If you get injured in a rideshare accident in Denver, Colorado, you may need assistance and legal representation from a car accident attorney to recover financially. Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft are known for avoiding liability for accidents involving their drivers. A specialized Denver personal injury lawyer at Manning Law can help you file a claim and negotiate for the financial compensation that you need for your injuries and property damage.
Contact our Denver Uber and Lyft accident lawyer for more information about a case. Request a free consultation today at (720) 515-3191.
Hiring a rideshare accident attorney to represent you can balance the scales between you and an insurance provider during settlement negotiations. Automobile insurance companies have one goal: to protect their profits. They often use tactics such as devaluing claims and underestimating the severity of a victim’s injuries to save money on payouts. An attorney can take over settlement negotiations for you to fight for the results that you deserve.
A Denver rideshare accident lawyer from Manning Law will start by investigating your accident. We can return to the scene of the crash, obtain a copy of the police report, speak to witnesses and take many other steps to determine the cause of your crash. Our lawyers will collect evidence and can hire experts to strengthen your case. We will make sure you get the medical care that you need to aid in your recovery. Then, we will seek maximum financial compensation for your losses, even if this means taking your case to court.
If you get involved in an accident as an Uber or Lyft passenger or a rideshare vehicle crashes into you while driving in Denver, there are steps that you need to take right away to protect your legal rights.
Here’s what to do after a rideshare accident:
Before accepting a settlement from an insurance corporation or rideshare company, consult with a Denver car accident lawyer from Manning Law. We can ensure that you are treated fairly throughout the claims process.
Automobile accidents in Colorado send thousands of victims to hospitals and emergency departments each year. According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, 691 victims lost their lives in car accidents in Colorado in 2021. This was a seven-year high for traffic accident fatalities in the state. An additional 3,387 people were seriously injured in automobile accidents.
Common injuries caused by rideshare accidents include:
Not all injuries are immediately noticeable. Many have delayed or hidden symptoms. This is why it is crucial to get medical care immediately after a rideshare accident. Prompt injury diagnosis and treatment can protect you physically as well as financially, as an insurance company will check to see how long you waited before going to a hospital.
Colorado is a fault-based car insurance state. Under this rule, injured car accident victims must prove that someone else is at fault to recover financial compensation from that person’s auto insurance company. In a no-fault state, on the other hand, a victim would seek benefits from his or her own insurance provider, regardless of who is at fault for the accident.
Common causes of rideshare accidents in Denver include:
When you file an insurance claim for an Uber or Lyft accident, the insurance company will assign a claims adjuster to investigate the crash and determine causation. You can protect yourself by hiring an attorney to conduct an investigation on your behalf. Understanding who or what caused your crash is the first step toward obtaining financial compensation.
In Colorado, the person found at fault for the car accident is responsible for paying for the injured party’s medical expenses, property damage and other losses. If the Uber or Lyft driver is to blame for the accident, his or her status at the time of the crash will need to be determined. If the driver was logged into the app, the rideshare company will most likely offer insurance to cover the injured person’s damages.
If the rideshare driver was not logged into the app, however, his or her personal automobile insurance policy will pay for the crash. Every driver in Colorado is required to carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability insurance, as well as $15,000 in property damage insurance. If the other driver’s personal insurance policy is not enough to pay for your losses as a victim, your own car insurance company may offer supplemental benefits.
In some cases, a third party could be allocated responsibility for an Uber or Lyft car accident. For example, if an auto part defect contributed to the crash, the manufacturer or distributor of the faulty part could be held responsible with a product liability claim. If you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft vehicle and another driver crashed into you, that driver’s car insurance may be required to pay. Discuss liability for your rideshare crash in Denver with an attorney at Manning Law to understand your recovery options.
Both top rideshare companies, Uber and Lyft, determine how much their insurance will pay for a crash based on a three-phase system. The phase or period of your ride will need to be determined to understand how much insurance coverage may be available from the rideshare company.
Here are the three ride phases, explained:
Special rules and exceptions are in place in certain countries and states. Learn more about Uber’s insurance coverage for injured passengers here and view Lyft’s insurance policy here. To discuss your specific case and recovery options in detail, contact an attorney at Manning Law.
A successful personal injury claim for a rideshare accident in Denver could lead to financial reimbursement for several of your economic and noneconomic losses. The amount of financial compensation or damages available will depend on the circumstances, including the severity of your injuries. Each case is unique; there is no such thing as an average settlement value. The most accurate way to gauge how much your rideshare accident claim could be worth is by consulting with an attorney.
The types of financial compensation that may be available through a personal injury lawsuit include:
At Manning Law, we realize that no amount of money may be enough to make up for the physical and emotional toll that a rideshare car accident has taken on you. However, we hope to help you move forward from an Uber or Lyft accident with less stress and greater peace of mind by collecting the financial compensation that you deserve. We are a team of aggressive litigators and trial attorneys who are prepared to go to court to advocate for your recovery, if necessary.
During conversations with the claims adjuster assigned to your case by an insurance company, do not admit fault for the rideshare accident. When asked to give a recorded statement about the crash or your injuries, politely decline and explain that you will be submitting a written statement later. Do not rush to accept the first settlement that is offered by the claims adjuster. Instead, negotiate the value of the settlement with assistance from an attorney to ensure a fair case outcome.
If you have been injured in a rideshare accident in Denver and wish to file a personal injury claim against one or more at-fault parties, you must take legal action within your statute of limitations. In Colorado, state law gives claimants no more than three years from the date of the accident to file an injury claim.
This deadline is nonnegotiable; if you wait longer than three years and attempt to file a rideshare accident case in Colorado, the courts will most likely refuse to award you compensation. In a case involving a delayed discovery of injuries, however, the clock may not start ticking until the date of discovery.
Three years may seem like a long time to file a claim, but the deadline can approach quickly. Prompt legal action is preferred for a stronger personal injury case, as important forms of evidence will still be available. Over time, for example, eyewitness accounts of the rideshare accident may become fuzzy and less accurate. Contact a Denver rideshare accident attorney at Manning Law as soon as possible after a rideshare accident to protect yourself.
Rideshare accidents in Denver, Colorado are almost always preventable. If an Uber or Lyft driver or another party was careless or reckless and this caused your accident, you may be able to recover financial compensation for your injuries. Tell your story and learn your legal options during a free case review with a Denver rideshare accident lawyer at Manning Law.
We care about our clients and offer experienced, compassionate legal representation to rideshare accident victims throughout Colorado. Find out how we can help you today. Contact our Denver attorneys online or request a free case consultation by calling (720) 515-3191.
