Uber and Lyft have changed how people get around Tampa, Florida, but rideshare crashes can create insurance issues that do not arise in ordinary car accident claims. The coverage available may depend on what the rideshare driver was doing when the collision happened.
A Tampa rideshare accident lawyer can investigate the crash, determine which insurance policies apply, and pursue compensation from the responsible parties. Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers represents people injured in rideshare and other motor vehicle accidents throughout the Tampa Bay area. Call (813) 222-8545 today for a free consultation.
Why Choose Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers for a Rideshare Accident Case in Tampa, FL?
Rideshare accident claims can involve a driver, a rideshare company’s insurance policy, other motorists, and several insurance carriers. Sorting out those relationships can become difficult when each insurer disputes fault or argues that another policy should pay.
Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers brings extensive personal injury experience to these cases.
Clients who choose our Tampa personal injury lawyers benefit from:
- Over 120 years of combined experience
- More than $1 billion recovered for clients
- A practice focused on personal injury law
- Experience representing people injured in rideshare and motor vehicle accidents
Our firm can investigate the collision, identify available coverage, document the client’s damages, and handle negotiations with the insurance companies involved. Reach out today for a free consultation with a Tampa car accident attorney.
How Do Rideshare Accidents Happen?
Uber and Lyft drivers spend significant time navigating traffic, checking routes, picking up passengers, and locating drop-off points. A careless decision behind the wheel can cause a collision with another vehicle, cyclist, pedestrian, or motorcyclist.
Common causes of rideshare accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failure to yield
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Following another vehicle too closely
- Driver fatigue
- Impaired driving
Another motorist may also cause a crash involving a rideshare vehicle. The rideshare driver is not automatically responsible simply because an Uber or Lyft was involved.
Evidence from the scene can help determine whose actions caused the collision.
Who Can File a Claim After a Rideshare Accident?
Rideshare accidents can injure more than the people inside an Uber or Lyft vehicle. Anyone harmed because of another party’s negligence may have a potential claim.
People who may pursue compensation include:
- Rideshare passengers
- Drivers and passengers in other vehicles
- Pedestrians
- Bicyclists
- Motorcyclists
- Rideshare drivers injured by another motorist
The type of claim and available insurance coverage depend on how the accident happened and the injured person’s role in the collision.
How Does Rideshare Insurance Work in Florida?
Florida regulates transportation network companies, including rideshare services, under Florida Statutes Section 627.748. The law requires different levels of insurance depending on the driver’s status when an accident occurs.
When a driver is logged into the rideshare app but has not accepted a ride, Florida requires liability coverage of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, along with $25,000 for property damage.
Higher coverage applies after the driver accepts a ride request and while a passenger is being transported. During that period, the required primary automobile liability coverage is at least $1 million for death, bodily injury, and property damage.
The driver’s status at the moment of the crash can therefore have a major effect on which policy applies.
What Evidence Can Help Prove a Rideshare Accident Claim?
A rideshare accident investigation may involve evidence that does not exist in an ordinary collision. App records can help establish whether the driver was waiting for a request, traveling to pick up a passenger, or completing an active ride.
Useful evidence may include:
- Police reports
- Photos and videos from the scene
- Witness statements
- Uber or Lyft trip records
- Rideshare app data
- Vehicle damage
- Traffic or surveillance camera footage
- Medical records
- Cell phone records when distraction is suspected
Preserving this evidence early can be important. Some electronic records and video footage may become harder to obtain as time passes.
What Compensation May Be Available After a Rideshare Crash?
A serious rideshare accident can create medical expenses, missed work, and long-term physical problems. An injured person may seek compensation for losses caused by the crash.
Depending on the circumstances, damages may include:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Physical pain
- Mental suffering
- Disability or impairment
The amount available depends on the injuries, evidence of fault, available insurance coverage, and the long-term effects of the accident.
How Does Florida’s Comparative Fault Law Affect a Claim?
More than one person can share responsibility for a traffic accident. Florida uses a modified comparative fault system under Florida Statutes Section 768.81.
A person’s compensation can be reduced according to their percentage of fault. In negligence actions covered by the statute, a person found more than 50% responsible for their own harm generally cannot recover damages.
For example, an insurer may argue that another driver was speeding or failed to react in time even if the rideshare driver also contributed to the crash. Evidence from the accident can help determine how responsibility should be divided.
How Long Do You Have to File a Rideshare Accident Lawsuit?
Florida generally provides a two-year deadline for negligence actions arising after the state’s 2023 changes to its statute of limitations.
Waiting can create problems even before the deadline expires. Witnesses may become harder to locate, video can be deleted, and electronic rideshare records may become more difficult to obtain.
Some cases can involve different rules or deadlines, so the filing period should be reviewed based on the facts of the accident.
Contact a Tampa Rideshare Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Rideshare accident claims can become complicated because insurance coverage may change depending on whether the Uber or Lyft driver was waiting for a request, heading to a passenger, or completing a trip. Determining the driver’s status and preserving electronic records can be an important part of the investigation.
A Tampa rideshare accident attorney at Catania & Catania Injury Lawyers can investigate the collision, identify available insurance coverage, and pursue compensation from the responsible parties. Contact us today to discuss your legal options after an Uber or Lyft accident in Tampa.
