Being in a collision involving an Uber or Lyft is a jarring and disorienting experience. One moment you are a passenger heading to a meeting downtown or home to Ballard, and the next you are dealing with the aftermath of a crash.
If you were injured in a collision, you now face medical appointments, vehicle repairs, and mounting stress. A Seattle rideshare accident lawyer helps people like you navigate the difficult road ahead.
Table of Contents
- What to Do After a Crash | A Seattle Rideshare Accident Lawyer's Perspective
- Common Causes of Rideshare Accidents in Seattle
- The Complexities of Rideshare Insurance
- The Role of a Seattle Rideshare Accident Lawyer in Your Case
- What Kind of Compensation Is Available?
- Why Choose Pendergast Law?
- Frequently Asked Questions About Rideshare Accidents
- Taking the Next Step Forward
What to Do After a Crash | A Seattle Rideshare Accident Lawyer's Perspective
You are home from the accident scene, and your mind is likely racing. While the immediate emergency is over, the actions you take in the following hours and days are vital to protecting your well-being and rights.
- Document Everything: Start a file or a dedicated notebook. Keep every piece of paper related to the accident. This includes medical bills, receipts for prescriptions, the police report number, and any correspondence from insurance adjusters.
- Track Your Symptoms: Keep a daily journal. Note your pain levels, any physical limitations, how the injuries affect your daily life (like being unable to walk your dog at Green Lake or carry groceries), and your emotional state. This record is a powerful account of your suffering.
- Preserve Evidence: Save the receipt for your Uber or Lyft ride, which is available in the app. Take pictures of your visible injuries as they heal. Do not repair your own vehicle, if it was involved, until an insurance adjuster has seen it.
It is also wise to be cautious about who you speak with. Insurance adjusters, even those from your own company, have a goal to minimize the amount they pay out.
Common Causes of Rideshare Accidents in Seattle
Rideshare drivers in Seattle face unique challenges. They navigate the city's notorious traffic, from the I-5 Ship Canal Bridge backups to the tight, hilly streets of Queen Anne.
Many drivers work long hours to make a living, which introduces factors that contribute to collisions. The pressure to accept rides quickly and complete trips efficiently often leads to unsafe driving habits.
While any car accident is possible, certain behaviors are more common in the rideshare industry.
- Distracted Driving: This is a leading cause of all accidents. For a rideshare driver, the distraction is built into the job. They are constantly interacting with the app on their phone to accept new rides, follow GPS navigation, and communicate with passengers. A moment looking at a screen is a moment not looking at the road.
- Driver Fatigue: Many rideshare drivers work long shifts or have other jobs, leading to exhaustion. A drowsy driver has slowed reaction times and impaired judgment, similar to someone driving under the influence of alcohol.
- Unfamiliarity with the Area: While GPS is helpful, a driver who does not know Seattle’s one-way streets or the busy intersections around Pike Place Market might make sudden, unpredictable maneuvers. This is especially true for drivers who are new to the city.
Other factors include speeding to complete more rides per hour, aggressive driving during peak traffic times, and failure to properly maintain their vehicle. Understanding the cause of your accident is a key part of determining who is at fault.
The Complexities of Rideshare Insurance
The most confusing part of a rideshare accident claim is the insurance. Uber and Lyft have large, multi-million-dollar insurance policies, but they do not always apply.
The coverage depends entirely on the driver's status at the exact moment of the crash. This is a critical distinction that insurance companies use to their advantage.
The situation is broken down into different periods, each with its own insurance implications.
- The Driver is Offline: If the rideshare driver was not logged into the app, they are considered private citizens. In this case, only their personal auto insurance policy would apply. These policies often have much lower limits than commercial ones.
- The Driver is Online and Waiting for a Ride Request (Period 1): The driver is logged in but has not accepted a ride yet. During this time, the rideshare company’s limited liability coverage may apply, but only if the driver's personal insurance denies the claim or is insufficient. Coverage amounts are lower in this phase.
- The Driver is On the Way to Pick Up a Passenger or is Transporting a Passenger (Periods 2 & 3): This is when the full rideshare company insurance policy is active. This includes up to $1 million in third-party liability coverage, as well as uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. If you were a passenger, your accident almost certainly falls into this category.
Insurance adjusters may try to argue about which period the driver was in to reduce their company's financial responsibility. A Seattle rideshare accident lawyer works to establish the facts and hold the correct insurer accountable for the full extent of the coverage you deserve.
The Role of a Seattle Rideshare Accident Lawyer in Your Case
After a rideshare crash, you might feel like you are up against a massive corporation. Uber and Lyft have teams of lawyers and insurance professionals dedicated to protecting their bottom line.
A personal injury lawyer works to level the playing field and advocates for your best interests. Their role is not just about filing paperwork. It involves a comprehensive approach to building your case and managing the entire legal process so you can focus on getting better.
