Rideshare apps might make transport more convenient, but they cannot guarantee you a ride free from accidents or injuries. If you were harmed while riding in the car of an Uber or Lyft driver, you need the help of a rideshare accident attorney in Roselle, New Jersey. These legal professionals can help guide you toward the compensation you deserve. These billion-dollar tech companies may be liable for your injuries, and having them compensate you for your medical bills and lost income could be easier than you realize.
How Can a Rideshare Accident Attorney in Roselle, New Jersey, Help Me?
Located in Union County, Roselle is a borough with a population of about 23,000. The community has a long history of welcoming technological innovations. It was the first place on the planet to establish overhead electrical wires, built by Thomas Edison. These wires demonstrated that illuminating a community with electrical lighting was possible.
Today, Roselle is welcoming a new type of technology: rideshare apps. Like overhead electrical wires, Uber and Lyft were designed to make life more convenient for the average New Jersey resident. However, like electricity, these rideshare vehicles can be incredibly dangerous and cause catastrophic injuries when used irresponsibly.
A rideshare accident attorney in Roselle can help victims who have been injured in accidents involving Uber or Lyft drivers. Anyone who has been injured in a car crash will have medical bills and may lose wages during their recovery. An attorney can help victims negotiate a financial settlement with the rideshare company to cover those costs and losses.
Uber and Lyft have extensive insurance policies, and they may provide considerable settlements to cover the medical costs, lost income, and non-economic damages of injured victims. Beware of accepting an insurance company’s first offer, however. Your chances of achieving a settlement that will fully cover your losses are best with the help if a skilled legal professional.
Suing as an Uber or Lyft Passenger
If you were injured as a passenger of an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you have the legal option of pursuing compensation. Every rideshare driver owes their passenger a duty of care. These are supposed to be professional, commercial drivers – and they are held to a higher standard than other motorists on the road.
If you are injured in a collision with another vehicle while you were a rideshare passenger, the rideshare company may be held liable for your damages. Of course, the other driver involved in the accident may share some of the fault, as well, in which case they can be held liable, too.
Rideshare passengers may become injured in many other ways, as well. For example, a rideshare driver may drop a passenger off in the middle of the road, leaving them vulnerable to passing traffic. A rideshare driver may pick a passenger up by parking too far from the curb, causing them to stumble and fall on the way to the vehicle.
Can You Sue After Being Struck by an Uber Vehicle?
If you were driving your own vehicle and you were struck by a rideshare vehicle, you the right to pursue damages for your losses. Rideshare companies assume varying levels of liability, however, depending on what the driver was doing at the time of the accident. If the driver was transporting a passenger at the time of the crash, Uber or Lyft may be liable for a larger proportion of damages. However, if a rideshare driver was not actively transporting a passenger at the time of the crash, Uber or Lyft may not be compelled to pay out as much in compensation to those injured.
Finally, Uber or Lyft may be able to avoid all liability if they can prove the driver was not engaged in any work-related duties at the time of the crash. For example, the driver might have been driving their partner to work in the Uber vehicle, in which case Uber or Lyft would claim they were not at all responsible.
Can Cyclists Sue Rideshare Companies in New Jersey?
Cyclists, like pedestrians, can seek damages from the at-fault party after being injured in an accident. If a rideshare driver strikes a cyclist, then the rideshare company may be held liable for the cyclist’s medical bills, lost wages, and other economic and non-economic damages.
Contact Smith & Williams Law Firm, LLC, to Hold Rideshare Companies Accountable
While suing a rideshare company might seem daunting, working alongside an experienced rideshare accident attorney in Roselle, New Jersey, makes the legal process much more manageable. Our skilled personal injury lawyers understand how rideshare claims work, and we have experience dealing with Lyft and Uber. Whether you were struck by an Uber vehicle or injured while riding as a passenger, you have the right to assess your legal options and pursue the compensation you deserve. To take the next steps, schedule a consultation with Smith & Williams Law Firm, LLC, today.
