In today's busy society, more and more people rely upon ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft for all their transportation needs. Locals and visitors alike use these ridesharing services to get to and from work, business meetings, local restaurants, and entertainment venues.
However, with a higher number of rideshare vehicles on the road comes the possibility of additional accidents and injuries. In some cases, rideshare accidents happen when operators of rideshare vehicles become distracted, intoxicated, or negligent, while at other times, these accidents occur when third-party drivers negligently cause their cars to strike rideshare vehicles.
If you or someone you love suffered injuries in a recent rideshare accident, you need to consult with legal counsel as quickly as possible about your legal rights and options.
The experienced rideshare accident lawyers in Columbia at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers can swiftly begin an investigation into your accident circumstances, determine your eligibility for filing a personal injury claim, and take the necessary and appropriate legal action on your behalf.
Our legal team can aggressively handle all communications with insurance company representatives, negotiate with settlement adjusters on your behalf, and work to maximize the financial recovery you obtain for your injuries and losses.
We are not afraid to take on the insurance company directly and, if necessary, litigate your personal injury case to an efficient resolution in the state court system.
For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a Columbia rideshare accident lawyer, please call us at (803) 500-3454 or contact us online today.
- Why Select Us for Your Columbia Rideshare Accident Case?
- How Much Money Is My Columbia Rideshare Accident Case Worth?
- Where do Columbia Rideshare Accidents Happen?
- Common Types of Rideshare Accidents in Columbia
- Common Rideshare Accident Injuries that Victims May Suffer
- Aggressively Fighting the Insurance Company after a Rideshare Accident in Columbia
- Essential Steps to Take After Suffering Injuries in a Rideshare Accident
- Speak with an Experienced Columbia Rideshare Accident Attorney Right Away About Your Legal Matter
Why Select Us for Your Columbia Rideshare Accident Case?
When it comes to seeking and retaining experienced and compassionate legal counsel to assist you with your rideshare accident case, we know that you have many options.
However, when significant financial compensation is on the line, you want the best possible team of attorneys on your side to fight the insurance company aggressively and pursue your legal interests.
The knowledgeable Columbia rideshare accident lawyers at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers have the skills and experience to take on the insurance company and maximize your overall financial compensation.
Unlike many personal injury law firms and attorneys who resolve all of their cases via settlement, our legal team is not afraid to litigate your case or take it to a civil jury trial if necessary.
Insurance companies are also familiar with our aggressive tactics and may be more likely to offer you strong financial compensation from the very beginning of your case – rather than after prolonged (and potentially costly) litigation in the state court system.
Throughout the process, we can address all of your legal concerns, handle every step of the process for you, and represent you during all litigation proceedings that take place in your case.
Our office has a convenient location at 1201 Main Street, Suite 1919, Columbia, SC 29201. Let us help you secure the financial compensation you need and deserve to become whole again after your rideshare accident.
How Much Money Is My Columbia Rideshare Accident Case Worth?
To recover financial compensation for the injuries you suffered in a rideshare accident, you will first need to satisfy the legal elements of proof in your claim.
First, you must show that the driver who caused your accident, which may be the rideshare driver or some other driver, owed you a duty of reasonable care, which they subsequently violated.
For example, the driver of your rideshare vehicle (or a third-party driver) may have broken one or more traffic laws or operated their vehicle in an otherwise distracted or careless manner under the circumstances.
Next, you must demonstrate that as a direct and foreseeable result of the at-fault driver's negligent behavior, your rideshare accident occurred, and you suffered at least one physical injury in the accident.
Depending upon the time when your rideshare accident happened, as well as the rideshare company itself, you can recover monetary compensation under the at-fault driver's insurance policy or under the rideshare company's corporate policy.
The types of financial damages you may recover will depend upon the severity of your injuries, along with the total cost of your medical treatment and other accident-related circumstances.
First, you can secure financial compensation for your past and future medical expenses, lost income, and loss of earnings capacity.
Second, you can pursue monetary recovery for non-economic damages.
The purpose of these non-economic damages is to compensate you for all of your intangible losses related to the rideshare accident, such as your mental anguish and distress, long-term care costs, permanent disability, disfiguring injuries, loss of spousal companionship and consortium, inconvenience, past and future pain and suffering, lost quality of life, permanent scarring, and loss of the ability to use a body part (such as from a spinal cord or paralysis injury).
Our legal team can determine your case's likely settlement or verdict value based on the accident circumstances and the injuries you suffered, including whether or not you sustained a permanent injury in your accident. We will then take all the necessary legal steps to secure the total financial compensation you need to recover for your losses.
Where do Columbia Rideshare Accidents Happen?
Columbia rideshare accidents can happen on any road throughout the area, especially in the downtown area and on busy interstate highways, like Interstate 126, during rush hour. Accidents involving ridesharing vehicles may also occur in local parking lots in parking garages, alleyways, and driveways.
If you sustained injuries in a rideshare accident that occurred in one of these locations, our legal team can promptly obtain a copy of the police report for your accident and thoroughly investigate your accident circumstances. We can then file a claim with the appropriate insurance company on your behalf and begin negotiating for the fair settlement compensation you need.
