When you’re as close to I-465 as you are in Carmel, the last thing you want to do is drive your own car into the city’s traffic. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft can get you to your destination without forcing you to deal directly with that traffic. That said, rideshare drivers aren’t perfect. Rideshare drivers can be as prone to accidents as private drivers.
If you get into an accident with a rideshare driver, don’t panic. Our Carmel car accident attorneys can help you file a personal injury claim. Vaughan & Vaughan’s team can stand up for your right to secure damages equivalent to or exceeding the value of your losses. You can schedule a case consultation with our team today to learn more about our services.
How to Address Liability After a Rideshare Accident
In the immediate aftermath of a rideshare accident, you need to determine who you have the right to hold responsible for your losses. In most cases, you can follow the evidence available at the scene, identify the negligence in question, and defend your position before a judge. The evidence you bring forward can include:
- Bystander statements describing your accident
- Expert witness statements
- Videos and photos of the accident
- Social media posts describing the accident
- Statements from relevant insurance providers
- Police reports
- Medical statements
- Invoices from your recovery
Matters grow more complicated when you get into an accident with a rideshare driver, though. Rideshare drivers have contracts that complicate responsibility for your losses. While you still need to reference the evidence of negligence you can find, our Carmel rideshare accident attorneys can break down the influence contracts might have on your right to compensation.
Holding an Independent Driver Accountable
Most rideshare drivers operate as independent contractors, not employees under a corporate umbrella. As such, there are certain times when these drivers are liable for their own losses regardless of their relationship with a rideshare corporation.
Drivers who aren’t on duty, don’t have passengers in their vehicles, or who aren’t using a rideshare app can be held independently liable for any accidents they allegedly cause. Our attorneys can determine whether or not the allegedly-liable driver was on duty or not before taking your complaint before a judge.
Holding a Rideshare Corporation Accountable
Rideshare corporations like Uber and Lyft make insurance coverage available to their drivers under specific circumstances. These corporations will protect drivers with passengers in the car or drivers who are using their app on the driver’s way to pick up a passenger.
In other words, if a rideshare driver gets into an accident with a passenger in the car or while on their way to pick up a passenger, that driver can default fault for their accident back to the relevant rideshare corporation. You, in turn, can name that corporation responsible for your losses if you choose to take those losses to court.
Note that if you want to take action against a rideshare corporation, you must prove that the driver in question was on duty at the time of your accident. You can work with an attorney to reference the specific parts of a driver’s contract that assert the company’s protection and, subsequently, the company’s fault.
That said, most corporate entities that can be held liable for your roadway losses may want to settle instead of dragging your case to court. Come to any settlement negotiations with a pre-determined estimate of your case’s value as established by an experienced lawyer. Vaughan & Vaughan can ensure that a corporation offers you a fair settlement.
Rideshare Passengers Always Have a Right to Legal Action After an Accident
If you were a passenger in a rideshare, and your driver got in an accident, it doesn’t matter who bears the bulk of the fault for your losses. Other drivers on the road and your rideshare driver both owed you a duty of care. You can argue that both parties violated that duty of care and put you in harm’s way.
In turn, you can pursue a personal injury claim against both an independent driver and the rideshare company responsible for your well-being.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Use Evidence to Defend Your Request for Damages
Submitting a rideshare claim allows you to request damages for losses incurred in the initial accident. Regardless of whether you hold a rideshare corporation or an individual liable for your losses, you can work with a Carmel rideshare accident lawyer to request coverage for your:
- Medical expenses
- Restoration of damaged property
- Replacement of damaged property
- Lost wages
- Lost opportunities to pursue alternative work
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Prepare to bring forward evidence for every damage you request. When requesting economic damages, you can present evidence of that cost by submitting invoices and bills from the providers you’ve worked with. Our attorneys can help you represent the economic value of intangible losses like your pain and suffering.
There is no fee
unless you win
File Your Claim Within Indiana’s Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
If you decide to move a personal injury claim forward after a rideshare accident, you must act within Indiana’s statute of limitations. The state outlines this deadline in Indiana Code §34-11-2-4. In most cases, you have no more than two years to bring your claim forward, beginning on the day of your accident.
If you don’t feel like you have enough time to get the medical treatment you need and investigate your losses, turn to a Carmel, IN, rideshare accident lawyer. Our attorneys can initiate an investigation into a liable party’s negligence while you focus on physical therapy and going back to work.
Let’s Investigate Your Rideshare Accident Today
Rideshare accidents can leave you and your loved ones confused, particularly when you consider what influence contracts can have on your right to compensation. Fortunately, you’re under no obligation to sort out the legalities of a rideshare lawsuit without a professional’s guidance. Vaughan & Vaughan can help you assign liability and pursue damages.
You can connect with our rideshare accident lawyers in Carmel, IN, to discuss the information you need to include in your claim. We’re available to schedule a no-obligation case consultation within days of your accident. Reach out to us by calling our office or using our online contact form today.
