rides, paying straight from your bank, and hailing drivers nearby are all new ideas that have helped grow the companies.
Florida is one of the most dangerous places to be a road user in the country, and this means, inevitably, there are going to be accidents involving drivers from these ridesharing apps, especially with the huge number of users and drivers taking to the streets.
Whoever the fault lies with, in these accidents, be it the other party or your own driver, they are responsible for the damages and injuries of their passengers. All users of the road in Florida have a duty of care to other road users, and if they are found negligent after an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation.
To achieve this, you need a skilled and knowledgeable accident injury lawyer, one who has experience in dealing with the complexities of making a claim against the rideshare company and finding out the different kinds of insurance coverage available.
At The Law Place, we have over 75 years of combined experience in dealing with cases like yours. We can offer you a free case evaluation for your Uber or Lyft car accident claim in Florida. Call us today at (941) 444-4444.
Uber and Lyft Liability
With all claims involving auto accidents like this, your attorney will need to be able to prove liability in order to make a successful claim. Liability lies with the party that caused the accident by acting negligently. This could be either the other driver, your driver, or even the rideshare company itself if they were found to be negligent.
If the accident was caused by another driver and it had nothing to do with your driver, then you will not be able to hold them or the rideshare company they work for liable for the accident. You will instead need to seek any damages and compensation from the other driver.
In the situation that a Uber or Lyft driver is found to be at fault for an accident, the liability of the rideshare company depends on these factors:
- If the driver was on the road and transporting a passenger to where they want to be.
- If the driver was on the way to pick up a passenger at the time that the accident occurred.
- If the driver was searching to pick up a passenger on the ridesharing service mobile application.
The specific laws in Florida state that if an Uber or Lyft driver was responsible for causing an accident in the above three circumstances, then, in fact, they are able to be held liable for the accident.
If you were in an accident involving a taxi company or rideshare in Florida, as laid out by the three circumstances above, then you should contact us here at The Law Place for a free case evaluation. We can help you win compensation for your injuries.
For a free legal consultation, call 941-444-4444
Typical Injuries Caused in a Rideshare or Taxi Driver Accident
We have dealt with hundreds of cases over the years involving car accidents, and we know just how serious the injuries can be. With the speed and weight of passenger vehicles nowadays, life-changing injuries and even loss of life are possible.
Some of the most commonly seen injuries in a car accident include:
- Lacerations.
- Neck and back injuries.
- Spinal cord injuries.
- Broken bones.
- Paralysis.
- Brain damage.
The road to recovery following a car accident can be a long one and when you are dealing with mental, physical, or emotional trauma, having someone to take the burden from your shoulders is critical. This is why it is so important that you contact a strong attorney immediately, especially if you want the highest chances of a successful case.
Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Laws
Florida is a no-fault state, as laid out by Florida Statute 627.7407. This means that it does not matter who is at fault in an accident. Your first port of call is to claim through your PIP insurance.
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The Law on Rideshare and Taxi Driver Accidents in Florida
As of May 2017, all rideshare companies have to follow the rules and regulations of the “Uber/Lyft” bill or House Bill 221.
This bill sets out a series of rules and requirements that apply to rideshare drivers and rideshare companies. One of these rules sets out the minimum insurance coverage that drivers need to have when they are logged into the app. This means that if drivers are logged out of the app, they will be responsible for any accidents they cause, and claims will be against their personal car insurance company.
If the drivers are logged into the app when they are in an accident, the rideshare company’s insurance policy will be claimed against. This is why Uber and Lyft now require all drivers to carry their own insurance.
A driver who was not using their vehicle for rideshare purposes at the time of a crash will not be eligible to receive insurance company coverage from Uber or Lyft.
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Statute of Limitations on Rideshare Accidents in Florida
Each state has specific rules and regulations following an accident. These are known as the statute of limitations and dictate how long you have to make a claim following any given accident.
While rideshare companies are too new on the scene to have any specific statutes regarding this time period, the personal injury deadline in Florida is 4 years, meaning you have 4 years from the date of the accident to make a claim.
It is worth bearing in mind that although you have 4 years to make a claim, the sooner you contact a good team of personal injury lawyers, like those found at The Law Place, the better. This is because the longer you leave it, the higher the chances of evidence being lost, witnesses forgetting what they have seen, and accident scenes being cleaned up.
Florida Statue 95.11 outlines the statute of limitations in the State of Florida.
Steps to Take After Getting Into a Rideshare or Taxi Driver Accident in Florida
Most people do not know exactly how to act or what to do following an accident with a ridesharing company, but by following these steps, you will ensure you have the best chance at winning your case later on.
First and foremost, ensure you are safe. This means moving away from oncoming traffic or any hazards like fires and smoking vehicles immediately. As soon as you are in a safe position, call the emergency services. This is crucial for several reasons, the first being the safety of everyone involved.
The emergency services will deal with injuries, moving or directing traffic, and protecting all pedestrians. The second reason is that the emergency services will file an accident report that can be used as hard evidence later on in court.
Next, if you are in a safe position and are not injured, you should start collecting evidence. Get the contact information for any eyewitnesses, take pictures of the crash scene, and sketch out the accident/ the direction the vehicles were traveling while the memory is still fresh. This is also the point where you should get in touch with your legal representation.
It is essential that you seek qualified representation from a skilled rideshare accident lawyer to help get you through the challenging legal process of filing a personal injury claim. They will be able to give you immediate, helpful legal advice, including what to say and what not to say. This could potentially save you from saying something that might harm your chances of a successful claim later on in court.
Your personal injury lawyer will be able to start investigating on your behalf immediately. They will send a crash scene investigator to the scene, contact eyewitnesses, and speak to all insurance companies or third parties.
Types of Compensation Available After a Rideshare Accident in Florida
An accident involving a rideshare company can lead to a number of different types of injuries and damages. The ones that you can claim will relate to your specific case and will most likely fall under the following categories.
- Medical bills – You will be able to claim for any medical costs, future, past or present. These include any paramedic charges, treatment, transport to and from the hospital, physiotherapy, and prescriptions, as well as lifelong support.
- Lost wages – If your injuries have forced you to take time off work, you will be able to claim for any wages that you have lost as a result. You can also claim for any future loss of wages.
- Property damage – If you have had any possessions damaged in the crash, you will be able to seek property damage to replace them.
- Pain and suffering – Certain damages are hard to place a quantitative number on. Things like emotional trauma and loss of enjoyment are two examples. If you can no longer take part in hobbies that you enjoy, are scared to use taxi services, or can’t even get in a vehicle, your attorney will be able to calculate what they think your pain and suffering is worth in your claim.
- Wrongful death – If you lost a loved one in a taxi accident, then you could file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages since their passing.
Contact The Law Place Today in Florida
Being involved in a rideshare accident can be a chaotic and stressful experience. On top of dealing with your injuries and mental wellbeing, you will have to deal with the extremely complicated laws and statutes surrounding car accidents in Florida. On top of this, you have the fact that rideshare companies are relatively new, and the regulations surrounding them are not very clear just yet.
At The Law Place, we have over seventy-five years of combined experience in fighting car accident cases to win compensation for accident victims all over the State of Florida. Our team understands the complicated nature of car accident cases, rideshare regulations, and Uber or Lyft driver insurance policies. This allows us to provide you with the support and guidance that you need.
We will do everything in our power to secure the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries, pain and suffering, property damage, and more in the aftermath of your rideshare accident.
Contact The Law Place now on (941) 444-4444 to schedule a free consultation, and we will fight for the compensation that you deserve after an Uber and Lyft rideshare accident in Florida.
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