Were you or a loved one injured in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle? If so, let a Philadelphia rideshare accident lawyer from Morelli Law Firm stand up for your legal rights and pursue the maximum amount of compensation to which your accident may entitle you.
Call Morelli Law Firm at any time for your free, no-obligation case review with a member of our team.
Making Sure You Ask for What You Deserve
While your accident has undoubtedly impacted your life in many ways, for the purposes of your lawsuit, all of your injuries will be categorized in one of two ways: as economic damages or as non-economic damages.
As the name suggests, economic damages are the money you have spent (or will have to spend) because of the crash. If you receive economic damages from the liable party’s insurance company, it can compensate you for things like:
- Medical care: Includes hospital stays, prescription medicine, therapy (both psychological and physical), and home nursing.
- The cost of repairing your car: Also, the cost of renting a car or taking public transportation while you wait for your vehicle to be ready for use.
- Lost income: The wages and benefits you would have earned if your accident and/or injuries had not kept you home from work.
- Lost financial support: Includes all of the money your loved one would have earned over their lifetime if they had not passed away prematurely.
What Are Non-Economic Damages?
The term “non-economic damages” may seem a bit vague. However, the concept is simple: your injuries caused you physical and emotional grief, and you deserve monetary compensation in exchange for that grief. Examples of non-economic damages that you might qualify for include:
- Disfigurement: Scars that affect your appearance, your range of motion, or both.
- Pain and suffering: Includes both physical and mental anguish that you would not have experienced if not for the crash.
- Disability: Both physical and intellectual conditions, which prevent you from resuming your old lifestyle.
- Loss of companionship: No longer being able to turn to your deceased loved one for advice or comfort.
The Statute of Limitations for Filing a Rideshare Accident Lawsuit in PA
When considering whether to file a lawsuit, bear in mind 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes §5524. This law gives you only two years (starting from the date of the accident) to file for damages. Once two years have passed, you no longer have the right to file a lawsuit, even if you would have qualified for damages before the deadline.
Call Morelli Law Firm as soon as possible to learn more about your options and what damages you may be eligible to claim. We have clients throughout the mid-Atlantic states, including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We would be happy to provide you with a rideshare accident lawyer in Philadelphia to begin working on your claim.
Steps to Take After a Rideshare Accident
Whether you were a passenger or a driver, there are certain steps you can take to protect yourself in the wake of a rideshare accident.
For instance, before you leave the accident scene, make sure you get the other driver’s name and insurance information. This will make it easier for you to seek compensation from them later. You should also contact the police and report the accident so that a responding officer can create an accident report.
You can also call a personal injury law firm that can advise you on what to say to the police. They can also collect time-sensitive evidence from the accident, such as photographs and video footage. They can also take statements from witnesses. You should also see a doctor as soon as possible to create a medical record proving the collision caused your injuries.
Comparative Negligence in a Ridesharing Accident
Pennsylvania statute 42 Pa. C.S.A. §7102 establishes the state’s comparative negligence policy, which considers the contribution of each driver to an accident. If you are involved in an accident with a rideshare driver where you are partially at fault, you can still claim some of the cost of your damages.
The damages you can claim will be reduced in proportion to your contribution to the accident. For example, if you are 40% responsible for the accident because of your negligence, you can claim only 60% of your damages.
The police and the insurance companies will investigate the car accident to find out who was at fault and determine the contribution of each driver. However, you do not have to accept their findings. If the police or insurance investigation wrongly blames you for the accident, consider hiring a Philadelphia ridesharing accident lawyer to conduct an independent investigation.
Insurance Issues After a Ridesharing Accident
Uber and Lyft drivers should be covered by either their personal car insurance or insurance provided by the rideshare service. Which provider will cover the damages from your accident depends on what the driver was doing at the time of the collision. Different scenarios include:
- If the driver had the application (app for short) off and was not driving for Lyft or Uber, their personal insurance will cover the damages.
- If the driver had the app on and was waiting for a ride request, both Lyft and Uber provide third-party liability insurance for personal injury and property damage.
- If the driver had the app on and was actively driving a passenger or on the way to pick someone up, both Lyft and Uber provide third-party auto liability insurance, uninsured or underinsured motorist bodily injury insurance, and comprehensive and collision insurance for the car.
Many insurance companies like to settle cases quickly. Even if the rideshare driver was at fault in your car accident, their insurance company might blame you, to reduce how much they have to pay. They may pressure you to accept a lowball settlement to quickly end the case.
Remember, you do not have to speak to the rideshare driver or their insurance company or accept the insurer’s offer. Your Philadelphia rideshare accident attorney can take over all phone calls, letters, or any other form of communication, including negotiating a settlement on your behalf.
How Your Lawsuit May Go
Car accidents are complicated, and so is the law. As a result, it is not possible to predict with any accuracy the course and outcome of your case. However, we can give you a broad outline of how cases similar to yours have gone and how Morelli Law Firm can take the burden of fighting a lawsuit off your shoulders.
First Steps
We can provide you with a free case review to know for sure whether or not you qualify for compensation. We will then launch an investigation into your accident and collect all possible forms of evidence to prove that the liable party’s actions entitle you to the damages you are seeking. Finally, to officially begin your suit, we will notify the liable party on your behalf.
Seeking Compensation
There are three main ways your case may go:
- The liable party’s insurance company offers you exactly what you want right away. Your lawyer draws up the paperwork, and you get your money.
- The insurance company offers less than what you want, requiring your lawyer to negotiate for a better settlement.
- The insurance company offers less than what you want, and negotiations do not work, requiring your lawyer to take your case to court and let a jury decide how much you receive.
Providing Reassurance and Guidance
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the legal process, even with a lawyer on your side. Your rideshare accident attorney in Philadelphia will spend as much time with you as you need to understand your rights and options and to feel comfortable with the decisions you make. We encourage our clients to call us any time they need answers or clarification.
The team at Morelli Law Firm is ready and willing to assist you however possible, from evaluating your case to negotiating for the compensation you and your family need. To learn more about what a Philadelphia rideshare accident lawyer can do for you, call us. We will not charge you any fees until we help you recover compensation.
