Ride Sharing Lawyers in Pittsburgh, PA
Ride-sharing services like Uber have become more popular in recent years. It's simple to hop in the car and not have to worry about getting to your destination. But what happens if the driver gets into an accident? If you've been injured in a ride sharing accident as a passenger or otherwise, you could have a case and be entitled to a lawsuit settlement.
And here's the second thing you should keep in mind: It's not your job to figure out if you have an employment law claim.
That's where employment lawyers come in.
- They know the ins and outs of the law.
- They can determine if you have a case.
- They navigate the complexities of employment law for you, so you can work together to make the best possible decisions.
Labor and employment laws vary from state to state, so it is important to have an experienced employment attorney on your side when taking legal action against an employer. Federal and state employment laws can be particularly complicated, and an experienced employment attorney can navigate this process for you. The attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates can answer any questions you may have regarding your case and will work to get you the best results possible.
If you think that you could have a claim, that's the time to get in touch with an experienced employment lawyer. Waiting to get legal advice can drastically reduce your options.
Ride-sharing services like Uber have become more popular in recent years. It's simple to hop in the car and not have to worry about getting to your destination. But what happens if the driver gets into an accident? If you've been injured in a ride sharing accident as a passenger or otherwise, you could have a case and be entitled to a lawsuit settlement.
And here's the second thing you should keep in mind: It's not your job to figure out if you have an employment law claim.
That's where employment lawyers come in.
- They know the ins and outs of the law.
- They can determine if you have a case.
- They navigate the complexities of employment law for you, so you can work together to make the best possible decisions.
Labor and employment laws vary from state to state, so it is important to have an experienced employment attorney on your side when taking legal action against an employer. Federal and state employment laws can be particularly complicated, and an experienced employment attorney can navigate this process for you. The attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates can answer any questions you may have regarding your case and will work to get you the best results possible.
If you think that you could have a claim, that's the time to get in touch with an experienced employment lawyer. Waiting to get legal advice can drastically reduce your options.
What to Do Next
First things first: seek medical help immediately.
Your medical provider will get you the treatment you need. You’ll also have a documented record of your injuries if you decide to file a personal injury claim.
Accidents happen all the time, but ride sharing accidents are confusing due to complicated insurance coverage. If you're a passenger in one of these vehicles and an accident happens, your driver's personal car insurance most likely won't be enough to cover your injuries. Even if your driver was at-fault for the accident, the insurance company or ride sharing company itself may resist paying the claim.
Ride Sharing Accidents: Proceed With Caution
Ride sharing accident cases are complicated. Here are several types of scenarios:
Ride share driver has the app off: Drivers rely on their own personal car insurance when they aren't using the car for work purposes. If the driver causes an accident while not having the app running, their own personal car insurance will cover them.
The app is on but no one is in the vehicle: When the ride share driver is using their car for work, most ride sharing companies offer supplemental liability insurance on top of the driver's own personal auto insurance. If the driver is shown as available on the app but isn't taking a passenger at the time of an accident, primary personal car insurance is used first. Uber, for example, then offers liability coverage up to $50,000 per injury (maximum: $100,000 coverage / $25,000 property damage). This kind of coverage only kicks in if the driver requests it and their own personal car insurance doesn't cover everything.
The app is on and the driver has a passenger: Uber, for example, provides coverage for up to $1 million if the accident happens when the driver is at-fault and carrying a passenger. This policy also applies to any injured third parties, including other vehicle occupants, a pedestrian, or a biker on the road. The driver's personal car insurance is used first and then the liability coverage will start covering the rest.
Uninsured/underinsured ride sharing driver: Accidents can also be caused by drivers who don't have car insurance or don't have enough. If you're in an accident in a ride share vehicle and it's caused by another driver without insurance, uninsured/underinsured coverage can help protect you and the ride share driver. For example, Uber carries $1 million in uninsured/underinsured coverage for situations like these.
Remember: Your ride share driver’s insurance can change quickly with the tap of an app. If the app is off while someone is driving, then a passenger or third-party is only protected by that driver's personal car insurance. Once the app is turned on, the supplemental liability coverage kicks in up to $1 million.
Info to Gather To Help Us Evaluate Your Claim
Our expert vehicle accident lawyers will take the lead on gathering most of your important case information. So will the former police detectives on our investigative team. But before we meet, please try gathering the following information to assist in our evaluation of your claim:
- The accident report (if you have it.)
- Any notes or information you used to document the accident
- Your auto insurance policy
- Your medical or disability insurance policy
- All correspondence you've received from your insurance company
- Medical bills
- Info from the ride share app (time of accident, driver's name)
What You Can Expect From Our First Meeting
The biggest thing you can expect is to have a friendly and compassionate conversation. You’re not a legal expert and we don’t expect you to be. During our discussion, we’ll seek to understand your case as clearly as we can. The more you can tell us, the better we can know the position you’re in.
Benefit of Having Legal Protection for You & Your Family
If you've been in a ride sharing accident, you can't sue the company itself but you may be able to take legal action. In the eyes of the company, each driver is considered to be an independent contractor, so they can deny liability for any crash that involves their drivers. Your best move is to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney first, someone with experience handling ride sharing accident lawsuits.
What if another driver is at-fault (not your ride share driver) while you're riding as a passenger? The other driver's personal car insurance policy will then come into play. Most likely, the other driver may not have enough coverage to handle your medical bills and lost wages. In that case, remember that Uber, for example, has an uninsured/underinsured motorist policy of $1 million that could apply to help protect you as a passenger.
Accident settlement amounts can vary, but your first step should be to contact the experienced ride share accident attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates to discuss your case.