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Rideshare services are an excellent way to get around, particularly with the astronomical increase in gas prices across Forest City and the entire state of North Carolina. However, rideshare accidents are increasingly common. If you’ve been involved in a collision with a rideshare provider, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Reach out to a Forest City personal injury lawyer at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC to discuss your legal options for financial recovery today.
Causes Of Rideshare Accidents In Forest City
Forest City rideshare accidents happen in a variety of ways. To determine who is responsible for causing your accident, your attorney will need to analyze the cause of your rideshare accident. Some of the more common causes of these collisions are as follows:
Negligent Driving
Many rideshare accidents are caused by unsafe or negligent driving. Any type of irresponsible driving could be considered negligence. Some examples of negligent driving could include:
- Driving over the speed limit
- Failure to stop at a stoplight or stop sign
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Making illegal turns
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Driving while fatigued
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive driving and road rage
Hazardous Roads
Hazardous road conditions are also known for causing rideshare accidents. When the roads themselves are not properly maintained, rideshare drivers and other motorists may be more likely to cause collisions. Some examples of dangerous road conditions could include:
- Failure to properly secure a road construction zone
- Failure to replace missing street signs
- Failure to make repairs to potholes or traffic lights
Defective Motor Vehicle Parts
It is more common than you might think for rideshare accidents to be caused by malfunctioning motor vehicle parts. When a part on a vehicle is defective or malfunctions in any way, it can cause catastrophic injuries. Some of the more common types of vehicle parts that have been known to malfunction include:
- Tires
- Airbags
- The braking system
- Seatbelts
- The steering wheel column
- The fuel system
- The door latch
- Windshields
Who Is Responsible For Your Damages?
The person responsible for causing your rideshare accident will also be responsible for compensating you for your damages. For this reason, your attorney will need to closely evaluate the way in which the accident occurred to establish liability.
For instance, in rideshare accidents involving negligent driving, your attorney will look to the rideshare driver, other motorists, and even local dram shops for liability.
If your accident was due to dangerous roads, there are several parties who could share liability, including government agencies and officials, safety inspectors, construction workers, contractors and subcontractors, and other third parties.
When your rideshare accident is caused by malfunctioning or defective motor vehicle parts, the companies that design, manufacture, distribute, and sell these products could be responsible for your damages. Maintenance technicians, motor vehicle dealerships, and executives could also share fault.
What To Expect From Your Rideshare Accident Claim
Rideshare accident claims are unique. Rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber will often provide their drivers with a $1 million auto insurance policy. However, these policies are only in effect during specific times. Generally, these include:
- When the driver is waiting to pick up a passenger
- When the driver is transporting a passenger to their location
- When the driver is on their way to pick up a passenger
If the accident occurs at any other time, the auto insurance policy will not be in effect. Instead, the rideshare driver’s personal auto insurance policy will be in effect.
Your accident might also not have been caused by a rideshare driver. If your collision was caused by another motorist while you were traveling in a rideshare, you might have the opportunity to file a claim with the rideshare company’s auto insurance, rideshare driver’s personal insurer, or another driver’s auto insurance.
Since these types of insurance claims can be so complex, having an experienced legal advocate on your side could make all the difference in your ability to secure maximum compensation for your damages.
What Is Your Rideshare Accident Claim Worth?
Calculating the value of your damages will be one of your rideshare accident lawyer’s most important responsibilities. To ensure you are fairly compensated for your losses, your attorney will need to go over your damages at great lengths to ensure that no loss goes unaccounted.
There are two primary types of losses you could be awarded in a rideshare accident claim. These include:
- Compensatory damages
- Punitive damages
Compensatory Damages
The losses you have the right to recover after your accident are known as compensatory damages. They include economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages are monetary while non-economic damages encompass your life and emotional losses.
Some examples of compensatory damages you could recover in your Forest City rideshare accident claim include:
- Diminished quality of life
- Lost wages
- Loss of salary increases, 401(k) contributions, and other future potential earnings
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Reputational damages
- Inconvenience
- Loss of companionship, love, protection, guidance, and support
- Pain and suffering
- Property damages
- Higher insurance premiums
- Emotional distress
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are another type of loss you could recover in your rideshare accident claim. These are only awarded in cases where the jury finds the defendant’s conduct grossly negligent, intolerable, or abhorrent. They may decide to award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter future liable parties from engaging in similar conduct.
You should never expect to be awarded punitive damages, as they are not a loss you have the right to recover. They are designed to punish the defendant, not compensate the injury victim. However, if you are awarded punitive damages, it could dramatically increase the amount of compensation you are awarded in your rideshare accident claim.
Call A Rideshare Accident Lawyer In Forest City For Help Today
Pursuing your rideshare accident claim does not have to be overwhelming when you have an experienced legal advocate fighting for the compensation you deserve. Contact a Forest City rideshare accident lawyer at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC to start working on your insurance and civil claims as soon as today.
Our firm is proud to offer no-cost, risk-free consultations to rideshare accident victims across Forest City and nearby towns. Take advantage of this opportunity when you call our office or fill out our convenient contact form.
