Rideshare Accident Lawyer in Palm Coast, FL
Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft offer transportation services in Palm Coast and across Flagler County. Some rideshare company drivers have caused accidents resulting in serious injury. Accidents involving rideshare drivers are more complicated to resolve.
The experienced rideshare accident lawyers at Chiumento Law, PLLC, in Palm Coast can help if you have been injured in an accident caused by a driver for Uber, Lyft, or a similar rideshare service. We have represented car accident victims in Flagler and Volusia County, including Daytona Beach, and throughout the rest of Florida for more than 40 years. We stand up to rideshare companies and fight through the barriers they erect to try to shield themselves.
Chiumento Law can review your rideshare accident at no charge and help you understand who may be held financially accountable. If you have a valid case, an attorney at Chiumento Law can handle your rideshare car accident claim and seek the full compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.
What To Do After a Rideshare Accident with Uber or Lyft
After any car accident, you want to document your injuries and whatever you can about how the accident occurred. After an accident involving an Uber or Lyft driver, you should:
- Call 911. Summon police, and if you believe anyone sustained something worse than minor injuries, request an ambulance.
- Document the accident and your status. If you have been hit by an Uber or Lyft driver or were injured as a rideshare passenger, take a photo of the vehicle that shows the rideshare company logo. Get photos of each vehicle’s damage and the overall accident scene.
- Get people’s information. Get the rideshare driver’s name, address, driver’s license numbers, license plate numbers, and auto insurance information. Get names and contact information for accident witnesses, including friends riding with you. Record this information now instead of having to remember and track it down later.
- Get medical help. Get medical care for your injuries. Go to the hospital by ambulance if necessary. If you don’t require emergency care, you should go within 24 hours to an urgent care center or your family doctor for a medical exam. Afterward, attend all doctor appointments and follow all instructions for treatment and care.
- Contact an attorney. If you were injured in the accident, contact an experienced Palm Coast rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible. Beware of insurance companies that try to offer you a quick settlement, no matter how good a deal it seems to be. Don’t sign anything. You should have an experienced attorney review any proposed settlement before accepting it. An attorney can discuss what to expect from a fully investigated legal claim in a free initial consultation.
Compensation for Lyft or Uber Car Accident Victims
You may be eligible to claim compensation from Uber or Lyft insurance coverage of $1 million if you were in a crash that was not your fault and you were:
- A paying passenger in an Uber or Lyft driver’s vehicle.
- A driver or passenger in another vehicle hit by an Uber or Lyft driver who was transporting a passenger, or was en route to pick up a passenger.
- A pedestrian or cyclist hit by an Uber or Lyft driver who was transporting a passenger, or was en route to pick up a passenger.
- Immediate family members of anyone killed in an accident by an Uber or Lyft driver who was transporting a passenger, or was en route to pick up a passenger, or had the app open and was waiting for a match.
- An Uber or Lyft driver injured in an accident caused by another driver.
- Immediate family members of an Uber or Lyft driver killed in an accident caused by another driver.
If an Uber or Lyft driver had not yet engaged the app and caused an accident that injured you, you could likely pursue a claim against the driver’s personal auto liability insurance.
Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Laws and Rideshare Accidents
Florida is a no-fault insurance state for car accidents. This means that after being injured in a car accident, you would initially rely on your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance to pay your medical expenses.
If your losses exceed what is covered by PIP, you may be able to bring a claim against the rideshare driver’s insurance or the rideshare company’s insurance. If an insurance company disputes your claim, you should consult with a knowledgeable injury attorney. An attorney at Chiumento Law can evaluate whether you are eligible to proceed with a personal injury lawsuit. This requires you to have suffered:
- Permanent and significant loss of an important bodily function
- Permanent and significant scarring and disfigurement
- Other permanent injuries
- Medical expenses not covered by PIP
Under Florida law, legal responsibility for rideshare accidents is determined by the rideshare driver’s status at the time of the accident.
If a rideshare driver caused the accident while transporting a paying passenger or on the way to pick up a passenger, the rideshare company’s insurance should cover the accident.
The status of the driver at the time of the accident affects the amount of coverage available to the injured party. Florida law requires rideshare or “transportation network companies” (TNCs) to maintain primary commercial motor vehicle liability coverage worth $1 million for death, bodily injury, and property damage when the driver is engaged in a prearranged ride.
However, if the driver was logged into the rideshare app and waiting for a ride request when the accident occurred, an injured party would seek compensation from the driver’s auto liability insurance.
Florida law requires rideshare drivers to maintain auto liability coverage of at least:
- $50,000 for death and bodily injury per person
- $100,000 for death and bodily injury per incident
- $25,000 for property damage
Call Our Palm Coast Rideshare Accident Lawyers
If an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare company driver caused an accident that injured you or a loved one, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and more. The car crash attorneys at Chiumento Law, PLLC are dedicated to protecting your rights and aggressively pursuing the full compensation available by law.
Call our firm at (386) 445-8900 or contact us using our online form to arrange a consultation with one of our experienced Palm Coast personal injury lawyers.
