Uber is one of the most popular forms of common carriers. When an accident occurs involving an Uber driver, many people may be unsure of who could be held liable. The drivers of regular passenger cars are usually directly liable as owners of the vehicle if they caused a crash. But motor vehicle accidents involving Uber or Lyft are different from crashes involving private passenger vehicles because rideshare drivers are considered to be independent contractors and not employees of the company, because of that, the legal concepts involved in the cases are different from private passenger automobiles.
If you were injured in a collision involving an Uber vehicle, you should contact a car accident lawyer immediately. An experienced Dallas Uber accident lawyer can determine the cause of your crash and get you the compensation you need.
Are Rideshare Vehicles Common Carriers In Dallas?
Taxi, buses, and trains are considered common carriers generally under the law. This is an important classification when an accident occurs. Regular drivers have a duty of reasonable care to those on the roadway as well as their passengers, but a common carrier owes the highest duty of care to its passengers, and the law places this higher duty upon them because they are transporting passengers for money. People pay a fare for transportation, as such, the law places the highest duty of care on common carriers. Since Uber would be carrying passengers for money, then they would fall under a common carrier as well.
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How Does Uber’s Status As a Common Carrier Affect An Injury Claim?
The majority of ridesharing now is done by Uber. But if a person paid to be transported by a taxi, bus, Uber, or any other form of transportation, the employer of the driver is legally responsible for any accident which occurs. A driver for hire is considered an agent of the company under the law, not only is the driver legally liable if they cause an accident, their employer could be found liable as well.
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Recovering Compensation For Damages
If somebody hired an Uber driver, they need to make sure they have all the information they can obtain about the driver in the vehicle and get an Uber accident attorney immediately so an investigation can be put underway to determine the amount of insurance coverage that may be available.
When a lawyer takes on a case, they will go after all available policies. The insurance company for the ridesharing company is liable when carrying passengers. While driving for personal use, the driver’s own insurance covers the car, but if they indicate they are available for hire on the app, the insurance company for the ridesharing service takes over the legal responsibility.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages may be involved if there was gross negligence. A Dallas Uber accident lawyer is going to pursue all available damages. That is why it is important to reach out to an experienced attorney so the lawyer could protect their interest and get all available damages, including punitive damages if the facts allow.
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Retain The Services of a Dallas Uber Accident Attorney
Uber and other common carrier laws are changing rapidly in the country, particularly in our area, recent laws have mandated certain coverage amounts, such crucially important for somebody involved in an Uber crash or any other commercial carrier crash to contact an experienced Uber accident lawyer, fighting for their rights and protecting and determine what benefits they’re entitled to under the law.
It is important to call an experienced Uber accident lawyer as soon as possible. If a person is hit by someone driving for Uber or Lyft, they need to reach out to an attorney, because dealing with the insurance company for ridesharing services is simply not the same as handling an accident between two private passenger vehicles. You need someone who is familiar with the interplay of the insurance companies, and how the law governing these types of accidents plays out. Call today to get started on your claim.
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