Miami Ride Share Accident Lawyer
For the victims of car accidents with rideshare companies, it is important to follow some critical steps to make sure your rights are protected. First and foremost, you should make sure to receive medical attention after any kind of accident. Even if your injuries are not immediately apparent, remember that some conditions like concussion, whiplash, or internal bleeding take time to show.
The next thing you should do after an accident is speak with a Miami rideshare accident lawyer. The attorneys at Gerson & Schwartz, PA have decades of experience helping victims. While car accidents with rideshare companies might be a relatively new type of accident, our attorneys are well-versed in the unique considerations involved. We will fight for your rights to compensation. To schedule a free consultation with our lawyers, contact our legal team toll free at (877) 475-2905 or email us at info@gslawusa.com.
How Miami Rideshare Accidents OccurCar accidents with rideshare vehicles have resulted in an increase in 2% to 3% in motor vehicle accident deaths throughout the country. Some of the most common causes of rideshare accidents include the following:
- Speeding. To get to destinations quickly and receive the best possible review, rideshare drivers are known to speed. Because speeding detracts from a driver’s ability to respond to conditions on the road, speeding greatly increases the odds that car accidents with rideshare vehicles will occur.
- Distracted driving. When rideshare drivers are busy navigating smartphone apps or dealing with other devices in the vehicle, distracted driving car accidents are a common result.
- Drunk driving. Many rideshare vehicles operate at night and on weekends when many people are known to drink. When rideshare drivers combine the operation of a vehicle with alcohol or drugs, the chances of car accidents with rideshare vehicles dramatically increases because these substances detract from a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle.
No matter how your Miami rideshare car accident occurred, the best rideshare car accident lawyer to help you obtain financial compensation that you deserve for your resulting injuries.
Florida Rideshare LawsAn Uber/Lyft bill was signed by Florida’s governor in 2017 and designates rideshare companies as Transportation Network Companies. As a result, some complex factors come into play when car accidents with rideshare vehicles occur. Consider the following important issues which will likely be raised.
- Rideshare companies are not common carriers. Under Florida law, rideshare companies are not classified as common carriers assuming they comply with the transportation network statute in Florida. Assuming certain criteria are met rideshare companies may avoid vicarious liability. The term “common carrier” refer to businesses that transport people between places for a fee. As a result, Florida rideshare companies that operate claim they are only transportation network providers and thus are not subject to the same liability that common carriers others when a car accident with rideshare in Miami Dade County, Florida vehicle occurs.
- Rideshare Companies classify their drivers are independent contractors. Rideshare companies argue that their drivers of rideshare vehicles in Florida are not their employees. Instead, drivers are classified as independent contractors. This means that following a ride share car crash in Miami and other types of car accidents that liability protects the rideshare companies themselves from paying victims compensation for damages. However, Florida law still requires rideshare companies to maintain car accident liability insurance for their drivers and passengers. Under Florida law, injury and wrongful death victims in a rideshare car crash in Miami are also provided with insurance benefits that are not typically required.
- Florida Rideshare drivers and rideshare companies carry special insurance. Injury car accident victims of car accidents have a right to pursue financial compensation. While all drivers in Florida must purchase a minimum level of car insurance, Florida rideshare companies are subject to additional coverage. Rideshare drivers who are logged into the company’s app, but not currently transporting passengers must carry minimum insurance of $10,000 personal injury protection, $50,000 death and bodily injury insurance per person, $100,000 death and bodily injury per incident insurance, and $250,000 property damage liability per incident. Drivers who are providing a ride must carry coverage of at least $1 million for death, bodily injury, and property damage. Florida rideshare companies are also required to carry an insurance policy of at least $1 million per incident. As a result, for people injured in car accidents with rideshare vehicles, it is important that they pursue every possible angle to obtain the compensation that they deserve.
Regardless of whether it was Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare company, after a car accident with rideshare vehicle, you should not be forced to pay for your medical bills and other resulting debts. Instead, contact a Miami personal injury lawyer at Gerson & Schwartz, PA to fight for the results you deserve. Consultations are free and there are no up front costs. So don’t delay and contact us at (877) 475-2905.