Rideshare services made their debut in the United States in 2009. These days, more than 58 million people around the U.S. use Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare programs to get from one place to the next. While these rideshare companies offer a convenient way to travel, at what cost to the passengers?
Basically, anyone who can pass a background check can become an independent contractor for the rideshare companies. There are more than 100 thousand Florida Uber drivers alone who operate. That’s just Uber, not including Lyft drivers and those drivers who are employed by other rideshare platforms.
Although ridesharing is considered effective, efficient, and convenient, it does not come without risks. In fact, studies conducted by the University of Chicago and Rice University found that rideshare accidents resulting in death have steadily increased by 2% to 3% annually over the past several years.
If you have been injured in a Central Florida Lyft or Uber accident, contact Boca Raton rideshare accident lawyer at Your Damage Lawyer, PLLC to explore your legal options. Call (561) 564-0233.
Not only are more people losing their lives in these auto accidents, but many are becoming seriously injured at a higher rate, as well. The red tape, rules, and regulations surrounding Florida ridesharing accidents are daunting.
Victims who are hurt in these kinds of collisions often have a difficult time getting justice and the compensation they deserve for their injuries and other losses. It is absolutely imperative for anyone who has been injured in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle to talk to a rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible.
Florida Uber & Lyft accident attorney Chad J. Robinson has extensive experience helping victims in:
Our team provides competent and trusted legal guidance for our clients to ensure they are not wrongfully denied the vital compensation they deserve by faceless insurance companies.
Rideshare companies, also referred to as Transportation Network Companies, offer a driver-for-hire service for consumers. They do this by hiring contracted freelance drivers who use their own private vehicles to transport people from location to location.
The core idea is to maintain low-cost and convenient alternatives for people to travel from place to place. Ridesharing services allow people to use apps on their phones to request rides and to pay for services. If an accident occurs during one of these trips, a Boca Raton rideshare accident attorney can help determine liability and guide injured passengers or drivers through the claims process.
Therefore, ridesharing requirements typically include:
When it comes to ridesharing in Central or Southern Florida, the two most common options are the two mega-companies: Uber and Lyft.
Uber is by far the most popular rideshare option throughout Boca Raton, Orlando, and all of both Central and Southern Florida, as well as across the rest of the country.
The company was founded in San Francisco in 2009 under the original name of “UberCab.” They quickly expanded out from California, and the service is now prevalent in well over 60 countries. People who want to use Uber simply download the app on their phone, enter their personal information, and request a ride. It’s as simple as that!
Uber offers a variety of vehicle sizes and styles, which allows you to select whichever type of vehicle you feel best suits your needs and party size.
These options include:
From a simple ride for two to transporting a large party, there are endless ridesharing options available through Uber. If an accident occurs during one of these trips, a Boca Raton Uber accident attorney can help protect your rights and pursue compensation from the responsible party.
Lyft took the services that made Uber popular and expanded its offerings to a larger and more diverse crowd.
Beginning in 2012 in San Francisco, Lyft mirrored the business model of Uber initially by offering convenient and affordable transportation to people via the use of a mobile phone application. Since its creation, Lyft has expanded into more than 600 cities across the country, Puerto Rico, and some areas in Canada.
Not only does Lyft offer convenient transportation for various party sizes, but they offer other services too, such as:
Lyft continues to be a widely popular transportation option for people looking to travel quickly and in a cost-efficient way.
Like taxis, rideshare services were created to provide people with lower-cost and convenient travel options. Unlike traditional taxi services, the payment system for rideshare vehicles is not mounted inside the vehicle. Instead, people use the apps on their smartphones to make payments.
Unlike taxis, rideshare drivers are considered independent contractors. Rideshare drivers maintain their own insurance policies and are also covered, in some cases, by the rideshare company’s insurance plan.
This is particularly important for people who are involved in accidents with rideshare vehicles. Given the fact that rideshare drivers are contractors, they require little training.
Call our Boca Raton rideshare collision lawyer at (561) 564-0233 or fill out our online form for your consultation.
In Florida, rideshare companies are required to maintain mandatory minimum coverage in the amount of $1 million.
This liability coverage is applicable to:
Even when drivers are not actively engaged in providing transportation for a passenger, they must maintain coverage that is equal to, or greater than, $50,000. This liability coverage is for the death or physical injury of themselves or others.
In addition to the mandatory minimum coverage requirements for drivers, Uber and Lyft both provide $1 million in additional coverage for third-party injuries or damages. This coverage helps drivers who are injured in accidents with uninsured or underinsured motorists receive compensation for their injuries or damages.
Furthermore, the $1 million is available in instances where the resulting injuries and damages from an accident exceed the $1 million coverage of the at-fault driver.
In the unfortunate event that you are injured in an Uber or Lyft accident in Boca Raton, it’s so important that you seek the assistance of a local rideshare accident lawyer as soon as possible. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses related to your rideshare accident.
When two or more vehicles are involved in a motor vehicle accident, the drivers must check to see that no one has been injured in the accident. After that, the drivers involved will typically exchange insurance information.
A short time later, they will file a claim with their insurance provider. The insurance company will then look to assign fault, and the at-fault driver’s insurance will be responsible for the damages.
When it comes to Florida rideshare accidents, however, they are a bit more complicated than that. Unlike other vehicle collisions, rideshare accidents include a minimum of three insurance companies.
These companies include:
In some instances, the insurance companies of a passenger may play a role, as well. Following a serious Uber or Lyft accident, you will benefit greatly by retaining the legal guidance of a skilled Boca Raton rideshare crash attorney who will take the complex legal work off your hands so you can focus on your recovery.
Being injured in a Boca Raton rideshare accident can have overwhelming mental, physical, and emotional consequences.
To make matters worse, victims will often:
When someone else’s negligence is the cause of the accident, you need an attorney who understands all the Florida laws and can fight on your behalf.
Our team at Your Damage Lawyer, PLLC law firm truly cares about our clients and makes sure that their rights are protected. We fight aggressively to ensure that our clients get the maximum compensation so that they can focus their time on recovery.
Some of the damages we help our clients recover include compensation for:
We help accident victims get the maximum amount of compensation for medical treatment, current, and future. Our team helps victims get compensation to cover the costs of their surgery, medical treatments, medical equipment, medication, and all other expenses.
We help rideshare victims collect full and fair compensation to cover the long-term costs of nursing homes, rehabilitation, therapy, and other ongoing treatments.
Whether you have to take a few days off to recover or you are forced out of work indefinitely, our team will help you get the maximum amount of compensation available.
We understand that the negative impacts of accidents are more than just financial. In many cases, victims are left with pain and suffering that impacts their ability to perform duties and truly compromises their quality of life. For this reason, we help victims collect the compensation they deserve to help alleviate at least some of the mental, physical, and emotional suffering they are facing.
Accident victims often experience strained relationships with their spouses or children following a sudden crash. We help them collect compensation to help reduce stress caused by ensuing changes in their relationships.
If your vehicle or personal property was damaged because of a Southern Florida rideshare accident, our team will help you maximize your recoveries. We strive to help you repair or replace items lost to you so you can move forward.
Our ultimate goal is to help you move forward after your accident and reach your unique goals for a full recovery. We take pride in helping our clients obtain fair and timely compensation to assist them in moving forward and getting the medical treatment they need to properly heal.
Injured in an Uber or Lyft crash? Reach out to our Boca Raton rideshare accident lawyer to seek compensation. Schedule your free consultation now.
