Uber and Lyft Accidents During the Holidays (What Drivers Need to Know)
Many people will rely on Uber and Lyft or other rideshare services to get to their destination for the holidays. Whether taking an Uber or Lyft to or from the airport or train station, using a rideshare to get across town to visit family or friends, or calling one when going out to a holiday party, many of us will be a passenger in a rideshare vehicle or encounter a rideshare on the road at some point during the holiday season. However, rideshare vehicles are just as susceptible to being involved in an accident as any other vehicle on the road.
Common Causes of Uber and Lyft Accidents During the Holidays
Rideshare drivers often work extra hours during the holiday season. As a result, some of the most frequent causes of Uber and Lyft accidents over the holidays include:
- Extra traffic
- Distracted driving due to using the rideshare mobile application, or due to holiday stress
- Wet, icy, or snowy roads
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Drowsy or fatigued driving, with many rideshare drivers working long hours or driving well into the nighttime hours
- Low lighting due to shorter days
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance that leads to mechanical failures when temperatures drop
What to Do After Being Involved in an Uber/Lyft Accident
If you have been in an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle, steps you can take to protect your legal options for recovering compensation include:
- Document the accident scene by taking photos and videos
- Report the crash to the rideshare company through their mobile application or their customer service website
- Seek prompt medical attention for any injuries
- Keep records of expenses and financial losses from the accident
- Reach out to a personal injury attorney to learn more about your rights and to begin pursuing a compensation claim
Financial Compensation for Uber/Lyft Accidents
After an accident with a rideshare vehicle, you may be entitled to pursue compensation for:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses to treat injuries
- Costs of long-term care and support for permanent disabilities
- Vehicle repair or replacement expenses if your car was involved in a collision with an Uber or Lyft
- Lost wages or income if you miss time from work following the accident
- Loss of future earnings and job benefits if you become permanently disabled from gainful employment
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality of life due to physical disabilities or permanent, visible scarring and disfigurement
In New Jersey, rideshare companies are required to carry insurance that meets certain minimum coverage limits. These limits can vary depending on the rideshare driver’s status at the time of the accident. Required policy limits for rideshare companies include:
- When the driver is logged into the rideshare mobile application and awaiting ride requests: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage; $25,000 of property damage liability coverage
- When the driver has received a ride request, is driving to pick up a passenger, or has a rideshare passenger in the vehicle: $1.5 million of combined liability coverage, $1.5 million of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage for the rideshare driver and their passengers, and $10,000 of primary medical payments benefits
When a rideshare driver is not logged into their company’s mobile app, then the driver’s own personal or commercial insurance policy applies.
Contact a Perth Amboy Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Uber/Lyft Accident Case in New Jersey
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to an Uber/Lyft accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive East Brunswick personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at CourtLaw represent clients injured because of Uber/Lyft accidents in Hoboken, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, East Orange, and throughout New Jersey. Call (732) 442-5900 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 163 Market St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08861, as well as offices in New Brunswick, Roselle, East Orange, Jersey City, Elizabeth, Linden, Newark, Paterson, South Amboy, Trenton.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
