With the dramatic rise in popularity of ridesharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, accidents involving injuries are bound to occur. When you suffer injuries in a ridesharing accident due to the fault of others, you may be uncertain as to who is responsible for your damages. If you are in this situation, hiring an Albuquerque ridesharing accident lawyer may be an effective way to get information about your legal rights to compensation.
Ridesharing accidents claims can be tricky and may differ according to which ridesharing service is involved. As a result, getting the advice of the attorneys at
Ben Crump Law, PLLC may be useful. This information and advice can allow you to make educated decisions about your claim. Call (800) 598-7557 to learn how to get started with your ridesharing accident claim.
Ridesharing Services and Traffic Accidents
Ridesharing services have become a regular part of everyday life, especially for people in larger cities, where many people do not own their own vehicles. Some people are willing to pay a bit more to avoid public transportation or the hassles of vehicle ownership, such as parking and insurance costs.
These factors have steadily increased the usage of ridesharing services, which, in turn, has rapidly grown the number of rideshare service drivers. Inevitably, as is the case with any type of transportation, accidents do occur, which can result in injuries and even fatalities.
According to the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics at the University of Chicago research, there were 32,885 traffic fatalities in 2010, which was the lowest since 1949. By 2016, that number had risen to over 37,000. Researchers attribute the roughly three percent increase in fatalities, or almost 1,000 deaths per year, to ridesharing services.
Reliable data about non-fatal accidents involving ridesharing services, however, is nonexistent at this point. While some studies, which ridesharing services, such as Lyft and Uber, claim that ridesharing poses less risk of accidents than driving, these studies are contradictory and do not take some factors into consideration. Nonetheless, given the high number of motor vehicle accidents that occur each year, it is likely that ridesharing drivers cause or are involved in at least some of those accidents.
For a free legal consultation with a ridesharing accidents lawyer serving Albuquerque, call (800) 598-7557
Liability for Accidents in Ridesharing Cases
When the negligence of a ridesharing service driver causes a motor vehicle accident, you have the right to seek compensation from any negligent parties if you have suffered any injuries. While negligent drivers are certainly liable or financially responsible for the injuries that they cause in an accident, you must explore whether the ridesharing service also bears any liability for your losses.
Under the legal principle of respondeat superior, employers generally are responsible for the negligent actions of their employees. As a result, if an employee is delivering a package while working and causes an accident that injures others, then the employer may also be liable for the costs of those injuries. In the case of a ridesharing service, however, an employer-employee relationship does not exist.
Many ridesharing services consider their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Through a legal concept called vicarious liability, these contractors arguably still create liability for the companies if they cause accidents. Nonetheless, classifying drivers in this way can help the ridesharing services try to avoid liability if their drivers cause accidents, even if they were performing ridesharing services at the time of the accidents.
This situation can lead insurers for ridesharing services to deny liability, which in some cases, leaves injured parties with only the negligent driver to pursue, who may or may not have sufficient insurance coverage. An Albuquerque ridesharing accident lawyer understands the complexities of these situations and can work to hold all parties accountable for the negligence that led to your injuries.
Albuquerque Ridesharing Accident Lawyer Near Me (800) 598-7557
Determining Who Is at Fault in Ridesharing Accidents
Due to the nature of ridesharing accidents and the parties involved, you may have a challenging time determining who is responsible for the costs of your injuries. Drivers and ridesharing services may argue about who should be responsible for the accident. This blame-shifting technique often occurs when more than one party potentially is liable for a car accident but can drag out a claim even longer and make it more difficult for you to pursue.
Furthermore, other parties could be liable for the car accident, as well. For instance, the drivers of other vehicles may be wholly or partially liable for an accident involving multiple vehicles. If poor road maintenance led to an accident, the town, city, or state might have liability for the accident.
Determining who is at fault for an accident and to what degree they are at fault can be complex. The parties also are likely to disagree on these issues of liability, which can cause delays in settling claims and even a need to proceed to trial. As a result, getting legal advice may be helpful. Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC today to learn more about determining liability in your case.
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Call for Help with Your Ridesharing Accident Claim
Ridesharing accidents can involve multiple parties and complex disputes on liability. Claims related to these accidents are rarely straightforward and may take a long time to resolve. Consult an Albuquerque ridesharing accident lawyer to get more information about your eligibility for compensation if you have suffered injuries in this type of accident. They can help you file your personal injury lawsuit within the three-year statute of limitations required by NM Stat § 37-1-8.
At Ben Crump Law, PLLC, we know how physically, emotionally, and financially devastating a ridesharing accident can be for you and your family. When we take on your claim, we do not expect you to pay out of pocket or upfront for our services. We want to help, so we will take your case on a contingency basis. Therefore, you will not pay anything for our legal fees until you receive compensation for your injuries. Call us today at (800) 598-7557 and learn more about the claims process.
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