Farmington, AR Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

Rideshares provide a convenience that people in Farmington, AR enjoy. The ability to request a ride and pay for it from your smartphone is a modern luxury. Uber and Lyft drivers take people to and from work, to run errands, or to a nighttime destination.

However, no matter how careful an Uber or Lyft driver is, accidents still occur. In some cases, the rideshare driver’s conduct is the underlying cause of an accident. Our Farmington, AR Uber and Lyft accident lawyers have years of experience investigating and litigating personal injury claims arising from rideshare crashes.

Rideshare accidents present specific challenges and without knowledgeable legal representation, you might not receive the compensation you are entitled to. Call (479) 316-0438 for an appointment to review your case.

Causes of Lyft and Uber Accidents in Farmington

Accidents involving rideshares occur for many of the same reasons other car accidents occur. However, there are some aspects of the rideshare business that present additional risks to passengers, other drivers, and even pedestrians.

Distractions

People are more attached to technology than at any other point in history. The rideshare business is centered around a smartphone app. Potential passengers contact their drivers through the app, while Uber and Lyft drivers rely on it to book fares and locate their passengers and destinations. To utilize this technology, a rideshare driver will take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road. Any distracted driver is a dangerous driver.

Speed

Speeding is one of the leading causes of car crashes throughout the country, including Farmington. To ensure the safety of other motorists and people in their vehicles, drivers should comply with the posted speed limits. However, part of the rideshare service is getting people to their destination in a timely fashion. Some drivers will drive at an excess speed to reach or deliver a passenger.

Recklessness

Speeding is reckless driving. However, reckless driving includes much more, including unsafe lane changes, ignoring traffic signs, or tailgating. Some rideshare drivers will ignore the rules of the road to get to a passenger faster.

Vehicle Malfunctions

If you drive for a rideshare company, you are responsible for maintaining your vehicle. While every driver is required by law to have their cars inspected every year, the miles driven as a rideshare driver put extra wear and tear on a car. If the vehicle owner fails to ensure their tires, brakes, or other systems are working properly, an accident could occur.

Liability in a Farmington Lyft or Uber Accident

Determining liability in a car accident could be challenging. When an accident involves a rideshare driver, additional factors come into play.

Lyft and Uber Drivers

When a Lyft or Uber driver causes an accident through their reckless or negligent conduct, they could be held liable for any injuries they cause. However, to be held responsible, our Farmington Uber and Lyft accident lawyers will have to prove that the driver was acting negligently.

Other Drivers

Not every accident involving a rideshare is the fault of the Lyft or Uber driver. It is possible that another driver was behaving recklessly and caused the crash. However, even if another driver was at fault, your Uber or Lyft driver could still be held partially to blame if their actions contributed to the accident.

Passengers

While rare, there are situations where a passenger could be found at fault for an accident. For example, excessive unruliness or distracting conduct could contribute to a crash. If your behavior is found to have played a significant role in an accident, your potential compensation could be reduced or denied.

Understand Rideshare Insurance Coverage

When you are hurt in a car crash, you will typically sue the at-fault driver and their insurance company. This is the case if a rideshare driver causes an accident. Our Farmington, AR Uber and Lyft accident lawyers will either negotiate a settlement with the driver’s insurance or file a lawsuit in court. However, even though rideshare drivers are classified as independent contractors, Uber and Lyft carry supplemental insurance that could come into play depending on the driver’s status at the time of the crash.

Not Logged Into the App

For the supplemental insurance coverage to kick in, the rideshare driver must have been on duty. If they are not logged into the app, they are off duty. If this was the case when the accident happened, the injured victim’s only recourse is to file a claim against the driver and their insurance provider. This assumes that there are no other potentially liable parties.

Logged In

When a driver logs in, they are on duty. However, it is possible to be on duty and not actually working. If a rideshare driver caused an accident but had not accepted a fare or was not transporting a passenger, the supplemental insurance provides a substantially lower amount of coverage. In this case, the insurance provides $50,000 for bodily damage per injured person. This coverage is capped at $100,000 per accident. There is an additional $25,000 available for property damage.

Transporting a Passenger

The insurance significantly increases if the rideshare driver has accepted a fare or is transporting a passenger. Under these circumstances, the supplemental insurance provides up to $1 million of liability coverage.

Our Farmington, AR Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers Provide Experienced Legal Representation

Just because you were injured in a car accident that was caused by another person does not mean you are guaranteed to receive the compensation you deserve. You need an experienced attorney on your side. When the accident involves rideshare, our Farmington, AR Uber and Lyft accident lawyers will advocate for your rights. (479) 316-0438 to start building your case.