Cambridge Uber/Lyft Car Accident Lawyer
There are more cars on the road in Massachusetts today than ever before. This trend will only continue as the popularity of rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft grows. However, Uber and Lyft drivers are just like any other driver and may cause an accident that leaves you injured.
To win damages in a lawsuit for your car accident injuries, you must prove that the rideshare driver caused the accident. Negligent or reckless drivers cause accidents every day in a number of ways. If you are involved in an accident, you should call 911, obtain information from everyone involved, and seek medical attention. If you hope to sue the responsible driver, you only have three years from the date of the accident to file your lawsuit.
Rideshare accident injury victims in Cambridge deserve the legal experience and resources that can help them get the compensation they deserve. at the Law Office of John J. Sheehan, our Cambridge Uber/Lyft car accident lawyers can provide you with a free initial consultation so that you can decide what is best for you. Call today to schedule with us at (617) 925-6407.
Common Causes of Uber/Lyft Accidents in Cambridge
To win in court after an Uber or Lyft accident in Cambridge, you will have to prove that the other driver acted negligently or recklessly, causing the accident. Below are some of the most common behaviors that courts are likely to use in their determination of fault.
Sudden Stops and Swerving
Ubers and Lyfts are known to lay on the brakes or switch lanes without warning to pick up a fare. This can catch other drivers by surprise. Rideshare drivers who fail to use their turn signals or hazards to indicate a change in their driving run the risk of causing an accident while attempting to do their job.
Speeding
Rideshare drivers may feel the pressure of obtaining enough fairs to make more money while working. Therefore, speeding Uber and Lyft drivers are fairly commonplace. What these drivers make in tips, they sacrifice in safety, both for their own passengers and the other motorists in their vicinity.
Tailgating
All drivers, including those working for rideshare companies, are required to leave enough room between their vehicle and the one in front of them to allow for a safe and controlled stop if that vehicle were forced to stop suddenly in front of them. However, many drivers who are rushing or frustrated by traffic fail to abide by this rule of the road. In almost every case of rear-end collision accidents, the driver of the rear vehicle is found to be at fault for the accident.
Driving Under the Influence
Just because Uber and Lyft drivers are frequently used to transport the inebriated does not mean that they themselves are not also drunk while working. Just like any other driver, an Uber or Lyft driver that causes an accident because they were high or drunk while driving deserves to face their day in court for the damage that they cause.
Steps to Take After an Uber/Lyft Car Accident in Cambridge
The process of a Cambridge car accident victim’s recovery starts immediately after the accident occurs. The chaos, adrenaline, and effects of the injuries can hinder your ability to think clearly at the scene of the accident. However, bearing in mind these critical steps below can make the difference in the size of your recovery. For what to do next, call our Cambridge Uber/Lyft car accident lawyers today.
Call 911
Not only should you call an ambulance to deal with any injuries to you or others after an accident, but you should also request that the dispatcher send a police unit to your location. The officers will write up an official accident report, which can be critical to have while dealing with insurance companies.
Gather Information
You should attempt to exchange contact and insurance information with all other drivers involved in the accident. You should also attempt to elicit from the rideshare driver whether they were on the clock at the time of the accident, and if so, whether they had a fare at the time of the accident. Victims would also be well-served to get contact information from any potential eyewitnesses to the accident.
Take Photos
Once the cars leave the scene of the accident, it can be hard to piece together the circumstances that led to the accident. You should take out your phone and record pictures and video of the surrounding area, the damage to the vehicles, and any tire tracks left on the road by the vehicles involved.
Seek Medical Care
One of the major reasons for filing a lawsuit against an Uber or Lyft driver in Cambridge is to compensate you for your medical bills that you incurred from the treatment of your injuries. You will not get the chance to pursue this compensation if there is no record of your injuries. Even if you believe that you got away uninjured, some conditions, such as traumatic brain injuries, may lie dormant and can only be detected by a thorough medical inspection. Once your medical issues have been attended to, call our Cambridge Uber/Lyft car accident lawyers to learn about your next steps.
Suing After an Uber/Lyft Car Accident in Cambridge
In Cambridge, Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, not employees. As such, it is very difficult to sue the rideshare company itself for injuries sustained in a car accident with one of their drivers. However, these companies provide additional insurance coverage for their drivers in case of accident. This supplemental insurance is only effective when the rideshare driver is “on the clock,” or if they have their application activated and are waiting for, picking up, or transporting a fare.
If you are considering filing a suit against an Uber or Lyft driver for the damages that they caused in a car accident, you must act quickly. The Massachusetts statute of limitations on car accident injury cases runs for three years from the date that the plaintiff sustained their injuries. In other words, you have three years from the date of the accident to officially file your complaint, or else you will lose any chance of recovery.
Get Justice for Your Cambridge Car Accident with an Uber/Lyft Driver
At the Law Office of John J. Sheehan, we offer potential clients a complementary initial appointment with our experienced Cambridge Uber/Lyft car accident lawyers. Call us today to schedule yours. We can be reached at (617) 925-6407.
