In 2019, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed House Bill 575, creating a statewide framework for ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft. You might be entitled to financial compensation if you were injured in a rideshare accident in Andrew, Louisiana that was not your fault.
The Cato Institute confirms that rideshare services do reduce the number of accidents and injuries on our nation’s roads. Still, accidents can happen, and people can get hurt as a result. When someone else’s carelessness causes an accident, the responsible party—not you—should have to pay your medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.
Because of the multiple parties and insurance policies involved, ridesharing accident cases are typically more complicated than a standard motor vehicle collision. Thankfully, you do not have to become an expert on liability insurance to seek damages for your injuries. An Andrew ridesharing accident lawyer can help.
At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, you do not have to pay any legal fees up front. We handle car accident injury claims on a contingent fee basis, which means we do not get paid unless you win. We collect our fee from the settlement or award at the end of your case, not from your pocket at the beginning.
To get started, call us today at (337)777-7777 for a free, no-obligation consultation with our team.
Identifying Defendants in an Andrew Ridesharing Accident Injury Claim
Any party whose negligence caused or contributed to the ridesharing accident could be sued for damages. Because there are multiple parties, you might be able to take legal action against more than one party.
For instance, if an Uber or Lyft driver drove recklessly and caused the accident, you can name them as a defendant in your personal injury case. You might be able to bring the ridesharing corporation into the litigation as well—for example, if they were negligent when hiring the driver.
To establish liability against a defendant, you must prove all four of these factors:
- Duty of care: The defendant must have owed you a duty of care.
- Breach of duty of care: It is negligence when someone’s conduct fails to meet this legal standard.
- Causation: The careless act must be what caused the accident and your injuries.
- Quantifiable losses: You must have losses that have a measurable financial value.
For Uber, Lyft, or other ridesharing drivers, these same factors can and should apply.
The Driver’s Duty of Care
Just like everyone who operates a motor vehicle on public roadways, the rideshare driver must exercise reasonable caution and obey traffic laws. All drivers owe a legal duty of care to their passengers, the drivers and passengers in other cars, pedestrians, and anyone else who might get harmed by the driver’s carelessness.
Breach of the Driver’s Duty
Failing to live up to this legal standard is negligence. Consider this hypothetical example—a rideshare driver picked up two passengers, even though the driver had just consumed several alcoholic beverages. The driver’s blood alcohol level was over the state’s legal limit. Driving while impaired by alcohol breaches the driver’s duty of care because this conduct violates traffic laws and does not exercise reasonable caution.
Causation
The negligence must be a cause or contributing factor to the accident that injured the plaintiff. Sometimes, impaired drivers get into collisions that they do not cause. In our hypothetical example, however, the rideshare driver did not react in time when a traffic light turned red because of the alcohol in their system. In this situation, the careless conduct of driving while under the influence caused the crash to occur.
Quantifiable Losses
The plaintiff must have damages with a measurable dollar value. Physical injuries satisfy this element of liability. If you are lucky enough to escape the accident without injuries, you will not have a personal injury case against the driver. In most personal injury cases, the law does not award monetary damages for “near misses.” If you or your passengers got hurt, then you have a claim for compensation against the other driver.
You do not have to research complex liability laws on your own. An Andrew ridesharing accident lawyer with Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can help you determine if you have a case. Call us today at (337) 777-7777 to learn more about your options.
For a free legal consultation with a ridesharing accident lawyer serving Andrew, call (337) 777-7777
Settlement Value of an Andrew Ridesharing Accident Injury Claim
People often wonder if they got a fair settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Once you sign the settlement papers and accept the check, you cannot go back and seek additional funds, even if you discover that you should have gotten much more money. An Andrew ridesharing accident lawyer can help calculate the value of your claim and negotiate directly with the insurer on your behalf.
Every case is different, and we cannot say how much money your case is worth without talking to you and investigating your claim. The amount of compensation you might be entitled to will depend on the facts of your case.
Some examples of damages in car accident cases include:
- Lost income if you missed time from work because of your injuries
- The current and future cost of medical treatment for your injuries
- Pain and suffering, which can include physical discomfort and emotional distress caused by your injuries
- Other intangible losses, like disfigurement, extensive scarring, and loss of the enjoyment of life
You might be eligible to pursue other kinds of damages as well, depending on the facts of your case.
Andrew Ridesharing Accident Lawyer Near Me (337) 777-7777
Get Help Now from an Andrew Ridesharing Accident Lawyer
You do not have to go through a stressful claims process and possible litigation on your own. An Andrew Ridesharing Accident Lawyer can handle your claim so that you can devote your attention and energy to getting better.
We urge you not to wait too long to contact us. Every state limits the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit seeking financial damages for personal injury. Once the deadline passes, you will not be able to hold the at-fault party accountable for your losses. Louisiana Civil Code §3492 allows only one year from the date of the incident.
At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, we can take care of your legal matters while you rebuild your life. We are passionate about helping people who suffer harm because of the carelessness of others, and we work hard to get our clients every dollar they deserve. If you or a loved one e you love were injured in an Andrew ridesharing accident, call us today at (337)777-7777 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Call or text (337) 777-7777 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
