Who do you hold liable for a rideshare accident? Does a corporation take responsibility for your losses, or does an independent driver? Moreover, what kind of financial support can you expect from whichever party bears the bulk of the blame for your recent accident?
These are the kinds of questions that our team can help you answer.
Vaughan & Vaughan offers legal guidance to rideshare accident survivors like you on a contingency fee basis. That means that you won’t have to worry about legal fees while we pursue your case. You can discuss the breadth of our services and the benefits of a rideshare accident claim with our Frankfort car accident lawyers today.
How to Take Legal Action After a Rideshare Accident
If you’ve been in a recent rideshare accident, Indiana law affords you the right to pursue compensation for your losses under the broader umbrella of personal injury cases. That said, the nature of your case varies depending on your role in a rideshare accident.
Passengers
Rideshare corporations like Lyft and Uber intrinsically owe their passengers a duty of care. This means that rideshare corporations’ drivers must take reasonable steps to protect passengers from coming to harm. A driver who gets into an accident, be it one they caused or not, violates that duty of care.
In other words, passengers always have the right to take up a civil claim against the party they believe to be liable for their recent rideshare accident. Passengers may also have the right to pursue compensation for their losses through a rideshare corporation’s insurance provider. You can discuss your rights as a passenger with a Frankfort rideshare accident lawyer.
Other Drivers
What are you supposed to do if you, a motorist, were hit by a rideshare driver? You, too, have the right to bring a personal injury claim against the party responsible for your losses. Who that party is, however, hinges both on the evidence available at the scene of your accident and the nature of that person’s employment.
For example, not every driver operating a rideshare vehicle benefits from a corporation’s insurance or legal protection. Uber and Lyft both outline the circumstances under which a driver may pass along responsibility for an accident to each company’s relevant team. Drivers who do not meet those requirements have to operate as entities independent from a relevant employer.
Our team understands the impact these definitions of “on duty” can have on the identity of the party you name liable for your losses. Fortunately for you, we investigate a driver’s role within a rideshare corporation thoroughly before advising you as to who you should name responsible for your losses in a formal complaint.
Your Case Will Get
The Attention It Deserves
Compiling a Rideshare Accident Claim
Once you determine who you have the right to hold liable for a rideshare accident, it’s time to build your complaint. You must bring forward evidence of the aforementioned party’s negligence to prove your right both to a case and relevant accident damages. The evidence that can help you establish liability and a violated duty of care in a rideshare accident claim can include:
- Video footage of your crash
- Photos from before and after your crash
- Statements from expert witnesses
- Bystander statements
- Data from relevant rideshare apps
You are not obligated to gather this evidence on your own. In fact, the first thing you should do after a rideshare accident is to pursue medical treatment for any injuries you sustained. In the meanwhile, the rideshare accident attorneys in Frankfort can investigate the accident scene and begin analyzing the hard data defending your right to legal action.
There is no fee
unless you win
Damages and How to Fight for Them
Rideshare accidents entitle you to two kinds of damages. The first of these damages is your economic damages. Economic rideshare accident damages cover the billable expenses you have to contend with after a severe accident. These include medical expenses, lost wages, and property damage.
You also have the right to non-economic rideshare accident damages. The losses that entitle you to these damages do not generate bills. Instead, our attorneys refer to state precedent to determine non-economic losses’ impact on the sum total of the compensation you deserve.
You can secure damages for a rideshare accident in one of two ways. You have the right to negotiate with a liable party for your desired coverage. You can alternatively go to court and undergo:
- Discovery
- Opening statements
- Examination
- Cross-examination
- Closing statements
- Deliberation and verdict
Neither of these processes is better than the other. Instead, it’s up to you and your attorney to determine which best suits your circumstances. Either way, you can count on our team to give you the opportunity to fight for accident compensation in a setting that suits your best interests.
When to File Your Rideshare Accident Claim
Once you’ve identified a liable party, estimated your rideshare accident damages, and formatted your complaint, it’s time to submit it to a judge. You must bring a claim that you want to act on forward within the deadline established in Indiana Code section 34-11-2-4.
Indiana’s personal injury statute of limitations gives you no more than two years to act on losses accrued in a rideshare accident. You cannot file a claim for damages once your relevant statute of limitations expires. Fortunately, our Frankfort rideshare accident lawyers keep track of your filing deadlines and can help ensure that you have the right to fight for accident support.
You Can Call Vaughan & Vaughan Today
The team with Vaughan & Vaughan recognizes how difficult it can be to navigate the aftermath of a rideshare accident. Whether you’re faced with a settlement offer that doesn’t cover your expenses or you want to take your case to court, you can turn to our team for legal guidance. We have rideshare accident lawyers in Frankfort, IN, ready to help you recover.
Want to learn more about our experience in Indiana’s civil courtrooms? Contact us today to schedule a free case consultation with the attorney who can help you fight for the rideshare accident compensation you deserve. We’re available to schedule your no-obligation appointment online or over the phone.
