A New Orleans Uber accident lawyer can help you, whether you were hit by an Uber, riding an Uber when an accident happened, or driving for Uber when a negligent driver hit your vehicle.
At Scott Vicknair, we know that you deserve compensation for your injuries, and we’re ready to help you get the money you need to get on with your life. Read on to learn more about Uber accidents, and see what an experienced car accident attorney from our office can do for you.
Peak Uber Popularity
Uber and Lyft are more popular than ever before, but that doesn’t mean their drivers don’t have accidents. Unfortunately, accidents and collisions happen. Even if you’re just a passenger sitting in the backseat, you can experience injuries and require expensive medical care.
Even though rideshares are a convenient and popular method of transport, a rideshare accident can cause all sorts of questions you’ve never thought to ask before. Who pays for your injuries? Who can request compensation? And what should you do after an accident? Our attorneys have the answers to these questions and more.
Uber Accidents Are Still Car Accidents
It’s important to remember that Uber accidents are still car accidents, and in the immediate aftermath of an Uber crash you should take photos and document everything you can. You’ll have to file a police report, and collect insurance and contact information from everyone involved. If you forgot to, or didn’t get a chance, a New Orleans Uber accident attorney can help investigate your case.
Just like any other kind of car accident, a rideshare accident can lead to serious injuries, missed work, and an overwhelming amount of medical bills and debt. Fortunately, Uber and Lyft are both gigantic companies – and they take steps to ensure their drivers have sufficient liability coverage.
Uber Accident Lawyers Can Help You Win Compensation
Uber and Lyft didn’t get to where they are by being charitable. It’s important to remember that despite all their talk about caring for their drivers and passengers, it’s mainly just talk. It takes a lot of effort to see a single cent, whether you were injured as a passenger, injured as a driver, or injured as a pedestrian.
Uber is a giant company with questionable ethics. Injured Uber drivers are oftentimes completely ignored when they reach out about potential compensation, and Uber is quick to point out that their drivers are “independent contractors”. Fortunately, an attorney can go to bat for you and make sure your voice is heard.
Who Is Liable?
A New Orleans, LA Uber accident lawyer knows that while any car accident claim can be complex, those that involve Uber or other ridesharing companies can be especially difficult for victims to pursue on their own. This is because there are several potential scenarios that may apply in the claim depending on the circumstances of the crash. If you have been injured in an Uber crash, call Scott Vicknair, LLC, and let us pursue a claim on your behalf to ensure you get the financial compensation you deserve for the losses you have suffered.
Regular Car Accidents
When a car accident occurs that involves two private vehicles, one of those drivers is at fault for the crash. It is that driver’s insurance policy that will ultimately be responsible for paying the other driver’s losses. This is also true for any passengers who may have been in either of the vehicles and may have suffered injuries.
If the at-fault driver was working for a company at the time of the crash, then the law says that not only is the driver at fault for the crash, but the company they work for is also liable for any losses the victims have suffered.
But neither of these scenarios is a given in an Uber accident. If the Uber driver was at fault for the crash, liability for the victim’s losses ultimately depends on the status of the driver’s app at the time of the accident.
Uber Accidents
When an Uber accident victim contacts a New Orleans Uber crash lawyer for help with their case, one of the first things that lawyer does is determine what the status of the Uber driver was and that will determine how the case will proceed.
Uber drivers are not employees of Uber. Instead, the company classifies them as independent contractors. By classifying drivers as contractors, the company can try to escape liability, however, many courts across the country have dismissed that argument and ruled that Uber does have some liability. Generally, one of the following applies in an Uber accident:
- If the Uber driver caused an accident but had their Uber app off and was not available to pick up a customer, the driver is the only one who is considered liable and claims must be filed against their own auto insurance policy.
- If the Uber driver caused the accident, there were no passengers, but their Uber app was on and they were available to pick up a customer, the victim can file claims with both the driver’s auto insurance policy and Uber’s corporate liability policy.
- If the Uber driver caused the accident and they had a passenger in the vehicle, the victim would file their claim with Uber’s corporate liability policy.
Documents Needed for Car Accident Claims
If you have been injured in a ridesharing crash, a New Orleans Uber accident lawyer can help you pursue legal action against the liable party or parties in order to obtain the financial compensation you deserve for the losses your injuries have caused. When injured clients come to Scott Vicknair, LLC to represent them in accident claims, there are certain documents that we recommend they save which will help prove both their injuries and the losses those injuries have caused.
Police Report
Whenever a person is involved in any type of traffic accident, it is important to call the police to report the accident. This also applies to Uber accidents. Not only is this required by law, but that report will also serve as evidence to prove accident liability. For example, if the Uber driver committed a traffic violation that contributed to the crash and was cited by police at the crash site, that information will be included in the police report. Your New Orleans Uber accident lawyer can use that information to prove Uber driver liability.
Medical Records
Part of an Uber accident case involves compensation for all of the costs to treat the injuries they sustained in the accident. Not only should you save all of the medical bills you receive, but you should also save all documents from every doctor visit and treatment. These documents will include the extent of the injuries, the extent of pain, the types of symptoms, how long the symptoms lasted, the types of treatments needed, and whether you were left with any long-term complications or permanent disabilities.
Lost Wages
Another damage that can be pursued in an Uber accident claim is any loss of income and benefits you suffered if you were unable to work while you recovered. Some of the documents that can be used to prove these losses include statements from your employer and prior pay stubs. You should also save all documents that show any out-of-pocket expenses you had in order to maintain benefits, such as healthcare insurance.
Expense Log
There are other out-of-pocket expenses that you may have that your Uber accident lawyer can recover in your claim. For example, the cost of travel getting back and forth for medical treatments can be included in an Uber accident claim. If a victim is left with permanent disabilities that require structural changes in their home – such as wheelchair ramps or widened doorways, the cost for those changes can also be recovered.
Journal
In addition to economic damages, victims can also recover non-economic damages in a claim. Issues such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of life enjoyment all fall under this category. Because these losses do not have an actual dollar amount attached to them, they are subjective losses. Keeping a journal that documents how the accident and the injuries impact your life on a daily basis can play a significant role in proving these losses.
Contact Our New Orleans Uber Accident Attorneys Today
If you have been injured in an rideshare accident, you need an aggressive New Orleans Uber accident lawyer representing you and making sure you get the financial compensation you deserve. Call Scott Vicknair, LLC to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.
