Boulder Uber Accident Lawyer
Rideshare companies like Uber provide a popular means of getting around, especially for people going out for a night on the town. But a rideshare vehicle is no safer than any other passenger car — and with more rideshare vehicles on the road, the likelihood of getting into a crash grows. A Boulder Uber accident lawyer from The Wilhite Law Firm can determine your rights to compensation if you suffered injuries in a rideshare accident in Colorado.
Filing an Uber accident claim can differ from a traditional car accident claim. Do you file an insurance claim against Uber? The Uber driver? Or the driver of another car? A knowledgeable Uber accident lawyer can answer these questions.
The Wilhite Law Firm has a reputation for providing clients with a caring approach and skilled legal advocacy. Since 1977, our Boulder personal injury lawyers have secured more than $1 billion on behalf of thousands of Coloradans, helping put their lives back together after life-changing accidents.
Call or contact us today If you need help pursuing compensation after an Uber accident. The first consultation is free.
What Are Your Options If Your Uber Driver Causes an Accident in Boulder?
Compensation is possible if you sustained injuries in a crash caused by your Uber driver. But where the compensation comes from depends on what the Uber driver was doing at the time of the collision.
If the driver was logged into the Uber mobile app, picking up a passenger, or had a passenger in their vehicle at the time of the crash, Uber’s liability insurance should apply. The amount of coverage available varies based on whether the driver had an active ride request.
If the Uber driver was not logged into the app, you would file a claim against the driver’s liability insurance coverage to pursue compensation.
Finally, if you purchased MedPay coverage as part of your own auto insurance policy, you could file a claim with your insurance company for reasonable medical expenses you incurred due to the accident.
What Are Some Causes of Uber Accidents?
Uber drivers must manage multiple tasks and distractions behind the wheel, including checking their phones for ride requests, navigating to pick-up and drop-off locations, and communicating with passengers. However, Uber drivers have no special training and can make the same mistakes as other drivers.
Common causes of Uber accidents include:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Reckless driving
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure to check blind spots
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Failure to yield
- Distracted driving
- Texting while driving
- Fatigued driving
- Impaired driving
- Driver inexperience
- Unfamiliarity with local roads
- Poorly maintained vehicle
- Bad weather
- Poor visibility
- Road rage
In some cases, another party ― not just the Uber driver ― could be partly responsible for causing the crash. You could have a claim against that driver, too. An experienced Uber accident lawyer can identify every liable party in your case.
How Do You Prove Negligence in an Uber Accident Claim?
You must prove that the Uber driver acted negligently to win compensation in an injury claim. Compelling evidence must demonstrate how the driver’s actions (or inactions) contributed to the crash and your injury.
Examples of evidence used to prove an Uber driver’s negligence include:
- Police incident reports
- Medical care records
- Photos and videos of the motor vehicle accident scene
- Dashcam or traffic camera footage
- Eyewitness statements
- Post-accident vehicle inspections
- Accident reconstruction analysis
- Testimony from medical and vocational experts on how your injuries impacted your life
What Should You Do After a Boulder Uber Accident?
Take these steps to protect your legal rights after an Uber accident in Boulder:
- Take photos or videos of the accident scene. Cell phone pictures are fine. Include shots of your injuries, vehicle damage, skid marks or debris on the roadway, traffic signs and signals, and lighting and weather conditions.
- Report the accident to Uber. As a passenger, you can report the crash through the mobile application on your ride page. Alternatively, you can report an accident through Uber’s website.
- Seek medical attention. Go to the emergency room or see your doctor as soon as possible. Getting timely medical treatment gives you the best prognosis and shows the insurance company you did everything possible to prevent your injuries from worsening.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment instructions. Fill out all prescriptions, go to every follow-up appointment, and adhere to your treatment plan.
- Keep receipts of all medical bills, co-pays, property damage estimates, and pay stubs to document your financial losses. These financial losses can be reimbursed in a successful injury claim.
- Track your recovery in a diary. Record your pain levels daily. This information is valuable when calculating damages for pain and suffering.
- Contact a Boulder Uber accident attorney. A rideshare lawyer can determine liability for the crash and file your claim with the appropriate parties.
Are There Different Levels of Coverage for an Uber Driver?
Uber offers liability insurance coverage for its drivers in the event of a motor vehicle accident that injures others. However, the amount of coverage depends on the driver’s status at the time of the accident.
- If the driver is not logged into the Uber mobile application: Uber’s liability insurance coverage does not apply. The driver’s own auto insurance policy will provide coverage.
- If the driver is logged into the mobile app and is awaiting a passenger ride request: Uber provides contingent liability coverage that includes bodily injury coverage of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident and property damage coverage of $25,000 per accident.
- If the driver is driving to pick up a passenger or has a passenger in the vehicle: Uber provides up to $1 million in combined liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage, which continues until the passenger exits the Uber.
Is There a Statute of Limitations for a Colorado Uber Accident?
In the state of Colorado, you have a time limit of two years for personal injury lawsuit claims. Should you not file your lawsuit within that two-year time period, you will forfeit your chance to have your case heard in court. If you are considering legal action by filing a lawsuit for your injuries, do not delay in contacting us. We will need to perform research, interview eyewitnesses, gather evidence, and more, which we will need to do to properly represent your car accident case.
Contact an Uber Accident Lawyer in Boulder, CO Today
You shouldn’t have to pay for your injuries if you were hurt due to someone else’s negligence. If you suffered injuries in an accident involving an Uber vehicle in Boulder, contact a personal injury lawyer at The Wilhite Law Firm today for a free consultation.