Motor Vehicle Collision Lawyers Serving People in Illinois and Throughout the US

Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing services have become increasingly popular in Illinois and across the country. These easy-to-use services allow people to get around quickly and in a relatively inexpensive manner. While countless rides take place daily without incident, the reality is that traffic accidents involving rideshare vehicles do happen. If you or someone close to you has been injured in a rideshare accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. The experienced local rideshare accident lawyers at Tony S. Kalogerakos, Esq.-Injury Lawyers understand this area of law and can apply our knowledge to use in your case.

Pursuing Compensation From a Careless Driver Following a Rideshare Accident

Ridesharing takes place when a person travels in a private vehicle for a fee, and the arrangement take place via a website or app. Globally, Uber currently has eight million users, and Lyft has 630,000 users. Uber alone facilitates more than two million trips per month in the Chicago area.

Liability for ridesharing accidents is no different in some respects from liability for other types of motor vehicle accidents. A person who negligently causes an accident usually will be accountable to pay for the resulting damages. Negligence takes place when a person causes injuries or death by failing to use reasonable care behind the wheel. Reasonable care is defined as how a prudent or sensible person would have acted in the same or similar circumstances. In order to establish negligence, a rideshare accident attorney in Skokie or surrounding communities must demonstrate that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care, the defendant breached the duty of care, and the defendant’s breach was a direct cause of the accident and the resulting harm.

Since ridesharing services are so new, they raise some concerns about insurance coverage. Unlike licensed taxis, which have comprehensive insurance coverage that covers drivers and passengers involved in an accident, ridesharing services are often underinsured, and drivers may lack sufficient training to operate their vehicles. This is because ridesharing services rely on ordinary drivers, who are considered independent contractors. As a result, drivers bring their own vehicles and are allowed to use their own personal auto insurance for liability coverage.

While some ridesharing companies provide additional insurance, it is often not enough. For instance, Uber provides its drivers with a $1 million liability policy for verifiable trips. While this provides alternative bodily injury coverage for drivers, it has strict limitations on how it compensates passengers who are making a claim in an auto accident involving serious injuries. Thus, if a trip cannot be verified for any reason, the driver’s personal auto insurance would be the limit of their recovery.

Our Skokie rideshare accident attorneys can examine the facts of your case and help make sure that an insurance company does not try to unfairly deny your claim or lowball you. We will work diligently to get you the compensation that you need to deal with your injuries, likely including medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, future treatment expenses, and any other losses related to the accident. Each case is different, so the amount of compensation that you will be entitled to receive will vary depending on the nature and extent of the harm that you suffered.

Contact a Knowledgeable Rideshare Accident Lawyer

If you or someone close to you was injured in a car, truck, or motorcycle crash involving Uber or Lyft, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Our accident attorneys represent motorists and passengers who have been involved in rideshare crashes. We understand the complexities of ridesharing liability law and how to apply it to your claim. Contact Tony S. Kalogerakos, Esq.-Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation and a case evaluation with experienced injury lawyers.