Philadelphia Rideshare Attorney

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have exploded in popularity since first appearing in major cities like Philadelphia in 2012. Ridester.com reports that Uber alone provides 14 million trips to customers worldwide every day. They boasted around 93 million active users every month in 2020.

Rideshare drivers are out there on Philadelphia’s roads, whether you use a rideshare service or not. As a result, there is a possibility that if you are involved in a wreck, the other driver may be driving for Uber or Lyft. Car crashes can be complicated, and the involvement of a rideshare driver [and insurer] can make unraveling them and getting compensation even more confusing.

A rideshare attorney from McEldrew Purtell can help you make sense of your rights and your path to compensation in this situation. Our rideshare injury attorneys are intimately familiar with the laws and rules that govern these accidents, allowing us to help you file an insurance claim and lawsuit quickly.

Why Rideshare Accidents Happen

Rideshare drivers should not be compared to professional taxi drivers or commercial drivers in terms of their training and experience. You do not need any special license to drive for Uber or Lyft. Instead, you only need to show that you are a licensed driver with the requisite years of driving experience and vehicle insurance.

This means that a rideshare accident can happen for many of the same reasons that other motor vehicle wrecks occur. These reasons include drivers who are:

  • Not following the rules of the road, including right-of-way laws
  • Speeding or driving recklessly, especially through intersections
  • Distracted by text messages or using an app
  • Impaired by alcohol, drugs, or some combination thereof
  • Using a vehicle with defective brakes or other equipment

There may be more than one cause and more than one negligent party responsible for your accident. The more people involved in your wreck, the more complicated sorting out liability can be. But even if you are hurt because your Uber or Lyft driver got into a single-car crash, hiring a rideshare lawyer can help you understand what led to your crash and what rights you have.

Who Pays After an Uber or Lyft Accident?

The question of who pays for your injuries following a rideshare accident is especially complex. Having an experienced Uber crash lawyer is highly recommended to help you navigate the complicated legal landscape and to help ensure you are able to access the maximum amount of compensation possible.

Some of the reasons why Uber or Lyft accidents in Philadelphia are so complicated include the following:

Pennsylvania Is a Modified Comparative Negligence State

First, Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence rule in motor vehicle accident cases. Generally, this means that you are entitled to compensation from another so long as you are less than 50 percent responsible for causing the wreck and your injuries. If you were also negligent and your negligence was the primary reason the accident occurred, you will not be able to recover any compensation from that other driver.

Passenger vs. Other Motorist Status

Furthermore, your rights to compensation will depend on whether you were injured while a passenger in a rideshare vehicle or whether you were a motorist hurt by an Uber or Lyft driver. In either case, you should seek assistance from a lawyer for Uber accident claims. Your rideshare injury lawyer can help you pursue compensation whether you are an injured motorist or an injured rideshare passenger. However, how you go about doing so will be different.

Pennsylvania’s No-Fault Insurance Laws

Pennsylvania’s auto insurance laws are unique because drivers can purchase no-fault insurance coverage. With no-fault coverage, you will file a claim with your insurance carrier and get paid on that claim, no matter who was at fault for causing your crash. However, your right to sue the at-fault driver is significantly limited with no-fault insurance. 

If you are a motorist injured by a rideshare driver driving in another vehicle, your Lyft injury lawyer will want to know if you have no-fault coverage. This will make a difference in your right to sue the rideshare driver.

Your type of auto coverage does not apply if you were hurt while riding as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft car or SUV.

Status of the Rideshare Driver

Last, your rideshare accident lawyer will look into whether the Uber or Lyft driver was active on the rideshare app and what their status was at the time of the wreck. Both Uber and Lyft have insurance policies that cover drivers, but only when they have accepted a fare and are on their way to pick up a customer or are actively transporting a customer.

Fault and Liability Are Complicated Questions in a Rideshare Injury Crash

With all of these variables that can affect your right to compensation, the need to have an experienced rideshare accident attorney to help you cannot be overstated. Do not leave your ability to recover compensation to luck or chance. Consult with a Lyft car accident attorney from McEldrew Purtell today.

Injuries Commonly Seen in Rideshare Accidents

As with other vehicle wrecks, an Uber or Lyft accident can leave you injured, sometimes severely. The severity of injuries you sustain will depend on many factors, including the following:

  • The speed of the vehicles involved
  • Whether you were wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash
  • Other safety features in the vehicle
  • The size of the vehicles involved relative to one another

Our rideshare accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for a variety of harm, including injuries such as:

  • Head, neck, and spinal cord injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
  • Broken bones
  • Cuts and burns
  • Loss of limb (amputation) injuries

In addition to compensation for your medical bills and expenses, you may also be entitled to recover compensation for lost wages, counseling and mental health services, pain and suffering, and the loss of enjoyment of life. Your rideshare injury attorney can describe in greater detail the exact compensation you could receive in your case.

