Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

When you need to get from point A to point B and you don’t have immediate access to a car, ridesharing is a good option. Ridesharing apps like Uber & Lyft have become very popular, with millions of users regularly using these apps. As of 2021, more than one in three Americans (36%) have tried a ridesharing app, and most of them are satisfied with the services they receive.

Others, however, aren’t so lucky and wind up experiencing ridesharing accidents.

Unfortunately, when an Uber or Lyft accident happens and the injuries are substantial, any claims for compensation can become very complicated very fast. One reason for the complication is that Uber and Lyft drivers are considered independent contractors, not company employees. Due to this loophole, getting compensation from a rideshare company can be a lot like pulling teeth.

If your accident occurred in Georgia, then the good news is that an experienced Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident lawyer can help. They will have experience dealing with these unique complications that come along with rideshare accidents. Learn more about rideshare accidents and how to handle them with the help of our Sandy Springs law firm below.

What is Uber & Lyft?

Back in 2008, smart technology, the freelance economy, and the widespread ubiquity of smartphones were just taking hold of society. During that year, two wise entrepreneurs, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, were vacationing in Paris when they struggled to find a taxi. It was a snowy night, so the duo wasn’t all too happy about not being able to find a ride.

That’s when the idea struck them – why isn’t there an app for this?

That initial spark eventually led to the creation of the Uber ridesharing app. Uber is a platform that connects freelance drivers who want to make some extra money and individuals who need a quick ride. Lyft is a similar app that was developed after the wild success of Uber. Both of these platforms are apps at the end of the day, and they do not employ their drivers. Drivers are considered independent contractors and freelancers.

When a person wants a ride, they simply go onto the app and search for Uber drivers that are logged on and ready to give rides in the nearby area. Then, they request the ride. Drivers have the option of accepting or denying jobs as they come through.

Types of Rideshare Accidents in Sandy Springs

Since these rideshare drivers are traversing the roadways everyday, it’s not that surprising that car accidents happen from time to time. Some of the most common rideshare accidents include:

• Distracted driving accidents
• Intoxicated accidents
• Accidents that are caused by another driver
• Multi-car collisions
• Side-swipe accidents
• T-bone crashes
• Single car collisions
• Hit-and-run accidents
• Rear-end crashes
• Rollovers

If you experience a crash, then you should make sure the authorities come out to the scene. Sometimes, your rideshare driver might want to avoid the lost time off of work and the hassle of an accident on their record. Regardless, minor accidents should still be reported to the police because you could discover injuries later. If you wind up in a serious crash here in Georgia while ridesharing, then we recommend speaking with a Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident lawyer if your losses are starting to add up. The main reason why is that you might be able to seek out a personal injury claim for compensation (more on that below).

Personal Injury Claims: An Overview

Personal injury claims are legal lawsuits that arise when one person gets injured by another person’s negligence. Under the law, negligence is defined as a breach of a legal duty to provide for someone else’s care.

When it comes to ridesharing car accidents, any driver who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle automatically assumes a legal duty to provide for the care of other motorists and pedestrians that are traversing the roadways. With that fact in mind, any driver whose behavior constitutes a breach of duty to provide for your care would be considered negligent.

In Georgia, the negligent driver will be considered at fault. Identifying the at fault party is no easy task, though, so it might be best to hire a Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident lawyer to help you pursue your claim. Multiple parties could potentially be considered liable including your rideshare driver, another driver, Uber or Lyft, or even the vehicle’s manufacturer.

Who Can File a Claim?

Before you contact a Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident attorney, you might want to learn more about whether or not you’re eligible to file a claim. In general, you can file a claim when the following elements are present:

• A legal duty of care existed (this is automatic for all drivers)
• There was a breach of this legal duty to provide for your care
• This breach of duty caused the accident
• The accident led to specific damages

You’ll need to use your own judgement and discernment to determine whether you should seek out a claim based on the circumstances of the accident, though. For instance, all the elements above may exist in your situation, but it might not be worth your time to seek out a claim if your losses are minimal and will get covered by your medical insurance policy.

How Ridesharing Complicates Accident Claims

Filing a claim after a typical car accident is complicated enough, but being involved in a ridesharing crash will make the situation even more complex. That’s because multiple insurance policies could potentially come into play including your own no-fault policy, the driver’s policy, Uber or Lyft’s insurance, and any other involved driver’s policies.

