If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident, you may have legal options available for you. Contact our Starkville rideshare accident lawyers at Mama Justice today.

Over the past decade, we have seen a dramatic increase in the use of Uber and Lyft here in Starkville, Mississippi. These vehicles can quickly and conveniently transport passengers from one place to the next at an affordable rate. Whether you are traveling to school, visiting a local theater, or heading to work, both Uber and Lyft allow you to request transportation at the click of an app.

Rideshare vehicles have even made a positive impact on decreasing the number of vehicles involved in drunk driver accidents we see in Mississippi and across the entire country. Although there are many advantages that come with using ridesharing services, we have seen an unfortunate increase in the number of rideshare accidents that take place in our state.

When victims are harmed in rideshare collisions, it is all too common for insurance companies to fight victims and deny them the compensation they need and rightfully deserve. For this reason, it is imperative that you contact a Starkville car accident attorney as soon as possible to ensure your legal rights are protected.

Our Starkville rideshare accident attorneys at Mama Justice have decades of combined experience helping victims get the justice and compensation they deserve after being harmed in accidents. If you were injured in a ridesharing accident in the Starkville area, contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation with our team.

What is Ridesharing?

Ridesharing services operate in a manner that is similar to taxi services. However, unlike taxicab drivers, drivers who work for Uber and Lyft do so as independent contractors. These people are not direct employees of the rideshare company. Instead, they are contracted to provide transportation services as a self-employed driver.

In order to be considered for a driving position with Uber or Lyft, drivers must meet specific criteria. This includes:

  • Having a valid driver’s license
  • Have at least one year of experience operating a vehicle as a licensed motorist (Uber requires at least three years of experience if they are under the age of 23-years-old)
  • Meet the minimum age requirements for the rideshare company (Lyft drivers must be 21-years-old)
  • Provide proof of valid auto insurance for the car that will be used to transport passengers
  • Have a valid inspection of the rideshare car or truck at all times
  • Have a clean driving history
  • Pass a safety screening

Drivers who choose to provide transportation services through Uber and Lyft must have a four-door vehicle that is in good operating condition. The vehicle must be less than 15-years-old.

Types of Accidents Involving Rideshare Vehicles

Every year, thousands of rideshare accidents take place across the United States. These accidents often result in serious injuries for those involved. There are several types of car accidents that can take place involving rideshare vehicles. These include:

Head-On Collision

This type of accident involves two vehicles colliding in a front-to-front manner. Head-on crashes often result in severe injuries. In many instances, victims become trapped in their vehicles and have to be extricated by firefighters or paramedics.

Commercial Vehicle Accidents

There are many instances where people are involved in car accidents involving commercial vehicles. If you are harmed in a rideshare accident with a school bus, a semi-truck, or another commercial vehicle, the chances of suffering severe and life-altering injuries are greatly increased.

Rear-End Collision

Rear-end crashes often involve some form of distraction. When drivers are sending a text message, talking on the phone, or engaging in other distracting behaviors, they take their attention off the road ahead. This results in vehicles crashing into the rear-end of others.

Sideswipe Crash

This type of accident takes place when the side of one vehicle connects with the side of a second vehicle. These crashes typically involve drivers who drift into other lanes and strike other cars and trucks traveling nearby.

T-Bone Accident

These crashes commonly occur at intersections. A T-bone crash occurs when the front end of a vehicle crashes into the side of a second vehicle. T-bone crashes, also referred to as broadside collisions, can result in significant injuries and damages.

If you were harmed in any of these crash types while traveling in a rideshare vehicle in the Starkville area, you may be entitled to compensation. Our lawyers at Mama Justice can help you get justice.

Contact Mama Justice – MW Law Firm online or by phone at (888) 484-1476 today for a free and confidential consultation.

Common Injuries from Rideshare Car Accidents

People who are harmed in rideshare accidents are often left with painful injuries that demand emergency medical attention. We see many people in the Starkville area suffer catastrophic injuries in these accidents.

Some of the most common injuries victims of Uber and Lyft crashes endure include:

Although there are several treatment options available for injured victims, they come at a significant cost. For this reason, victims should seek the guidance of our Starkville personal injury attorneys right away. Our lawyers can help you pursue legal action against at-fault drivers to ensure you get the compensation you need for medical care and more.

Applicable Insurance Policy Coverage for a Rideshare Accident

If you were injured in a rideshare accident, the insurance coverage will be determined by when the accident occurred. There are various policies that can be available to cover victims of car accidents. These include:

Offline: If you are injured in a rideshare accident with a driver who is completely offline and not logged into their rideshare company’s application, the accident will be covered by the driver’s personal car insurance coverage.

Period One: If the accident happened while the driver was logged into their app, but they have not yet accepted a passenger, the driver is covered by the following insurance policy limits through the rideshare company:

  • $50,000 in coverage for bodily injury liability per person
  • $100,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident
  • $30,000 for property damage resulting from the accident

In addition, if you are harmed in a rideshare accident with an Uber vehicle, you may have access to $200,000 in additional coverage for accidents that occurred during this period.

