Calling for an Uber or Lyft ride is one of the most popular ways to get around the New Jersey-New York area. Unfortunately, accidents can happen, and riders and other drivers are badly injured.
Accidents with Uber or Lyft vehicles might result from drivers distracted by ridesharing apps, aggressive driving, or traffic violations. Your injuries from the accident might be gravely serious, and economic and non-economic damages could be quite valuable and should be compensated fairly. After an accident, you might sue the Uber or Lyft driver and other drivers who might have contributed to the collision. However, you usually cannot sue the companies Uber and Lyft since their drivers are technically independent contractors rather than employees. Finding persuasive and admissible evidence is sometimes challenging, and the accident scene is a good place to begin your search. Photos, videos, witnesses, and records might all be useful in one way or another.
Our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you sue the drivers responsible for your injuries and get you the compensation you deserve. For a free review of your case, call Legal Care New Jersey at (732) 838-9769.
How Your Uber or Lyft Accident Might Have Happened in Hoboken
Since Uber and Lyft drivers rely on apps on their phones to work, they are often distracted behind the wheel. These drivers often focus on the GPS directing them to their next stop and the location of their next rider. If the Lyft or Uber driver in your case was distracted by their phone, they might be responsible for the accident.
On top of that, these drivers are often under intense pressure to pick up as many riders as possible. This means they tend to drive faster to get their passengers to their destinations quicker, allowing them to accept more riders and earn more money. Unfortunately, this kind of aggressive driving often leads to bad crashes and severe injuries.
Even if the Uber or Lyft driver is not distracted or driving aggressively, they might still commit a traffic violation that leads to a crash. Many drivers commit violations absentmindedly. For example, when turning, the driver might simply forget to hir their turn signal and end up crashing into someone in their blind spot. Similarly, failing to stop for red lights, stop signs, or yield might cause severe accidents and injuries.
Injuries and Damages in Hoboken Lyft and Uber Accident Cases
Uber and Lyft accidents can be extremely dangerous like any other vehicle accident. You might be severely injured if you were a passenger in the Uber or Lyft vehicle or were in another car that was struck by the Uber or Lyft vehicle. Broken bones, lacerations, spinal cord injuries, and brain damage are common injuries in these kinds of accidents, and your damages might be very significant.
The money you had to spend dealing with the aftermath of the crash should be factored into your economic damages. If your injuries were severe, you probably needed very expensive medical treatment. If your treatment is ongoing or you need future treatments, our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you calculate the cost of reasonably anticipated future medical bills. You can also claim the value of damaged property (e.g., your vehicle or personal belongings) and lost income if you are too injured to return to work.
Non-economic damages differ from those listed above because they do not cost plaintiffs money. Instead, non-economic damages account for painful experiences. Your emotional suffering or anguish, physical pain, humiliation, and other negative experiences take a serious toll on your life. As such, you can claim them as non-economic damages and be compensated.
Whom to Sue for an Uber or Lyft Accident in Hoboken
After an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you might have multiple options regarding who you can sue for damages. Whom you sue largely depends on how the accident happened, and the answer is not always obvious. Our Uber and Lyft accident attorneys can help you assess the accident and determine who should be named as a defendant.
Often, we can help you name the Uber or Lyft driver as the primary defendant in your lawsuit. You might sue this driver if you were a passenger in the car when they caused the accident or if you were in another vehicle that the Uber or Lyft driver hit. Uber and Lyft drivers are often distracted by their phones and ridesharing apps and are usually at the center of many accident cases.
In addition to the Uber or Lyft driver, other drivers might also have contributed to the accident. If blame is split between the driver, you can sue them all. If the other driver is solely to blame, you can sue them instead of the Uber or Lyft driver. The situation might become very complicated if multiple vehicles are involved, and our legal team can help you figure out who should be held responsible.
While there might be multiple drivers you can name in a lawsuit, you usually cannot sue the ridesharing companies Uber or Lyft. Normally, employers may be held vicariously liable for an employee’s negligence. This rule does not apply in Uber or Lyft accidents because ridesharing drivers are technically not employees; they are independent contractors.
Finding Admissible Evidence in Uber and Lyft Accident Cases in Hoboken
You need evidence to prove your claims against the defendant and get financial compensation for your injuries. Finding evidence that is persuasive and admissible in court can be more difficult than many people realize. Our Lyft and Uber accident lawyers have experience finding evidence and can assist you.
Photos from the crash are crucial. If you can, take as many photos of the accident scene as possible. If you can safely exit your vehicle, immediately start snapping pictures. These photos might preserve valuable details about the accident that we can use to support your claims and file an insurance claim.
We might also need details from your ridesharing app to establish that you were indeed a passenger in the vehicle when the accident happened. Records from the driver’s app can show where the driver was going and whether they were engaged with a rider.
We can also use your medical records to prove your injuries. These records can establish how badly you were hurt, how much your medical care cost, and whether you need expensive ongoing care.
Call Our Hoboken Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Evaluation
Our Uber and Lyft accident attorneys are ready to help you if you were hurt in a crash. Your painful injuries and expenses should not be ignored, and you deserve justice. For a free case assessment, call Legal Care New Jersey at (732) 838-9769.
