If I Was Injured in an Uber Accident, Do I Have a Case Against Uber?
Rideshare services offer significant convenience to commuters all across the country, and these companies have achieved great success. In 2018, there were nearly 41.8 million Uber users and Lyft had around 19.8 users in the United States.
It should not be surprising that with the great popularity of ridesharing that there would be a number of collisions involving rideshare drivers.
If you have been injured in an accident while using Uber of Lyft, the team of New Jersey personal injury lawyers at Brady Reilly & Cardoso, LLC can help you determine if you have a valid claim and how much you are entitled to.
Filing a Claim Against Uber
If you’ve been injured in a crash while using Uber or Lyft, you likely have a claim. However, it is likely not against Lyft or Uber:
- If the crash was caused by your Lyft or Uber driver, you would have a claim directly against the Lyft or Uber driver, or
- if the crash was caused by the driver of another vehicle, you would have a claim directly against the other driver.
Legally, both Lyft and Uber are software companies — not traditional taxi companies. If you are involved in a collision while riding in a taxi, you may have a valid claim against the Taxi company because the vehicle may be owned by the taxi company and the driver may be a direct employee of the taxi company.
Uber Drivers Are Not Direct Employees
However, this is not the case with Uber or Lyft. Their drivers are not direct employees for these rideshare companies. Instead, they are independent contractors. However, this model has been contested in the United States.
As a result, when you are riding with Uber or Lyft you are technically accepting a ride from the driver, not the rideshare company. Uber and Lyft claim that they are just a way to connect you with a driver using the app. However, there are still some key exceptions depending on the state where the crash took place.
Both Uber and Lyft offer insurance coverage to their drivers to protect against claims, and Uber and Lyft’s insurance policies may apply to your claim if you have been in a crash while using Lyft or Uber. Discuss your case with a qualified Uber accident lawyer in New Jersey to see if you are entitled to lost compensation after a rideshare accident.
New Jersey Lyft Accidents
Those who are injured in a crash involving a rideshare vehicle should consult with an Uber/Lyft crash lawyer in New Jersey immediately in order to better understand their legal options. The legal team at Brady Reilly & Cardoso, LLC is here to help you make sure that your case is treated fairly and that the liable driver is held accountable for his or her actions. We will fight to make sure that you recover the compensation you deserve so that your life can get back on track. Contact our New Jersey rideshare crash attorneys today at (201) 997- 0030 if you or a loved one has been unfairly injured in a crash involving a rideshare driver.