Ocean Springs Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyer

Have you sustained injuries or property damage in an auto accident with a Lyft or Uber vehicle? Pursuing your legal rights may become complex when rideshare companies get involved in an accident claim. You need knowledgeable legal counsel to guide you through the claims process and advocate for your right to a full and fair financial recovery. An Ocean Springs Uber accident lawyer from Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC, can help you seek compensation for your harm and losses.

With over two decades of experience in personal injury law, our attorneys have devoted their careers to serving individuals and families across the Gulf Coast region who are facing legal challenges after devastating accidents. Our firm has a proven reputation for taking on the most challenging cases, and we have a track record of success that includes millions of dollars in compensation recovered for our clients.

We prepare every case for trial, which allows us to vigorously advocate for you and show the insurance companies that we won’t back down until we’ve secured a favorable result. Our honest, reliable, and professional attorneys will stand by your side throughout your recovery, ensuring you have support to put your life back on track. 

After suffering injuries while riding in an Uber or Lyft vehicle that gets into an accident or after a negligent Uber/Lyft driver hits you, you deserve to seek money for your losses. Contact Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC, for a free, no-obligation consultation and case review. You’ll speak with an Uber and Lyft accident attorney in Ocean Springs, MS, about your legal options. 

What Are Common Causes of Uber and Lyft Accidents in Ocean Springs?

Rideshare drivers face more challenges than ordinary motorists, including managing ride requests, navigating to pickups and drop-offs, and maximizing their income. However, Uber and Lyft drivers typically have no specialized training or experience beyond those of average drivers. As a result, these drivers can cause accidents in various ways, including:

• Speeding to complete rides more quickly or get passengers to destinations on time
• Tailgating/following too closely
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Running red lights/stop signs or disregarding traffic controls
• Distracted driving, including using a cell phone or GPS, eating or drinking, or interacting with passengers
• Drowsy/fatigued driving, as rideshare drivers work long hours and drive late at night
• Double parking or stopping on the road
• Turning or changing lanes without signaling or checking mirrors
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Unfamiliarity with local roads or traffic patterns
• Reckless driving, including excessive speeding or swerving through traffic
• Traveling the wrong way 
• Illegal turns or lane changes

What Should I Do if I Get Hurt in an Uber or Lyft Accident in Ocean Springs?

When you’ve had an accident involving a Lyft or Uber vehicle in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, you can take steps to begin pursuing compensation for injuries or losses you’ve suffered due to the accident. Things to do after getting hurt in a rideshare accident include:

• Reporting the crash to the rideshare company, which you can do through the trip screen as a rideshare passenger or through the company’s customer service website
• Reporting the accident to your auto insurance company to confirm any applicable coverage you may have in your policy
• Following your doctor’s treatment recommendations and recovery instructions
• Obtaining copies of the police crash report (if law enforcement responded to the accident) and medical records of your injury treatment and rehabilitation
• Keeping all bills, invoices, or receipts for expenses you incur due to the accident
• Gathering copies of your pay stubs or income statements to calculate your lost wages if you need to take time off work while recovering from your injuries, or if you are earning less after temporarily transferring to a part-time/light-duty position within your medical restrictions

Finally, contact an Ocean Springs, MS, Lyft injury lawyer from Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC, to discuss how our rideshare accident legal services can help you obtain money for your injuries and losses. 

Who Could Be Liable for an Ocean Springs Rideshare Accident?

In most cases, one or more drivers involved in a rideshare accident will assume liability for the crash and resulting injuries and property damage. For example, an Uber or Lyft driver who causes an accident may bear responsibility for the injuries and losses you suffered in the crash. However, you cannot sue the rideshare company for the driver’s negligence. 

