Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have changed the way many of us travel, particularly on a night out or while visiting a new city for vacation or work. But while these services are undeniably convenient, they also put a lot more vehicles on the road – vehicles driven not by true professionals, but by ordinary people looking to earn some extra money or make ends meet during difficult economic times. Perhaps unsurprisingly, research cited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that cities with a sizable presence of rideshare drivers see a statistically significant increase in the number of accidents.
"We frequently represent seriously injured people who other law firms turned away because liability or fault for the injury was not obvious." ~ Attorney Jim Holliday, Founding Partner, Holliday Karatinos Law Firm
If you’ve been injured in a collision involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you could be entitled to compensation, though getting it may prove challenging. These accidents are more complex than other car accidents, particularly when they involve a rideshare driver who was transporting a fare or on the way to pick one up. You’ll need help from an experienced rideshare accident lawyer to pursue maximum compensation, and that’s exactly what Holliday Karatinos Law Firm wants to do on your behalf. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let us make your recovery our personal commitment.
Table of contents
- Who Pays After an Uber or Lyft Accident in St. Petersburg?
- What Kind of Compensation Can You Get After a Rideshare Accident?
- How Is Liability Determined in Uber and Lyft Accidents in St. Petersburg?
- How Much Can You Get If You’ve Been in an Uber or Lyft Accident?
- How Long Do You Have to File a Rideshare Claim in Florida?
- Talk to a St. Petersburg Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Who Pays After an Uber or Lyft Accident in St. Petersburg?
Who pays after an Uber accident in Florida depends on several factors. First, if you live in Florida and have such a policy, your first source of compensation is your own personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. Also called no-fault insurance, this pays for 80 percent of necessary and reasonable medical expenses, up to $10,000.
Additional sources of compensation may be available to you if someone else is to blame for the accident. For example, if another driver hits a rideshare vehicle, they’re likely responsible for any resulting injuries and property damage beyond what’s covered by your own PIP insurance. On the other hand, if the rideshare driver causes the crash, insurance coverage will depend on what “phase” they were in at the time.
Both Uber and Lyft recognize three phases as defined in F.S. § 627.748(7)(b)–(c), which establishes the rules for Florida rideshare insurance coverage. The phases are as follows:
- Phase 1: The app is off and the driver is not seeking a fare. In this phase, the driver’s own liability insurance policy covers any accident they cause, provided they have such a policy. Florida is unusual in that it only requires ordinary motorists to have $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) insurance and $10,000 in property damage liability insurance. It does not require drivers to carry bodily injury liability insurance, which pays for other people’s injuries.
- Phase 2: The app is on and the driver is looking for a fare. In this phase, the law requires the rideshare driver to have at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in bodily injury liability insurance, and at least $25,000 per accident in property damage liability insurance. The Uber or Lyft driver may have their own policy providing at least this much coverage. If they do not, Uber or Lyft must provide that insurance on their behalf.
- Phase 3: The driver has a fare in their vehicle or is on the way to pick one up. Once the rideshare driver has accepted a fare, they must have at least $1 million in combined coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. Technically, the rideshare driver can have their own policy providing at least this much coverage, but as this would be prohibitively expensive, this coverage likely comes through Uber or Lyft’s corporate-level policy.
If this sounds confusing, don’t worry. A Lyft or Uber accident lawyer can review your case to determine which coverage applies to you based on the specific circumstances.
What Kind of Compensation Can You Get After a Rideshare Accident?
If someone else caused the rideshare accident that injured you, they could owe you money for your:
- Past and future medical treatment, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, medicine, and rehab/therapy
- Lost income covering any lost wages, salary, tips, commissions, bonuses, and benefits you missed out on while you were healing
- Diminished earning potential if your injuries affect your ability to earn a living
- Repair or replacement of any damaged property
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress caused by your injuries and the accident
- Reduced quality of life if your injuries affect your self-esteem and ability to take part in your favorite activities
If you were injured in this type of crash, look for a personal injury law firm with experience handling rideshare accident claims. The St. Petersburg Uber and Lyft accident attorneys from the Holliday Karatinos Law Firm are dedicated to helping you recover full and fair compensation. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
How Is Liability Determined in Uber and Lyft Accidents in St. Petersburg?
Attorneys, insurance adjusters, and investigators weigh evidence like the following to determine liability for a rideshare accident in St. Petersburg:
- Data from the rideshare app
- Receipts from your trip
- The police report of the accident
- Testimony from eyewitnesses
- Photos of the accident scene
- Videos from traffic, surveillance, or dashboard cameras
- Physical debris and vehicle inspections
- Phone and GPS records
- Data from onboard computers
Your attorney may also hire an accident reconstruction expert to review this evidence and use it to build a model of what happened and why.
How Much Can You Get If You’ve Been in an Uber or Lyft Accident?
It’s difficult to say how much your rideshare accident case could be worth without a careful review of your unique circumstances. Many factors could affect its value, including:
- The severity of your injuries and their long-term consequences
- How clearly other parties are at fault for the accident
- What phase the rideshare driver was in at the time of the crash, presuming they were at fault
- The skill level and tenacity of your Uber or Lyft accident lawyer
A member of the legal team at Holliday Karatinos Law Firm can give you a more specific answer after carefully reviewing your injury claim.
How Long Do You Have to File a Rideshare Claim in Florida?
Under most circumstances, Florida gives you two years from the date of a rideshare accident to sue the at-fault driver, per Section 95.11 of the Florida Statutes. If you attempt to file your lawsuit after the statute of limitations has passed, the court will likely dismiss your case, and you will no longer be able to recover compensation. Don’t put your legal rights at risk. Instead, get help from a Lyft or Uber accident attorney right away.
Talk to a St. Petersburg Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Have you been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident in the St. Petersburg area? The good news is that you don’t have to deal with the fallout on your own. Instead, you can turn to a rideshare accident lawyer with Holliday Karatinos Law Firm to investigate the accident, identify who’s to blame, determine how much insurance coverage is available, and fight for full and fair compensation. Contact us to get started with your free consultation.
