Need an Injury Lawyer in Connecticut for a Ridesharing Accident?
Every year, people sustain serious injuries and fatalities in a variety of motor vehicle accidents. In fact, just over 1 million people will lose their lives to accidents on our roadways every year. Statistics also show us that ridesharing company drivers are frequently involved in devastating collisions due to the actions they take on the roadways. Uber and many other ridesharing companies are always supposed to check the backgrounds of drivers, which also includes ensuring that these drivers have no traffic tickets on their record. Ridesharing accidents are still fairly new, as many of these companies only came into existence within the past few years.
What happens when you are involved in one of these serious accidents involving a Lyft, Uber, or another ridesharing driver? Though it doesn’t hurt to utilize these services, it is always imperative to know what to do when you have been involved in an accident. We can help you.
What is Personal Injury Protection?
Your mind may be in a flurry after your accident and you might not know where to turn. In Connecticut, as well as many other states across the country, many people have what is called ‘personal injury protection,’ or PIP. This special type of protection allows many people to gain recovery for their medical bills, lost wages, and many other economic aspects. Not everybody is eligible for PIP, however, because many people do not have vehicles, which is why they rely on the services of these companies. If you are involved in an accident, you could be left in a dire time of need if you do not have insurance that will cover you after your accident. This means that you might have to move forward with a personal injury claim and have no other options.
Receiving Compensation for Your Injuries
Many cities in the country have started to warn passengers that they could be left without coverage if they are involved in one of these unique accidents. Every passenger should understand that they have an option to bring a personal injury claim against a driver who has acted negligently. Uber, as well as many other ridesharing companies, have taken action to adopt $1 million insurance policies to protect passengers when they are involved in a rideshare accident. The problem? Sometimes your injuries are so extensive that the policy will be small in comparison to the bills that you have received. This is why it is a good idea to have options available to you.
Many of these companies consider their workers ‘independent contractors,’ which means that you would not be able to file a claim against the company because they waive liability on the driver. If the worker was an actual employee, you would be able to make a claim against the driver and the company under a concept known as ‘vicarious liability,’ which means a company is liable for the actions of their employee. It is important to understand these concepts when you are going through a personal injury case. We can help you in your time of need. These accidents may be fairly new, but we understand the many laws involved. Call us for more information on how we can help.