Clearly, it will be very difficult to figure out where to seek out compensation after your crash.

The best case scenario would involve hiring a Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident lawyer to help you determine your best course of action.

Types of Damages Eligible for Compensation

When you do hire an accident lawyer, they’ll work hard to ensure that you get financially restored to the position you were in prior to the crash. To do so, they’ll identify and value the following types of damages:

• Medical costs (current and future estimated)
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Pain and suffering

In general, your claim will have a higher value when your injuries are more serious.

Important Steps to Take Following an Accident Involving Uber & Lyft

It can be very difficult to traverse an accident situation when you’re just a passenger. After all, usually it’s up to the drivers of both vehicles to sus out how to handle the situation. While this can be beneficial during a normal accident, you might need to be a bit more involved if you’re involved in an Uber or Lyft accident to ensure that your rights get upheld.

After the crash, the first thing you should do is check yourself for injuries. This might sound a bit silly, but it’s normal to not ‘feel’ injuries after a crash due to the adrenaline and other life-saving chemicals that can mask the pain. If nothing seems immediately pressing, then you can watch to see how your driver responds. Make sure that your driver and the other driver call the police to document the accident. If these two parties are insistent on not involving the authorities, then you may have to call them yourself. Creating a police report is important to establishing that an accident did happen while you were ridesharing through Uber or Lyft.

Next, go get medical care or have a full checkout to ensure that you aren’t injured. If you do discover a significant injury, then we recommend consulting with a Sandy Springs Lyft accident lawyer to determine your next move.

Finding a Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

You don’t want to hire just any lawyer to handle your rideshare accident claim. Instead, you want to make sure you find the very best Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident attorney because they’ll be in the best position to handle your claim and fight for the maximum amount of compensation available in your situation.

What to Look for in an Attorney

So, what kind of things should you look for when attempting to find a Uber accident law firm in Sandy Springs to represent you? First of all, you want to make sure that the potential lawyer has experience handling ridesharing accident claims. If they don’t, then move on and keep searching. As we explained, ridesharing crashes are extremely complicated, so you’ll want to find an experienced Lyft accident law firm that knows what to do.

Next, consider looking at the firm’s reviews and past case results. This information will help you determine how effective and personable the lawyer really is to their clients. You’ll also want to make sure that the attorney is local to the Sandy Springs area. It’s not worth your effort to hire a top-ranking lawyer if they will have to relocate to take on your case.

Benefits of Working with a Local Attorney

Why would you prefer a local Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident law firm over a high-ranking firm from another area? One main concern is that a local lawyer will be much easier to get in touch with. If you have questions or need to provide documentation to your lawyer, then you can simply swing by their office. If your lawyer is too far away, then you’ll have to rely on attempting to get in touch over the phone or via the internet.

Another reason why it’s important to work with a local attorney is because a lawyer who has experience in the local courtrooms will also have built up professional relationships with other court workers and regulars. For instance, they will know of several expert medical witnesses that could be beneficial to your claim. They may even know the legal representative the other party hires to represent them.

Questions to Ask During the Initial Consultation

Of course, having good ratings, reviews, and experience are all great prerequisites to being a top Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident law firm, but it isn’t enough to be confident that you’re hiring the right lawyer. You’ll want to ask very specific questions during your initial consultation to ensure you hire the right Uber accident law firm to represent you. Here are a few things to ask:

• Do you have the time to take on my claim?
• Have you dealt with clients experiencing long-term injuries before?
• Will you handle my case personally or will you hand off aspects of my claim to legal aids that work for your firm?

Contact Our Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft Accident Law Firm

Are you ready to start your search for the right Sandy Springs Uber & Lyft accident lawyer to represent your claim? If so, then we know exactly where you should start. Here at Singleton Law Firm, LLC, our team strives to exemplify all the qualities of a good lawyer that we outlined above. What’s more, we do our best to remain attentive, compassionate, and concerned about every client who chooses to work with us.

We know what it feels like to be at a loss as a result of someone else’s negligence. We also know exactly how frustrating it is to cope with an injury that wasn’t your fault.

We invite you to schedule a free consultation with our office or call us now to learn more about the services we provide and how we can help you move forward after your rideshare accident.