Period Two: This period applies to accidents that take place when the driver has accepted a trip and is on the way to pick up the passengers.

Period Three: This period describes the time when a driver is actively engaged in transporting passengers.

If an accident happened during period two or period three, the rideshare company’s insurance policy will be active to cover the resulting injuries and damages. The limits of these policies include:

  • $1 million in commercial insurance coverage
  • $1 million for underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage

Although this may seem like a large amount of money, crashes can quickly add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses, let alone take into consideration the lost wages and other damages victims endure. Seeking the assistance of a rideshare accident attorney in Starkville as soon as possible will ensure you are in the best position possible to recover.

Rideshare Accident Liability

If you were harmed in a rideshare collision, there are several insurance companies that may take part in your recovery process. This will be determined by your role in the accident and who was at fault.

If a rideshare driver caused a crash while you were a passenger in their vehicle, the rideshare company insurance policies will generally take effect to cover your damages. If another driver was at fault, the other driver’s insurance company will generally cover the resulting injuries and damages.

If you were harmed as a pedestrian who was struck by an off-duty rideshare driver, you may be able to recover compensation by filing a claim against the driver’s personal insurance company.

Our Mississippi rideshare crash lawyers can help you determine all liable parties to ensure you get justice.

Damages Available for Rideshare Accident Victims

Being hurt in an Uber or Lyft accident can have a devastating impact on a person’s life. Dealing with serious injuries is only half the battle. Many victims suffer mentally, emotionally, and financially after being harmed.

In Starkville, a person injured in a car accident with a rideshare vehicle is able to pursue legal action against negligent parties. These lawsuits allow injured parties to recover compensation for various economic and non-economic damages they face from their accidents.

Our Mississippi personal injury lawyers at Mama Justice are committed to helping our clients recover the maximum compensation available for their legal claims. Some of the damages we help our clients recover money for include:

  • Long-term care costs
  • Medical expenses
  • Disfigurements and permanent scarring
  • Pain and suffering
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Temporary or permanent disability benefits
  • Loss of consortium
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Lost wages
  • Mental anguish

Our lawyers can schedule a free consultation at your earliest convenience to discuss your car wreck and the legal options available to help you get justice.

Helping Families with Wrongful Death Claims

If your loved one has lost their life in a car accident with a rideshare vehicle, our Starkville wrongful death lawyers will help your family file a legal claim against the at-fault party.

in addition to the above-mentioned damages, our Starkville car accident attorneys will help you recover compensation for:

  • Funeral expenses
  • Burial costs
  • Loss of parental guidance
  • Loss of companionship
  • Loss of services

Our Starkville personal injury attorneys will meet with you for a free consultation and review the circumstances surrounding your individual case. Our lawyer will help to identify all parties liable for the incident. We will determine the most appropriate steps moving forward and we will fight to get you justice.

How Our Law Firm Can Help You

Most victims are unaware of the legal options that may be available to them following a motor vehicle accident. For this reason, it is important that you reach out to our Starkville car accident lawyers as soon as possible. Our law firm can help you better understand the legal options that you have. Additionally, our lawyers provide each client we represent with an array of services to ensure their legal rights are protected. These include:

  • Investigating the scene where the collision happened.
  • Gather evidence from the accident scene, evaluate road conditions at the time of the crash, and gather other evidence.
  • Obtain a police report from responding police officers.
  • Gather medical records that detail the medical attention that you need.
  • Speak with witnesses to the accident.
  • Review the limits of your insurance and the insurance policies of each party involved in the accident.
  • Filing timely documents, petitions, and other legal forms on behalf of our clients.
  • Aggressively negotiate full and fair compensation for personal injury victims.
  • Provide effective and fearless representation in the courtroom whenever possible.

If you have been injured in an accident, our Starkville personal injury accident attorney will help you get justice. We service clients in Starkville and across the entire state who have been injured in a car accident involving a rideshare vehicle.

Let Mama Justice Help You

Our lawyers at Mama Justice understand that most people who are harmed in rideshare accidents feel incredibly overwhelmed and unsure of what to do moving forward. We recognize the difficulties that victims and their families face. At Mama Justice, we are dedicated to treating each client we work with like family. We value each attorney-client relationship we establish with victims and are committed to helping those harmed get justice for their pain and suffering.

We work to help our clients achieve their legal goals and we are dedicated to empowering victims to take control of their situation at the same time. Our Starkville personal injury lawyers will remain by your side every step of the way and advocate on your behalf.

If you have been injured as a result of an Uber or a Lyft accident, you must act quickly to protect your legal rights. The Starkville car accident lawyers at Mama Justice are available to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss your crash and to help you move forward and get justice. Our law firm offers free, no-obligation consultations in Starkville or any of our thirteen offices across Mississippi. Contact our Starkville rideshare car accident law firm today by calling (662) 262-6264.