Rideshare vehicles are a convenient and cost-effective way to get around the Chicago area without worrying about parking your car or appointing a designated driver after a fun night out. Although rideshare services provide many benefits to citizens, it’s important to remember that they are just like other vehicles on the road, and rideshare drivers have the same probability of getting into accidents.
If you’ve been injured in an accident while riding in a rideshare vehicle, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages. A car accident lawyer in Chicago can guide you through the legal process if you have trouble obtaining a settlement from the rideshare’s insurance company. Lane & Lane, LLC has experienced attorneys who are ready to fight on your behalf.
Uber and Lyft are the most popular rideshare companies in Chicago. Both companies provide an extensive amount of insurance coverage to their drivers and passengers. Although drivers must obtain personal car insurance for when they aren’t using the rideshare service, Uber and Lyft cover drivers when the driver is waiting to pick up a passenger and when en route to pick up a passenger.
During the time before a driver picks up a passenger, Uber and Lyft provide a maximum of $50,000 per person injured in an accident, $100,000 in maximum injury liability per accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability. Once a driver has a passenger in the vehicle, Uber and Lyft’s insurance coverage increases to $1 million in total liability.
While Uber’s insurance coverage policy explains that they’ll cover you regardless of whether the Uber driver was at fault for the wreck or not, Lyft’s policy is less clear. If your rideshare driver wasn’t at fault for your accident, you may need to sue the person or party that’s at fault and recover compensation from them. In a car accident lawsuit of any kind, you must prove negligence using evidence.
Once you can prove negligence against the colliding driver or other negligent party, you can seek a settlement for the value of your damages. Your damages may include any financial or nonfinancial losses you’ve suffered because of the wreck.
Financial losses may include items like medical expenses, lost income from taking time away from work, and property damages. Nonfinancial losses may include scarring and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium, and similar losses.
As an injured individual in a rideshare accident, it’s clear that you’re not responsible for your damages; however, you may need to prove who is responsible if you hope to obtain the compensation you deserve. An experienced attorney from Lane & Lane, LLC can support you with your case and help you get the most out of your claim.
To speak with a Chicago car accident lawyer from our team, call 312-332-1400 to schedule a no-obligation consultation, or visit our website for more information.