From the moment you decide to seek legal assistance, your lawyer becomes your representative.
- Investigation: Your legal team will conduct a thorough investigation into the accident. This includes gathering the police report, interviewing witnesses, collecting photos and video from the scene (if available), and working with accident reconstructionists when necessary.
- Communication: A lawyer handles all communication with the insurance companies. You no longer have to deal with the calls, requests for statements, or settlement offers designed to be far less than what you need. This protects you from saying something that could be used against you.
- Valuation: They will accurately assess the full value of your claim. This goes beyond just adding up your current medical bills. It includes future medical costs, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, and the significant impact on your quality of life, known as pain and suffering.
Most importantly, a lawyer prepares every case as if it is going to trial. While many cases settle out of court, this preparation sends a strong message to the insurance company that you are serious about receiving fair compensation.
What Kind of Compensation Is Available?
When you are injured because of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to seek financial compensation for your losses. In legal terms, this compensation is called "damages."
The goal of damages is to make you whole again, at least from a financial standpoint, by covering the costs and impacts of the accident. Damages are typically separated into two main categories: economic and non-economic.
Each one covers different types of losses that result from your injuries.
- Economic Damages: These are the tangible, verifiable financial losses you have incurred. They have a clear dollar amount attached to them.
- Medical Expenses (past and future)
- Lost Wages
- Loss of Earning Capacity
- Property Damage
- Non-Economic Damages: These are more subjective losses. They compensate you for the ways the accident has affected your life beyond your bank account. Though they do not have a price tag, they are a very real and significant part of your suffering.
- Pain and Suffering
- Emotional Distress
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
- Disfigurement or Scarring
Calculating these damages accurately is a detailed process. It requires a full understanding of your medical condition, your prognosis for recovery, and how the injuries have fundamentally altered your daily existence.
A skilled Seattle rideshare accident lawyer ensures that both the obvious and the hidden costs of your accident are included in your claim.
Why Choose Pendergast Law?
At Pendergast Law, we bring a combination of experience, dedication, and genuine compassion to every case we handle. We live and work in the Seattle community, and we are committed to helping our neighbors get back on their feet.
Our approach is built on a foundation of trust and clear communication. We believe that you should always know what is happening with your case and feel confident in the direction it is headed.
- A History of Results: We have a long track record of successfully representing injured people throughout Washington. Our history speaks to our ability to handle complex cases and achieve favorable outcomes for our clients. We are not afraid to take on large insurance companies and fight for the compensation you deserve.
- A Client-Centered Focus: You are more than just a case file to us. We take the time to listen to your story, to learn how the accident has impacted your life, and to understand your goals. We provide personalized attention and are always available to answer your questions. Your well-being is our top priority.
- No Fees Unless We Win: We operate on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay us nothing unless and until we win a settlement or verdict for you. This approach removes the financial barrier to getting high-quality legal representation and ensures our goals are perfectly aligned with yours.
We are proud of the work we do for the people of Seattle and the surrounding areas. We understand the challenges you are facing, and we are here to provide the strong advocacy you need during this difficult time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rideshare Accidents
It is normal to have many questions after an unexpected and traumatic event like a rideshare accident. Here are answers to some of the questions we hear most often from people in your situation.
Should I talk to the rideshare company's insurance adjuster?
It is generally advisable to be cautious when speaking with any insurance adjuster, especially one representing the rideshare company. Their job is to protect their company's financial interests.
They may ask leading questions or try to get you to agree to a recorded statement that could hurt your claim later.
- You are not required to provide a recorded statement.
- You can politely decline to speak with them and refer them to your lawyer.
- Anything you say to an adjuster can be used to question the severity of your injuries or your version of events.
What if the driver who caused the accident was uninsured?
This is a scary situation, but you still have options. If you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, the company's Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage should apply. This coverage is specifically for situations where the at-fault driver either has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover your damages.
How long do I have to file a claim in Washington State?
In Washington, there is a time limit for filing a personal injury lawsuit, which is set by a law called the statute of limitations. For most personal injury cases, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit.
Do I have a case if I was partially at fault for the accident?
Washington State follows a "pure comparative fault" rule. This means you can still recover damages even if you were partially to blame for the accident. However, your total compensation award will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
Taking the Next Step Forward
The journey after a rideshare accident in Seattle is challenging, but you do not have to walk it by yourself. Taking action to protect your rights is a sign of strength.
Let our team at Pendergast Law shoulder that burden for you. We are ready to listen to your story and provide clear guidance on your options. We will handle the complexities of the legal process, from investigating the crash to fighting for the compensation you are owed.
You deserve an advocate who will stand by you every step of the way. Contact Pendergast Law today by calling (206) 620-0707 or by visiting our contact page. Let us help you move forward.