Uber / Lyft Accident Attorneys in New Jersey

Damages You Can Pursue in Uber / Lyft Accidents

Victims injured in accidents that could and should have been prevented, as well as families who lose loved ones in fatal wrecks, have the right to pursue a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit.

These civil suits provide an opportunity for victims to recover their losses, including damages such as:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and lost future income
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional suffering and mental anguish
• Disability, disfigurement, and impairment

While victims have the right to compensation, their ability to secure and maximize a financial recovery can be complicated by unique issues involved in Uber and Lyft accidents, in part because they are still new services, and because of the issues they create when it comes to liability and insurance coverage.

Fault, Liability & Insurance Coverage

Personal injury claims allow victims to hold an at-fault party (or parties) financially responsible for damages caused by negligent or wrongful acts. While determining fault and liability is a matter unique to every case, other difficulties can complicate Uber and Lyft accident claims, as rideshare drivers are classified as “independent contractors” rather than employees.

This arrangement allows rideshare services to dispute liability because victims may not always be covered by a rideshare’s commercial insurance policy. For example:

• Victims injured as passengers in a Lyft or Uber are typically covered by the company’s commercial insurance policy, both for accidents caused by the rideshare driver and by other negligent parties.
• Victims injured as drivers or occupants of other vehicles may be covered by different insurance policies, depending on what the Uber or Lyft driver was doing at the time. If the rideshare driver was transporting a customer, the commercial insurance policy will apply. In other situations, such as when rideshare drivers are “off the clock” (i.e. not using the app) or traveling to pick up a customer, victims may be covered by a contingent commercial policy, the driver’s own auto insurance, or other available means of coverage (such as PIP, UM / UIM, etc.).

Given the difficulties of resolving fault, liability, and insurance coverage issues in Uber and Lyft cases, it is of critical importance that victims seek the counsel of proven personal injury lawyers. Our firm leverages decades of experience to conduct investigations and help clients explore their options.