Our Expertise

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Auto Accidents

At McEldrew Purtell, our experience in Pennsylvania auto accident litigation is extensive. We furiously fight for victims of car accidents.

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Bicycle Accidents

Bicycle accidents are commonly caused by distracted motorists. Riding your bicycle should be a matter of enjoyment – whether you're riding your bike for transportation or as a form of exercise.

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Drunk Driving Accidents

If you or someone you love has been injured due to an intoxicated driver, our attorneys will assess the potential for dram shop liability and evaluate other avenues for compensation for the resulting harm.

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Motorcycle Accidents

There are over 3,000 motorcycle crashes in Pennsylvania involving a motorcycle every year — 80 percent of all accidents result in death or injury.

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Pedestrian Injury

If you are injured due to the negligence of a driver, it doesn’t matter that you were not in a vehicle at the time you were harmed. We will fight for the compensation that you deserve.

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SEPTA Bus & Rail Accidents

Our Philadelphia personal injury attorneys have a wide range of experience litigating cases against mass transit providers in the area, including SEPTA.

Frequently Asked Questions Answered by a Lyft and Uber Injury Lawyer

McEldrew Purtell’s team of experienced Lyft accident lawyers is available to answer all of your questions about your rideshare accident and your rights. Here are some common questions our Uber crash lawyers receive.

How Does Pennsylvania’s No-Fault Insurance Work in a Rideshare Crash?

Suppose that you have no-fault insurance and are driving your car when an Uber driver runs a red light and hits you. In this case, you would file a claim with your insurer, who would then pay you benefits in accordance with your policy’s terms. You would not be able to sue the Lyft or Uber driver unless you sustained serious injuries, the cost of which exceeded your policy’s benefits.

Can I Sue Uber or Lyft for My Injuries?

In most cases, no. Both Uber and Lyft consider their drivers to be independent contractors, not employees. While both companies do cover their drivers under a corporate insurance plan when they are transporting customers, this does not mean that either company is always liable for their drivers’ errors. Your Uber accident lawyer can tell you whether directly suing the rideshare company is an option in your case after reviewing the matter.

How Long Do I Have to File a Rideshare Accident Lawsuit?

Pennsylvania's statute of limitations requires you to file a lawsuit within two years of your crash. This period of time begins to run on the day your crash occurs. However, there are exceptions to this general rule. So while you should seek compensation as soon as you can for your injuries, talk with an Uber accidents lawyer even if it has been more than two years since your crash.

When to Consult with an Experienced Transport Accident Attorney

The team at McEldrew Purtell, your Uber accident law firm, is eager to put our knowledge and experience to work for you. If you or a loved one are hurt in a crash, and at least one of the drivers involved is a rideshare driver, our Lyft accident attorneys want to speak with you. Contact McEldrew Purtell right away and allow us to assist you in recovering the compensation you deserve.

Our Results

A Proven Track Record

$15.6 Million

Verdict for railroad electrician pinned by spool of wire.

$15 million

Court room settlement

$13.3 Million

Birth injury lawsuit because the ob/gyn failed to promptly deliver 26-week pre-term twin infants in the face of chorioamnionitis resulting in neurological damage.

$8.5 Million

Wrongful Death negligent security settlement where a concert goer was killed by security personnel.

$7.5 Million

Settlement in an Illinois police shooting case.

$7 Million

46-year-old man who suffered aortic artery damage during spinal surgery (L4-L5 laminectomy), resulting in nerve damage and necessitating extensive surgical repair.

$6.6 Million

Birth injury settlement.

$6 Million

Settlement under multiple legal theories on behalf of a police officer who suffered a below-the-knee amputation when he was hit by an uninsured motorist.

$4.7 Million

Settlement for railroad conductor who suffered electrical shock.

$4.5 Million

Settlement when a truck driver, for a company who was not in compliance with safety regulations governing hours of service for drivers, ran a stop sign and crushed the mother of a 5-year-old child.

$4.25 Million

Settlement for a college freshman after a 40-foot fall from a climbing wall during a student orientation activity.

$3.6 Million

Settlement for a New Jersey truck accident.

$3.5 Million

Settlement against an insurer who exposed a dentist to an excess verdict of $4 million dollars in a dental malpractice lawsuit over trigeminal nerve damage.

$3.5 Million

$3.5 million on behalf of a toddler suffering permanent cognitive impairment after a three story fall at a hotel in Florida.

$3.5 Million

Settlement for failure to diagnose a perforated intestine.

$3.5 Million

Settlement for failure to diagnose sepsis.

$3.25 Million

16-year-old patient with Down’s syndrome who suffered cardiopulmonary arrest while in treatment for leukemia.

$3.2 Million

Settlement in case with IV infiltrate leading to amputation of fingers.