Common Types of Rideshare Accidents in Columbia
Rideshare accidents in Columbia can occur for a variety of reasons, but they typically happen when a rideshare vehicle operator or some other driver is careless or negligent under the circumstances.
In some cases, these accidents happen when drivers willfully violate speed limits, right-of-way laws, and other standard traffic regulations. They may also occur when drivers fail to use their mirrors or when they exhibit road rage and reckless driving maneuvers.
Common types of reckless driving maneuvers that can lead to a rideshare accident include tailgating other vehicles or passing other cars at inappropriate times in an attempt to get ahead of slower-moving traffic.
Rideshare drivers sometimes exhibit these reckless driving maneuvers so that they can pick up additional fares as quickly as possible.
Another common cause of rideshare accidents is distracted or inattentive driving. For example, a distracted driver may look at their cellular phone or tablet while driving, apply make-up, comb their hair, eat or drink, send a text message, program a GPS device, or roughhouse with vehicle passengers while trying to drive at the same time.
When a driver takes their eyes off the road or loses their mental focus, they frequently have trouble operating their vehicle in a careful and safe manner. As a result, they may bring about a rideshare accident, which leads to debilitating injuries for passengers in these ridesharing vehicles.
Finally, a rideshare accident may occur when a driver operates their vehicle while they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In some cases, it is the rideshare vehicle driver who is under the influence, while at other times, an intoxicated third-party driver negligently causes their vehicle to collide with a rideshare vehicle.
When a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they may experience limited concentration, delayed reaction time and reflexes, poor judgment, and blurred vision.
As a result, they may have trouble seeing other vehicles or judging distances between cars. Sometimes, they may also have difficulty stopping their vehicles in time to avoid a collision.
Negligent rideshare operators and other drivers can cause collisions, including:
- T-bone or broadside accidents, where a vehicle strikes the side panel of another car, resembling the shape of a letter T
- Tailgate or rear-end accidents, where one vehicle hits the back of another car, usually from following the other vehicle too closely or failing to watch the road attentively
- Head-on collisions, where the front of one vehicle strikes the front of another car while proceeding in opposite directions
- Sideswipe accidents, where two vehicles that are traveling in the same direction strike one another on the side
If you sustained injuries in one of these accidents that resulted from driver negligence, our legal team can begin gathering the documents necessary to file your car accident claim.
We can then handle all settlement negotiations with insurance company representatives on your behalf or litigate your case to a resolution in court.
Common Rideshare Accident Injuries that Victims May Suffer
Victims of ridesharing accidents frequently suffer debilitating injuries that may leave them incapacitated for a long time.
Some of the most common injuries that rideshare accident victims may sustain include:
- Traumatic head and brain damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Internal organ damage
- Bruises
- Open lacerations
- Soft tissue neck and back injuries
- Rib fractures
- Broken bones
- Eye injuries and vision impairment
- Mouth, jaw, and teeth injuries
- Death
Our experienced team can take care of the legal components of your case while you focus on attending medical appointments and making a full medical recovery from your accident-related injuries.
Aggressively Fighting the Insurance Company after a Rideshare Accident in Columbia
Depending upon the circumstances of your rideshare accident, we may be dealing with the insurance company for an at-fault driver or with a corporate insurer, such as the insurance company for Uber or Lyft.
During settlement negotiations with insurance company representatives, we can protect your legal rights and interests and fight for the monetary compensation you truly deserve.
Specifically, we can point out various expert reports, along with favorable medical records from treating medical providers. We can also threaten the insurance company with litigation if the handling adjuster refuses to compensate you fairly for your accident-related losses.
Essential Steps to Take After Suffering Injuries in a Rideshare Accident
Following a rideshare accident, there are several steps that you can take to safeguard your right to receive a favorable monetary recovery.
First, follow through with your medical treatment regimen, including attending all medical follow-up appointments, consulting with recommended medical specialists, undergoing prescribed medical procedures, and attending physical or occupational therapy sessions, depending upon the nature and extent of your injuries.
By following through with all of your medical treatment, you show the insurance company that your injuries are serious, that you took your medical treatment seriously, and that you deserve to receive favorable financial compensation.
Additionally, you should gather and retain all essential documents related to your rideshare accident, including written statements from eyewitnesses, medical bills, medical treatment records, photographs of your injuries, pictures of property damage, lost income documentation, and police investigation reports.
Once you retain us to handle the legal aspects of your case, you should forward us that documentation. We can then gather additional documents in support of your rideshare accident claim and submit those documents to the insurance company on your behalf.
Speak with an Experienced Columbia Rideshare Accident Attorney Right Away About Your Legal Matter
If you recently sustained injuries in a rideshare accident, time is of the essence. The skilled legal team at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers can handle the necessary components of your case, putting you in a position to recover the favorable monetary damages you need through settlement or litigation.
An accident victim going through financial hardship may think they can't afford a lawyer. Thankfully, personal injury law firms usually operate on a contingency basis. What this means is that the law firm will collect their fee from the financial award their client gets, so clients typically don't have any out-of-pocket costs when it comes to hiring a lawyer in personal injury cases.
For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a knowledgeable and compassionate Columbia personal injury attorney, please call us at (803) 500-3454 or contact us online for more information.
