A New Jersey rideshare accident attorney can help individuals who have been injured or harmed as a result of an accident involving a rideshare driver or their vehicle. Despite the popularity of ridesharing, especially in major U.S. cities, lawsuits are being filed as a result of accidents involving rideshare company cars and drivers. People who have been injured in accidents involving a rideshare automobile could be eligible to recover compensation with the help of a New Jersey rideshare accident lawyer.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New Jersey today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated New Jersey rideshare accident attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is a Rideshare?
As an alternate to taking a cab, waiting a bus or train to arrive, or making arrangements with coworkers to carpool, some people are using rideshare services as a way to cheaply get around town.
Popular rideshare apps include:
- Uber – Most notable of all major ridesharing companies, Uber is an online transportation networking company based in San Francisco, California.
- Lyft – Also based in San Francisco, Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing service accessed through a smartphone application.
- Sidecar – Now out of business, Sidecar provided ridesharing services as well as business-to-business deliveries.
- Via – Via is a rideshare company based in New York City. Unlike Uber and Lyft, which base their rates on distance and location, Via allows customers to share a ride for a flat rate.
- Cabify – Cabify is an international transportation networking service that operates in Latin America, Spain and Portugal.
How Do Rideshare Companies Operate?
Most rideshare services use smartphone technology to connect passengers and drivers. Passengers execute a ride request to an app downloaded to their smartphone, and a driver located nearby is notified. If the driver accepts the passenger’s request, the driver picks them up and takes them to their destination. Fares are paid electronically through the app.
Car Accident Injuries
People who have been injured in car accidents may face a number of injuries, including:
- Whiplash
- Head and neck injuries
- Internal injuries
- Injures to muscles, ligaments and tendons
- Scrapes, cuts and burns
- Contusions or bruises
- Broken bones
- Death
In addition to physical injuries, people who are harmed in car accidents may experience psychological and emotional distress. Types of mental or emotional distress may include severe anger, loss of appetite, lack of energy, mood swings, fear, anxiety and panic attacks.
Rideshare Lawsuit Claims
A New Jersey rideshare accident attorney notes that increased regulation comes as two lawsuits have been filed in California against rideshare companies Lyft and Uber. According to a rideshare accident lawsuit filed in January 2014, the family of a six-year old girl who was killed by an UberX driver in a crosswalk in San Francisco claimed negligence on the part of the driver. Uber initially declined to admit fault or even recognized that the driver was working for the company at the time of the accident because he wasn’t carrying a passenger. Uber and the little girl’s family later settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount of money.
Another incident involving a rideshare company occurred in 2014, and a 24-year old man was killed while riding in a car operated by a driver working for Lyft. The family of the man has since filed a lawsuit claiming that the driver negligently failed to drive according to the posted speed limit. Although the company has not denied that the driver was at fault, Lyft has yet to offer any type of compensation to the victim’s surviving loved ones.
How a New Jersey Rideshare Accident Attorney Can Help
Rideshare companies and their drivers have a duty to provide a safe environment for its passengers, drivers, other commuters, and pedestrians. If there are risks of harm associated with rideshare company drivers, the company must also provide adequate warnings and safeguards. If a driver fails to fulfill this duty, they, as well as the company, could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured as a result of a car accident involving a rideshare car through no fault of their own may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those who have died in car accidents may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group for New Jersey. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
