Rideshare Passengers May Have a Case After a New Jersey Uber Accident
Rideshare Services Becoming Widely Used in New Jersey
Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have grown rapidly in popularity in just the past few years, with more and more passengers choosing to rely on these services in order to get where they are going. However, many people do not really consider the fact that they can be involved in a serious car accident while riding in a New Jersey Uber or Lyft vehicle.
What do you do after getting into a serious New Jersey rideshare accident? Well, Uber and Lyft drivers are just as likely as anyone else to be involved in a serious crash involving other drivers or pedestrians. In certain situations, New Jersey law may allow pedestrians and even rideshare drivers to pursue a successful personal injury case against the at-fault party.
Holding the Rideshare Driver Accountable as a Passenger
Just like other situations involving serious New Jersey car crashes, if a rideshare driver causes a serious car accident, the rideshare passenger and other involved parties may have a valid personal injury case against the driver. If the sustained injuries resulting from the crash are minor or there is only one passenger injured in the crash, then the injured party may be able to file a personal injury claim with the driver’s personal auto insurance company in order to recover financial compensation for their damages.
If the severity of the injury requires more than the policy limit provided by the driver’s insurance policy or the insurance company fails to present a reasonable settlement, the injured party or occupant may be able to pursue a New Jersey personal injury lawsuit against the rideshare driver. In order to have a successful case, the injured party will have to prove that the negligence of the rideshare driver contributed to the person’s injuries.
To put more clearly, the injured party must show that:
- the rideshare driver owed him or her a duty of care
- the rideshare driver breached this duty in some way
- the breach caused his or her injuries
- the actual damage resulted
In all cases, rideshare drivers owe their passengers, drivers of other vehicles, and occupants of other cars a duty to operate their vehicles in a reasonable practical way under all circumstances in order to prevent serious injury.