$2.9 Million

Settlement for the survivors of a woman killed by a wheel that struck her vehicle after the truck driver failed to properly perform a pre-trip certification and inspection of the wheels.

$2.75 Million

NJ Wrongful Death settlement in a cervical cancer pap smear case.

$2.5 Million

$2.5 million for a track worker struck by an oncoming train and immediately killed.

$2.5 Million

Settlement on behalf of a 28-year-old woman who required emergency surgery and had permanent medical issues after a doctor failed to diagnose a huge disc herniation which evolved into cauda equina syndrome.

$2.2 Million

For a railroad worker case involving cervical fusion.

$2 Million

FELA settlement

$2 Million

Fetal Death settlement

$2 Million

Medical Malpractice settlement

$2 Million

Civil Rights Wrongful Death settlement.

$2 Million

Settlement for a Wrongful Death in Prison.

$2 Million

Settlement in a police shooting case.

$2 Million

Settlement on behalf of a coach cleaner who sustained electrical burns when the safety catch failed to properly secure the pantograph on top of an MU (Multiple Unit – a type of self-propelled train carriage).

$2 Million

Settlement on behalf of the family of a 55-year-old man who was misdiagnosed with gastritis at the emergency room and died overnight at home.

$1.85 Million

NJ Wrongful Death settlement

$1.836 Million

Jury verdict for a SEPTA employee who fell on black ice because a SEPTA sub-contractor failed to properly remove the snow and ice.

$1.825 Million

Settlement for a SEPTA conductor that suffered permanent injuries from an electric shock while assisting a passenger.

$1.8 Million

Verdict for railroader who suffered a broken ankle.

$1.8 Million

Settlement on behalf of a 43-year-old woman that suffered traumatic injury and disability when her vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer that crossed the center line.

$1.8 Million

Jury verdict when a hospital delivered a child with mild cerebral palsy after they failed to transfer the mother to another facility.

$16.8 Million

Confidential trucking settlement

$1.65 Million

Jury verdict against an operating physician, rehab center internist and physiatrist for a 66-year-old patient who developed an infection from knee replacement surgery and subsequently developed compartment syndrome in rehabilitation.

$1.6 Million

Civil Rights settlement

$1.6 Million

FELA verdict

$1.6 Million

Verdict on behalf of SEPTA conductor who sustained life-changing injuries from electric shock on the job.

$1.5 Million

Civil Rights settlement

$1.5 Million

Settlement on behalf of the family of a patient who died after the urologist failed to diagnose bladder cancer.

$1.25 Million

Civil Rights settlement

$1.25 Million

For an injured track worker who fell into an excavation ditch.

$1.2 Million

Jury verdict on behalf of an employee who developed kidney disease as a result of long-term exposure to solvent products.

$1.1 Million

Settlement for a SEPTA mechanic struck by a falling airport ladder.

$1 Million

Montco Nursing Home Negligence matter involving a fall and fracture

$1 Million

Settlement for a non-operated herniated disc sustained as a result of a fall on oil in a receiving yard.

$1 Million

Settlement for failure to timely deliver a baby under significant fetal distress.

$1 Million

Failure to timely deliver a baby under significant fetal distress.

$950,000

Cargo Collapse settlement

$950,000

$950,000 for a flagman who tripped and fell on oil, breaking his foot and requiring multiple surgeries.

$925,000

Settlement on behalf of a 45-year-old pilot who sustained knee and back injuries in a crane accident.

$925,000

Settlement for a passenger in a vehicle hit by an oncoming car when the driver went through a stop sign.

$900,000

Trucking Settlement

$885,000

FELA Settlement

$875,000

Settlement for a SEPTA electrician suffering a knee injury.

$850,000

Bucks County Nursing Home Negligence matter involving a roll out of bed, hip fracture and untimely death

$850,000

Montco Nursing Home Negligence matter involving a stage IV pressure ulcer and understaffing

$850,000

Settlement for a car man who sustained thoracic outlet syndrome as a result of carrying railroad ties without proper equipment.

$850,000

76-year-old patient who was admitted to the hospital in cardiac arrest and did not receive resuscitation according to the standard of care.

$750,000

Settlement under the FELA for a worker injured in a slip and fall at a SEPTA parking lot in the winter.

$750,000

Settlement under the FELA for back injuries suffered while performing an annual inspection and repair on a steam engine.

$700,000

For client injured on the job

$665,000

Settlement for a woman struck during a police chase.

$650,000

Jury verdict on behalf of a woman who suffered several foot fractures in a rear-end collision.

$650,000

On behalf of a 56-year-old school teacher who sustained head and cognitive injuries in a traffic accident.

$575,000

Settlement for a railroad worker injured in a fall while working on the decking of a bridge.

$275,000

Jury verdict for track worker who suffered a medial meniscal injury, requiring arthroscopic surgery, while climbing down from a track vehicle in poor light at night.