Rideshare Accident Attorneys in Tallahassee, FL Protecting Your Rights in Leon County, Wakulla County, Jefferson County, Gadsden County, and Throughout Florida
The increasing popularity of ride-share services like Uber and Lyft in Tallahassee and beyond has also given rise to serious accidents and complicated legal issues. Whether you were injured as a ride-share driver, passenger, occupant of another car, or pedestrian, you could be in for a challenging and frustrating legal battle to recover compensation for your injuries. The solution to these significant problems is hiring Tallahassee ride-share accident lawyers like Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. to guide you through this claim and recover the compensation you deserve.
Nothing should stand in the way of getting all the benefits and monetary damages you’re entitled to by law. Our firm makes it easy to retain qualified rideshare accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, to assist you with your case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
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850-605-3555The Complexities of Ride-Share Accident Injury Claims in Tallahassee, FL
Benefits and injury claims arising out of motor vehicle accidents in Florida are generally paid through auto insurance policies. In the case of ride-share accidents, making sense of insurance coverage is a particularly complicated task that requires the most up-to-date knowledge of the law.
The Impact of Florida’s No-Fault Law
First complicating matters is Florida’s no-fault auto insurance system. Under this system, all owners of four-wheeled vehicles in Florida must purchase auto insurance that includes personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Per the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, PIP generally covers 80% of the policyholder’s own medical expenses up to a limit of $10,000, regardless of who is at fault for the crash.
While PIP can, in some circumstances, cover injuries to a policyholder’s passengers or pedestrians struck by the vehicle, that isn’t always how insurance coverage works within this system. If you own a vehicle but are riding in someone else’s car, including a ride-share driver’s vehicle, your own PIP coverage may apply to your situation.
In cases that involve serious injuries, this PIP coverage may not be enough to cover your medical expenses. It’s possible even under Florida’s no-fault insurance system to pursue a claim or lawsuit for compensation against the person at fault for your crash, but you’re going to need the help of experienced Tallahassee ride-share accident lawyers like Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. to establish that your injuries are serious or permanent.
Sorting Out Liability for a Ride-Share Accident
If your injuries meet the criteria for being serious enough to file a claim with the negligent party’s insurance company or if you’re not covered by PIP insurance of your own, a new question emerges. Do you seek compensation from the driver of the ride-share vehicle, the ride-share company itself, or both? Answering this complicated question and moving forward with a claim often requires the experience of rideshare accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL.
Drivers for ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft aren’t legal employees of the company but rather independent contractors. While employers can generally be held responsible for accidents their employees cause while on the job, this matter gets more complicated when it concerns ride-share companies and the independent contractors who drive for them.
Under state law (Section 627.748 of Florida Statutes), either the driver, the ride-share company, or a combination must have insurance that applies when the driver is logged into the app and, more specifically, when the driver is providing a requested ride.
While a ride-share driver is logged into the app but not engaged in providing a prearranged ride, their insurer must provide at least $50,000 per person or $100,000 per incident in coverage for death and bodily injury, as well as $25,000 for property damage. During a ride arranged through the ride-share app, insurance coverage required by Florida state law must include at least $1 million of coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage. Both Uber and Lyft currently provide insurance coverage in accordance with this state law.
Why Hire Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A.
- Battle Tested Personal Injury Trial Attorneys
- Extensive Knowledge of Florida’s Personal Injury Laws
- Relentless Pursuit of Maximum Compensation
- Outstanding Reputation & Client Reviews
- A Proven Track Record of Successful Results
How Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. Can Help
Getting compensation for your serious injuries and related damages remains a complicated matter for many ride-share accident victims. Having knowledgeable rideshare accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, handling your claim can help you move forward with attaining the compensation you deserve and overcoming common obstacles.
The benefit of having a representative like Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. on your side is gaining the peace of mind that your legal counsel fully understands the nuances of the law and insurance system. Current Florida law establishes that auto insurance coverage through a ride-share app must not be dependent on the ride-share driver’s personal auto insurer first denying the claim. Further, if the ride-share driver’s insurance company does not provide the coverage required under state law, the ride-share company’s insurer is legally required to provide this coverage. With this knowledge, we can confront questionable insurance tactics and end the runaround that victims often experience when trying to get the compensation they’re entitled to.
How your case will play out depends on numerous factors, including your role in the accident and whether the ride-share driver was providing a requested ride at the time of the crash. Our Tallahassee ride-share accident lawyers assist all varieties of victims injured through another party’s negligence.
Representation for Injured Ride-Share Passengers
If you were the passenger of a ride-share vehicle at the time of the crash, the fact that the driver was in the process of providing a prearranged ride can help simplify matters to some degree. This situation also generally provides for a greater amount of insurance coverage available to compensate you. Our attorneys can help you navigate challenges like figuring out how the no-fault auto insurance system applies to your unique situation and beginning the claims process.
Help Pursuing Compensation for Drivers, Passengers, and Pedestrians Injured in Crashes With a Ride-Share Driver
If you were an occupant in another vehicle or a pedestrian injured in a collision with a ride-share driver, you may have more uncertainty involved in your claim. Whether the ride-share driver was logged into the app and engaged in providing a ride at the time of the crash affects the amount of insurance coverage that may be available. For this reason, your Tallahassee ride-share accident lawyers will conduct an investigation that, among other facts, establishes the ride-share driver’s status at the time of the collision.
Legal Assistance for Injured Ride-Share Drivers
Ride-share drivers, too, sustain significant injuries in collisions. Because they aren’t considered employees, they generally aren’t entitled to workers’ compensation benefits under Florida law. However, you’re still entitled to PIP coverage for at least a portion of your medical expenses and, if another driver is at fault, to compensation for other losses through a car accident claim.
The Tallahassee ride-share accident lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. are prepared to assist all victims injured in Uber and Lyft accidents.
Why Choose Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A.
Your search for experienced Tallahassee ride-share accident lawyers ends here. Clients across the state turn to Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. for legal guidance they can trust in complex personal injury claims like yours.
Extensive Experience Representing Ride-Share Accident Victims
Over our firm’s 35-year history, we have closely followed the evolution of ride-share services and the industry’s impact on Florida crash rates and motor vehicle accident law. With more than 100 years of collective experience, our team has handled over 10,000 cases, always putting our clients’ needs first.
A Commitment to Clients Throughout Florida
Our Tallahassee-based firm is dedicated to serving the legal needs of clients all over Florida. As graduates of the Florida State University College of Law, our attorneys have longstanding ties to the region and comprehensive knowledge of state law and court systems.
Recognition of What’s at Stake in Your Case
Your personal injury claim is your one chance to recover the compensation to make you financially whole. If you end up with less than you deserve, the result could be never having the chance to make the fullest possible recovery, physically and financially, from the harm you suffered because of the crash. Every move we make as your Tallahassee ride-share accident lawyers is guided by our acute awareness of how much is at stake and our focus on getting fair compensation for you.
Contact Tallahassee Ride-Share Accident Lawyers at Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. Today for a Free Case Evaluation
Free consultations and the availability of legal counsel at no upfront cost ensure that all ride-share accident victims can afford skilled representation for their claims.
For help from rideshare accident attorneys in Tallahassee, FL, contact Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney, & Hobbs P.A. online or call us today.