Vancouver Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyers
Fighting for rideshare representation in WA & OR
Uber and Lyft drivers have the most valuable cargo in their car – you. Rideshare drivers need to be very careful when picking up passengers, driving passengers to their destination, and helping passengers exit their vehicles safely. At Philbrook Law Office, PS, our Vancouver Uber & Lyft accident lawyers understand the unique liability and insurance issues that apply to rideshare drivers and parent companies. We’re skilled at showing Uber & Lyft drivers drove while distracted, drove while tired, violated local traffic laws, or were negligent in other ways. We have a strong record of insurance settlements and jury verdicts.
How do our Vancouver Uber & Lyft lawyers help?
- How do your lawyers hold Uber & Lyft drivers accountable?
- What types of rideshare accidents do your Vancouver lawyers handle?
- Why do Uber & Lyft accidents happen in Vancouver, WA?
- What injuries do Vancouver rideshare accidents cause?
- Who is responsible for an Uber or Lyft accident in Vancouver, WA?
- Which insurance company pays for my damages?
- What steps should I take after an Uber or Lyft accident?
- Do you have a Vancouver Uber & Lyft lawyer near me?
How do your lawyers hold Uber & Lyft drivers accountable?
We work with the accident victims, the police, investigators, and through the formal discovery process to show whether the Uber/Lyft driver was on duty, had a passenger in their car, was en route to pick up a passenger, or was picking up or discharging a passenger. We’re skilled at showing how the car accident happened and determining who is responsible.
We explain to insurance adjusters and juries that rideshare operators are commercial drivers – they’re transporting passengers for a fee. For this reason, Uber & Lyft drivers need to be especially careful. We understand which liability insurance should pay your damages. Our Vancouver Uber & Lyft accident lawyers work with your doctors and our own medical team to identify your injuries, explain what medical care you need, show just how devastating your injuries are to every phase of your life, and document the cost of your medical care.
Our lawyers file wrongful death claims if your loved one died due to an Uber or Lyft accident in Vancouver or Battle Ground.
What types of rideshare accidents do your Vancouver lawyers handle?
At Philbrook Law Office, our Vancouver Uber & Lyft accident lawyers represent passengers, pedestrians, and other car accident victims in all kinds of rideshare accidents including:
- Head-on accidents
- Rear-end accidents
- Broadside accidents
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Passengers who slip and fall while getting into or out of a car
- Other types of accidents to passengers as they enter, get out of, or ride in an Uber or Lyft – including sexual and physical assaults
Why do Uber & Lyft accidents happen in Vancouver, WA?
Many of the reasons Uber & Lyft car accidents happen are the same reasons any type of car accident happens. These reasons include distracted driving, driver intoxication, speeding, traffic regulations, and driving too fast for weather conditions.
Some of the reasons rideshare accidents happen more often or for different reasons than car accidents include:
- Reliance on technology. Drivers who text while driving, use their cell phones while driving, or use the Internet while driving are dangerous because they are not looking at the road. Uber & Lyft drivers are often on the lookout (through their technology) for new passengers even when they have a passenger in their vehicle.
- Looking at a GPS. Many Uber & Lyft drivers don’t know all the roads that run through Vancouver other than a few main highways. Drivers who look at their GPS instead of listening to it aren’t focused on the road or ready to respond to traffic emergency situations.
- Driving while tired. Many rideshare drivers spend too much time on the road without getting enough rest. More time on the road may mean more fares but more time on the road also increases the odds a driver will become tired. Uber & Lyft drivers need to take regular breaks and get off the road entirely if they’re fatigued.
Uber and Lyft drivers should never drive while intoxicated. They must comply with all state and local traffic regulations.
What injuries do Vancouver rideshare accidents cause?
At Philbrook Law Office, our Vancouver Uber & Lyft accident lawyers are seasoned personal injury lawyers. We handle all types of serious car accident injuries including:
- Traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and head trauma
- Traumatic amputation/loss of limb
- Paralysis and other types of spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones/fractures
- Burn injuries
- Lung, kidney, and other types of organ damage
- Neck, shoulder, and back injuries
- Nerve, ligament, tissue, and tendon damage
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Sexual assault
- Hearing or vision loss
- Other serious injuries
Who is responsible for an Uber or Lyft accident in Vancouver, WA?