Rideshare companies usually classify their drivers as independent contractors, which means the company does not have employer liability for a driver’s negligent or careless driving. But Mississippi requires rideshare drivers and companies to have insurance coverage with policy limits that vary based on the driver’s status at the time of an accident. Minimum coverage requirements include:

• The Driver Has Logged onto the Rideshare Mobile Application but Has Not Yet Accepted a Ride Request – $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident of bodily injury/death liability coverage and $25,000 per accident of property damage liability coverage, plus uninsured motorist coverage as required by law
• The Driver Has Accepted a Ride Request or Has A Rideshare Passenger in the Vehicle – $1 million combined liability coverage plus uninsured motorist coverage as required by law

When another driver hits the Uber or Lyft vehicle you’re in, you may have the right to hold that driver liable for your injuries and losses. Other parties may also bear liability for the negligence of a driver who hits your rideshare vehicle. For example, the at-fault driver’s employer could be liable if the accident occurred while that driver was working. Additionally, the owner of the at-fault driver’s vehicle could be held accountable if the owner negligently entrusted their car to the driver. 

A ridesharing injury lawyer in Ocean Springs, MS, can assess who could bear liability for your particular accident.

How Much Compensation Could Be Available for an Uber or Lyft Accident?

In a rideshare accident claim, you may obtain financial recovery for expenses or losses you incur due to injuries or property damage suffered in the crash. A Lyft and Uber collision attorney in Ocean Springs from Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC, can fight on your behalf to recover compensation for your:

• Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses, including emergency services, hospitalization, surgeries, prescriptions, or physical therapy
• Costs of long-term care you need for prolonged or permanent disabilities, such as home health services, housekeeping, or installation of disability accommodations
• Lost wages or income from missed work or reduced earnings in a modified duty role required by medical restrictions on your physical activity
• Lost future earning capacity and employment benefits if you become permanently disabled from working
• Physical pain and emotional distress
• Lost quality of life due to disabilities or permanent scarring and disfigurement
• Car repair expenses or reimbursement for your vehicle’s value if the accident totaled your car, or other related property damage

An Ocean Springs rideshare passenger injury lawyer from our law firm can explain how we can pursue the compensation you need and deserve.

How Long Do I Have to File an Uber or Lyft Accident Lawsuit in Mississippi?

Under Mississippi’s statute of limitations, you typically have three years after an Uber or Lyft accident to file a lawsuit against the drivers or parties at fault for the crash. However, you should contact an Ocean Springs rideshare accident claim attorney immediately after a crash to ensure your claims are filed on time. If you file a lawsuit after the limitations period expires on your injury claim, the trial court can dismiss your case, and you may lose the opportunity to recover compensation. 

How Can an Ocean Springs Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney Help Me?

After sustaining injuries in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, you may have a long road to recovery ahead of you. Worse, if your injuries keep you out of work, you may also have to deal with significant financial consequences from the accident. The driver at fault for the crash should bear responsibility for your financial and personal losses. By obtaining help after an Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Uber/Lyft accident, you could be able to focus on your treatment and rehabilitation while your attorney takes care of the legal work.

At Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC, we can help you recover from a life-altering crash by:

• Thoroughly investigating the accident and recovering evidence to prove fault for the crash, such as police accident reports, accident scene photos, surveillance/traffic camera or dashcam footage, cell phone/GPS records, or eyewitness testimony
• Identifying the driver or drivers at fault for the crash and evaluating options for pursuing liability for your accident losses, including potential insurance claims
• Documenting your injuries and ongoing/future expenses and needs to calculate what total compensation looks like for you
• Filing your claims and dealing with rideshare company representatives and insurance adjusters on your behalf so you can devote your time and energy to your physical and emotional recovery
• Aggressively pursuing maximum financial recovery for you through a full settlement or, if necessary, by taking your claims to court and using our decades of litigation experience to advocate for you at trial

Contact an Experienced Ocean Springs Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer Today

You may have the right to seek financial recovery for your injuries and losses if you’ve gotten hurt in a crash with or while riding in an Uber or Lyft. Contact Haug, Farrar, Franco & Ruiz, PLLC, today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can discuss how a Lyft & Uber crash lawyer in Ocean Springs can help secure compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and auto repairs.