Were you recently injured in an accident involving an Uber driver in Dundalk, MD? Accidents involving rideshare companies also involve complex insurance issues. An experienced Dundalk Uber accident lawyer can help you fight to recover the money you deserve. At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, our team is prepared to help you seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Collectively, our attorneys have over 100 years of experience in personal injury laws. We’ve recovered tens of millions of dollars by standing up for injured clients like you.
Rideshare services are convenient, but can’t eliminate the risk of accidents. If you were injured, contact our law offices in Dundalk, Maryland, or call (410) 970-3080 to schedule a free consultation today.
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How Can WGK Personal Injury Lawyers Help After an Uber Accident in Dundalk?
The insurance claims process can be frustrating under the best of circumstances. Rideshare accident cases are even more complicated. It’s rarely as simple as filing a claim and getting the money you need.
Our experienced Dundalk personal injury attorneys are prepared to handle the legal issues. Our firm consists of three generations of Baltimore-area personal injury lawyers. We’ve been standing up to insurance companies since we founded our law firm in 1977.
While you focus on healing, count on us to:
- Independently investigate to determine the cause of the crash
- Compile evidence to build your case
- Bring in specialists who can testify about contested issues
- Assess the value of your personal injury case
- Fiercely defend you when the insurance company blames you
- Negotiate with Uber’s insurance company and their defense lawyers
- Take your case to trial if the insurer refuses a fair settlement
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers should be your first call if you want an experienced Dundalk personal injury lawyer in your corner. We’re always available to discuss your case, so don’t hesitate to reach out for legal advice.
How Common Are Rideshare Accidents?
The government doesn’t keep track of rideshare accidents–so it’s tough to know exactly how common they are. When rideshare drivers are involved in accidents, the accident is classified according to the type of vehicle involved.
However, in 2018, the University of Chicago conducted a study on rideshare accidents. The team used National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) data and found that Uber and Lyft were making U.S. city streets more dangerous.
The study found that the presence of rideshare services has caused an increase in traffic deaths. Since 2011, traffic fatalities have increased by between two percent and three percent.
What Is My Dundalk Uber Accident Case Worth?
The value of a personal injury case usually depends on the severity of the victim’s injuries.
Specific factors that influence a case value include:
- The cost of the victim’s medical treatment
- Lost wages and income during recovery
- Whether the victim’s future earnings will suffer
- Whether the victim will suffer a permanent or long-term disability
- Intangible factors, including physical pain and emotional trauma
Regardless of these factors, the amount the victim actually recovers can depend heavily on the amount of insurance coverage that’s available. When an at-fault driver doesn’t have significant assets, the victim is often limited to whatever they can recover from insurance.
In the past, victims had a hard time with Uber accident claims. Uber drivers carry auto insurance, of course. However, personal car insurance isn’t available while the driver is using the vehicle to make money. Insurance companies had valid reasons to deny injury claims involving Uber drivers.
Uber and Lyft may have deep pockets–but their drivers are classified as independent contractors. That means you can’t sue the rideshare company like you’d sue a negligent driver’s employer.
Fortunately, the laws have changed. Uber and Lyft now must purchase commercial insurance coverage to cover damages in rideshare accident cases.
Uber Insurance Requirements in Maryland
Uber carries insurance to protect accident victims. Two separate policies may be available, depending on the Uber driver’s status at the time of the crash.
If the Uber driver was logged into the app, but had not accepted a passenger’s request when the accident happened, the following coverage could be available:
- $50,000 in bodily injury per person
- $100,000 in bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 in property damage per accident
Note that this coverage only applies if the Uber driver’s personal policy does not.
As soon as the Uber driver accepts a passenger’s request, a $1 million liability policy becomes available. Uber’s insurance will also provide uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage and contingent collision coverage.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Uber Accident Victims in Maryland?
Maryland personal injury laws allow victims to recover compensation to cover all of the economic damages and non-economic damages associated with an accident. Your settlement or verdict should also include compensation for anticipated future costs.
Your award may include compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
Our lawyers will also evaluate the facts to determine whether you qualify for punitive damages. While rare, punitive damages may be available in cases where the defendant’s acts were malicious, or intentional or amount to gross negligence.
What Happens to My Compensation if I’m Blamed for Causing an Uber Accident in Maryland?
You lose your right to compensation entirely if the insurance company can prove you were partly responsible.
Like other states, liability is divided between all parties who share blame for an accident. Under Maryland’s contributory negligence system, however, you can’t recover damages if you were even 1% to blame.
It’s critical to defend yourself if you’re being blamed for a crash. Insurance companies don’t always have strong evidence to back up their allegations. Our lawyers can help you fight back and protect your right to fair compensation after an accident.
Our Lawyers in Dundalk Are Ready To Fight for the Fair Compensation You Deserve
Any auto accident can cause serious injuries. Rideshare accidents are no different.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we can help with Uber accident cases where the victim has suffered:
- Broken bones
- Facial injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Nerve injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
If you or a family member were injured in a crash, you deserve quality legal representation. Our car accident attorneys are ready to start building your case today. You don’t have to wait until you’ve fully recovered from your injuries. Just call our law firm for a free case evaluation today.
What Causes Most Uber Accidents in Dundalk, Maryland?
Uber drivers are ordinary people who use their vehicles to make extra cash. They don’t have special driver’s licenses, and they don’t need any special training. Accidents involving Uber happen for the same reasons any other car crash happens.
That said, Uber drivers often spend more time behind the wheel. They may be tired or in a hurry. That can make Uber accidents even more likely to occur.
Specifically, some of the most common causes of Uber accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Stopping in unsafe locations
- Aggressive driving
- Passing too closely
- Dangerous left-hand turns
- Illegal U-turns
- Ignoring traffic violations
- Racing through intersections
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving or drug use
- Vehicle defects
- Failure to maintain the rideshare vehicle
After a crash, Uber’s insurance company will work hard to avoid paying a fair settlement. Their policy limits are higher than most personal insurance policies. Higher stakes almost always mean a bigger fight.
You can count on our Dundalk Uber accident attorneys to stand up for what’s fair. Contact us today to learn more about your legal rights and options after a crash.
What Do I Have To Prove To Recover Compensation for My Uber Accident Injuries in Maryland?
Uber accidents are typically based on negligence.
Like any other personal injury victim, you’ll have to establish:
- The defendant’s legal duty of care
- Some breach of duty
- A direct causal link between the breach and the accident
- The damages you suffered
In Uber accident cases, you’ll also need evidence about the driver’s status at the time of the crash. While that’s simple if you were an Uber passenger, in other cases, our personal injury attorneys in Dundalk will subpoena data from the Uber app to determine which policy is available.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After an Uber Accident in Maryland?
You have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. After three years pass, you cannot sue the at-fault driver for damages.
There are rare exceptions to this statute of limitations deadline, so you may have a different amount of time to file in your case. Call our law offices as soon as possible to preserve your rights.
Call an Experienced Dundalk Uber Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation Today
Do you have questions about your legal options after an Uber accident? Our team at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers can handle every aspect of your case. Call today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Dundalk Uber accident lawyer.
