Dearborn Rideshare Accident Lawyer

Experienced Rideshare Accident Attorney in Dearborn, MI

When we get into Uber or Lyft rides, we place our safety in the hands of strangers. This situation can lead to personal injuries or even fatalities. If you’ve been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident, or you’ve lost a loved one to a rideshare crash, you can hire a skilled Dearborn rideshare accident lawyer to help you hold the liable driver accountable for the damages they’ve caused.

Work With Wigod & Falzon

Wigod & Falzon has been in practice since 1997. We’ve been around since rideshare apps first emerged with Uber in 2009, and we’ve helped countless clients hold companies like Uber and Lyft liable for the actions of their negligent drivers. We’re committed to providing you with robust legal representation and sage advice regarding your options for getting full compensation for your injuries.

Why Hire a Rideshare Accident Lawyer?

One-third of the 276 rideshare drivers interviewed for one recent study indicated that they had been involved in a work-related crash. Rideshare crashes are more likely with older drivers and drivers who take on 10 or more rideshare trips per day. Many of these drivers were on unfamiliar roads or driving while fatigued.

If you’re one of the many passengers who has been involved in a rideshare accident, there’s something you can do. You can hire a rideshare accident lawyer to help you file a claim against the company that employed the negligent driver. Your attorney can help you with everything from filing the initial claim to gathering evidence to support it and using that evidence to negotiate a fair settlement agreement with the rideshare program’s insurance company. Reviewing our step-by-step rideshare passenger insurance recovery and case preparation checklist can ensure your household takes the precise evidentiary actions required at the scene of the crash to support your claim.

Understanding Liability in Rideshare Accidents

To determine who you’ll need to file a claim against to recover compensation for your crash, you’ll first need to figure out who caused the accident. Liable parties can include:

• Rideshare drivers
• Rideshare companies
• Other drivers on the road
• The mechanics responsible for mechanical failures
• The municipal authorities responsible for road maintenance

As a general rule, if a rideshare driver caused your crash, the damages are covered by the rideshare company’s insurance policy. However, the situation is a little more complicated than you might assume. Partnering with a skilled Dearborn personal injury lawyer protects your rights from day one, ensuring that corporate data lines, rideshare app timestamps, and fleet maintenance records are legally preserved before they can be altered by the defense.

Understanding Insurance Caps in Uber and Lyft Accidents

Uber and Lyft both carry insurance policies that cover their drivers. However, the caps for these policies vary depending on the driver’s status. Here’s what you can expect based on whether the driver was on the clock and whether they were carrying passengers:

• Carrying passengers. Both Uber and Lyft have $1 million in insurance coverage for drivers who are carrying passengers at the time of their crashes.
• Online. When drivers are online and available for a trip but have not yet picked up drivers, different insurance caps apply. Uber and Lyft may pay out up to $50,000 per person or $100,000 per accident for injuries and up to $25,000 in property damage per accident.
• Offline. When Uber or Lyft drivers are offline, they are covered by their personal auto insurance policies.

Because Michigan is a no-fault state, your own insurance can pay for medical bills and lost wages if you are in your car and get into an accident with a rideshare driver. If you are struck while operating your own vehicle, consulting an experienced Dearborn car accident lawyer will help you seamlessly coordinate your PIP benefits alongside third-party corporate insurance policies. However, if you suffer permanent disfigurement, serious impairment of body function, or your loved one dies, you have the right to file a civil claim against the responsible driver. Personal injury protection can pay for minor injuries, including medical bills and lost wages that occur while healing.

How Much Are Rideshare Injury Cases Worth?

The easiest way to determine how much your rideshare injury case may be worth is to contact our team to discuss the specifics of your rideshare accident claim. Factors that influence the worth of your claim could include:

• The amount of insurance coverage available
• Your past, current, and future medical expenses
• How much income you have lost due to your injuries
• The severity of your pain and suffering

FAQs

Who Is Liable in a Rideshare Accident?

Who is liable in a rideshare accident varies. If the rideshare driver caused the accident, they can be held liable, as can the rideshare company via the theory of vicarious liability. However, not all rideshare accidents are caused by the drivers. Mechanical failures and improperly maintained roads can also play a role, in which case, a mechanic, parts manufacturer, or the City of Dearborn Department of Public Works may also hold partial liability.

Can I Get Compensation if My Uber Crashes?

You may be able to get compensation if your Uber crashes in Michigan and it causes you substantial injuries or property damage. You can work with a Dearborn rideshare accident attorney to file a claim against the liable party. Uber carries substantial insurance coverage for their drivers, so if you’ve been seriously injured, you could recover significant damages. To better understand how these commercial policies interface with Michigan’s no-fault architecture, reviewing our guide on what happens when an Uber or Lyft driver causes an accident outlines the exact tiers of available third-party corporate coverage.

What Happens if My Rideshare Driver Gets in an Accident?

What happens if your rideshare driver gets in an accident is that you and the driver should both stay at the scene of the crash until the police arrive and file police reports. You can also gather evidence at the scene, such as photographs and witness statements, that may be helpful when you file a claim against the liable driver.

You should seek medical attention immediately following the accident to check for hidden injuries, even if you think you have emerged unscathed.

Is Michigan Still a No-Fault State?

Michigan is still a no-fault state, which means your auto insurance policy may pay for some of the damages from a rideshare crash, including your medical bills and lost wages. However, if the damages you sustained reach a certain threshold, you may still be eligible to file a claim against the negligent driver who caused the crash in order to recover further damages.

Your Dearborn Rideshare Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been in a crash in an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you can work with a skilled Dearborn rideshare accident lawyer to get compensated for the damages you’ve suffered. The team here at Wigod & Falzon is here to help. We’ve been in practice for over 30 years, and in that time, we’ve developed a keen understanding of rideshare accident laws and how to leverage them to get our clients the most favorable outcomes possible.

Contact us to schedule an initial consultation regarding your rideshare accident case today.

Dearborn, MI Rideshare Accident Resources:

• A Comprehensive Guide to the Michigan Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims

• Understanding the Operational Timelines on How Personal Injury Settlements Are Paid Out

• The Core Administrative Procedures Involved in Settling an Insurance Personal Injury Claim Successfully

• Wayne County Traffic Safety Records and Local Michigan Car Accident Statistics

• Understanding the Expected Calculations Behind an Average Car Accident Settlement in Michigan