Our Vancouver Uber & Lyft lawyers file insurance claims and personal injury lawsuits against all responsible parties including:
- An Uber or Lyft driver
- Another driver
- The manufacturer of any defective auto parts that caused the accident or failed to protect a victim
- Any vendors of alcohol to someone who was visibly intoxicated or a minor
- The Washington Department of Transportation or other state agencies/entities
We also file direct claims or insurance claims against Uber or Lyft directly.
Sexual assault claims
If a passenger is sexually assaulted, we file civil complaints against a driver who commits assault and coordinate your claim with the local prosecutors. We may file a claim against Uber or Lyft if they were aware their driver had a record of sexual assault complaints or convictions – and failed to monitor or discharge the driver.
We help sexual assault victims hold wrongdoers accountable. We also help sexual assault victims obtain psychological help from experienced rape counselors and psychologists. We seek damages for their emotional trauma in addition to their medical bills for their physical injuries, lost income, and physical pain and suffering.
Which insurance company pays for my damages?
Our Vancouver Uber & Lyft accident lawyers understand the complex issues involved with liability insurance for rideshare accidents in Washington. Which insurance company pays your damages when drivers are negligent is based on your rider status.
- The driver is not on duty. Uber & Lyft operators must have the minimum liability insurance coverage that all drivers in the state must have, in the event they get into an accident with another driver (or passenger in that driver’s car), a pedestrian, or a bicycle rider while they are not on duty. In Washington, the minimum insurance coverage requirements are:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or the death of one person in any one accident
- $50,000 for bodily injury or the death of two or more people in any one accident.
- $10,000 for property damage in any one accident.
- The Uber or Lyft driver has a passenger in their vehicle. Washington law requires that in this scenario, Uber & Lyft must provide at least $1 million in liability coverage and uninsured/underinsured (UM/UM) coverage while a passenger is in the vehicle.
- The driver is logged in and looking for a passenger but hasn’t agreed to drive a passenger. Washington law requires that Uber and Lyft provide their drivers with liability insurance coverage in the amount of at least $50,000 per person per accident and $100,000 for two or more people per accident for bodily injury. Uber and Lyft must also provide $30,000 in property damage liability coverage.
Our Vancouver Uber & Lyft accident lawyers are skilled at showing a driver was logged in or had a passenger in their vehicle. We understand the insurance laws and the other laws that regulate obtaining authority to become an Uber or Lyft driver and all other applicable regulations.
Car accident victims may also be able to obtain personal injury protection through their own PIP policy.
What steps should I take after an Uber or Lyft accident?
It is important to confirm that you were a passenger or had booked a ride with the Uber or Lyft driver. Your rider status determines which insurance carrier pays for any damages due to the negligence of the rideshare driver. You should keep any electronic records that confirm the ride and write down the information about the date and time of the ride and all other information that confirms the ride and identifies the driver.
Do you have an Uber & Lyft accident lawyer near me?
Philbrook Law Office meets clients at our offices located in:
- Vancouver, WA. 300 W. 39th Street
- Battle Ground, WA. 105 N Parkway Ave. Ste 104
- Portland, OR. 107 SE Washington St.
Our rideshare lawyers serve clients in the greater Portland area and throughout Washington and Oregon.
If you are too injured or ill to come to either office, we will meet you in the hospital, another medical facility, or your home. Our personal injury lawyers also offer virtual conferences and telephone consultations.
Get help now. Contact our Vancouver rideshare accident lawyers today.
Uber & Lyft drivers need to drive carefully and have the correct liability insurance. Uber and Lyft are generally responsible for the negligence of their on-duty drivers. Philbrook Law Office has the experience and resources to show how your car accident happened and why the driver and rideshare company should both be held accountable. To assert your right to compensation, please call our Vancouver, WA Uber and Lyft drivers today. You can schedule an appointment by calling us or filling out our contact form.
Our car accident lawyers also represent accident victims in the greater Portland area and throughout Oregon. Personal injury consultations are free. We handle your claim on a contingency fee basis.