Clearwater Uber Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in an Uber accident in Clearwater, Florida, you may have a claim for damages. A Clearwater Uber accident lawyer can help you fight to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we have the experience and resources to fight for every dollar you deserve. 

Since 1955, our lawyers have advocated to protect accident victims’ rights in cases involving Clearwater taxi accidents, Lyft accidents, motorcycle accidents, Clearwater pedestrian accidents, and more. As Clearwater’s first and oldest personal injury law firm, we’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation to help our clients move on with their lives.

Were you or a family member injured in a crash? Contact our law offices in Clearwater, Florida to schedule a free consultation today at (727) 796-8282.

How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Uber Accident in Clearwater

How Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Can Help After an Uber Accident in Clearwater

Rideshare services like Uber take a number of precautions to keep passengers safe. Despite this, they can’t guarantee a safe ride. When you’re injured in an Uber accident, you deserve financial protection.

Uber accident cases are complex. A high-dollar commercial insurance policy may be at stake. You’ll have to deal with multiple insurance companies to recover the compensation you deserve. An experienced Clearwater personal injury lawyer can help.

When you choose Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers to protect your rights, you’ll benefit from an attorney who will:

  • Determine the cause of your accident
  • Identify all available insurance coverage
  • Evaluate your injuries and work with your doctors to assess the fair value of your injury claim
  • Negotiate with the insurance companies to reach a fair settlement
  • Fight for your rights at trial if necessary

Our Clearwater personal injury attorneys have helped more than 25,000 injured clients recover fair compensation over the years. With 300+ years of collective experience in your corner, you can rest assured that you’re getting every dollar you deserve.

If you have questions, we’re here to offer answers. Reach out to our Clearwater law firm to schedule your free case evaluation today.

What is My Clearwater Uber Accident Case Worth?

Uber accident victims are entitled to compensation for their losses just like any other car accident victim.

The overall value of a settlement or verdict depends upon multiple factors, including:

  • The severity of the injuries
  • The cost of medical care
  • Whether the victim can continue to work
  • Whether the victim will be permanently disabled
  • The impact of the injury on daily activities

While these issues remain relevant, accidents involving Uber have historically been much more complex.

Most car accident claims are limited by the amount of insurance coverage available. 

Florida no-fault insurance laws require every driver to carry car insurance. However, Uber drivers are independent contractors who use their personal vehicles for profit. Insurance companies had denied a number of claims in the past because personal coverage doesn’t cover an accident that occurs while the at-fault driver is using the vehicle for commercial purposes.

Current Uber Insurance Policy Limits

Today, Florida laws require Uber and Lyft to purchase a commercial insurance policy to protect passengers and drivers in an accident. The available coverage depends upon the driver’s status at the time of the crash.

If the Uber driver has accepted a passenger and is on the way to pick that passenger up or a passenger is in the Uber vehicle, the following insurance coverage is available:

  • $1 million in liability coverage for death or bodily injury
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
  • Contingent collision coverage

If the Uber driver is logged into the Uber app and is available to accept a passenger, the limits are:

  • $50,000 in coverage for death or bodily injury per person
  • $100,000 in coverage for death or bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 in property damage

When a driver isn’t logged into the rideshare app, the accident is treated like any other motor vehicle accident. In other words, the driver’s own personal insurance policy limits apply.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Uber Accident Victims?

Uber accident victims are entitled to damages to cover a variety of losses. Those damages are grouped into two primary categories under Florida personal injury laws: economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages include financial expenses, such as:

Non-economic damages compensate victims who have sustained serious injuries for losses such as:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Loss of consortium
  • Disfigurement
  • Scarring
  • Anxiety and depression

Surviving family members can file a lawsuit to recover damages for wrongful death if they lost a loved one in a fatal Uber accident.

Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for an Uber Accident in Florida?

Uber accidents can happen under a variety of circumstances. If you’re a passenger, it can be difficult to imagine how you’d share fault for an accident.

Despite this, third-party drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and even government agencies might be involved in and/or share the blame for a rideshare accident. If you were involved in an Uber accident and are being blamed, you can recover damages under Florida’s modified comparative fault laws even if you were partly responsible. However, you cannot recover compensation if you were 51% or more to blame.

Assuming you share less than 51% of the blame, your damages award can be reduced to account for your percentage of fault. It’s important to seek advice from an experienced attorney if shared fault is an issue in your case.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Uber Accident Injuries

Our car accident lawyers in Clearwater handle all types of Uber accident injury claims, including those involving:

Our lawyers are ready to help you seek compensation for your injuries. Give us a call today to get the legal advice you deserve.

What Causes Most Uber Accidents in Clearwater, Florida?

Uber and ridesharing companies are everywhere in Clearwater. While many Uber drivers spend much more time on the road than the average driver, Uber drivers don’t receive any type of specialized training.

That means an Uber driver is just as likely to cause an accident as anyone else. In fact, Uber drivers are arguably more likely to be involved in an accident because of the amount of time they spend behind the wheel.

Some of the most common causes of Uber accidents in Clearwater include:

  • Distracted driving
  • Stopping rideshare vehicles in intersections or dangerous places 
  • Searching for passengers, rather than watching the roads
  • Failure to yield the right-of-way 
  • Tailgating 
  • Speeding to maximize the number of rides the driver can complete
  • Aggressive driving
  • Unsafe passing
  • Illegal lane changes
  • Illegal or unsafe turns
  • Running a red light or stop sign
  • Drunk driving or drug use
  • Failure to properly maintain the Uber vehicle
  • Defective vehicle safety equipment or machinery

Of course, some Uber crashes are caused by third-party drivers or commercial truck drivers. Even pedestrians and bicyclists can contribute to the cause of a rideshare accident. 

How Do I Prove Negligence After an Uber Accident in Florida? 

Uber’s commercial insurance policy is much more generous than the average driver’s Florida personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Despite this, you still have to prove that someone else was negligent to recover damages from anyone other than your own insurance carrier.

Negligence is a legal term that applies when someone is careless or reckless given the circumstances. Speeding, drunk driving, and running a red light are all examples of negligent driving.

To convince the insurance company to award damages, you’ll have to establish that:

  • A legal duty of care existed
  • A breach of duty occurred
  • The breach caused the accident
  • You suffered damages

All drivers have a basic duty to exercise reasonable caution while driving. Most negligence cases turn on establishing the “breach” and “causation” elements. Our Clearwater Uber accident attorneys know how to find the evidence to prove your case. 

Our lawyers will locate and examine:

  • Police and accident reports
  • Medical records
  • Video surveillance footage, including dashcams
  • Eyewitness testimony
  • Photographs of the crash scene

If necessary, we’ll even bring in accident reconstruction specialists to offer insight into what caused the accident.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After an Uber Accident in Florida?

Uber accident victims in Florida generally have either two years (for accidents occurring on or after 3/24/2023) or four years (for crashes happening before that date) to file a personal injury lawsuit for damages. If the crash was fatal, surviving family members have two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

After the deadline passes, you’ll no longer have the right to sue for damages. Without the threat of legal action, insurance companies will be much more likely to take your case seriously and pay fair compensation.

It’s important to act quickly to preserve your legal rights. You can get started today by calling our law firm to schedule a free case review.

Contact a Clearwater Uber Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Uber and Lyft accident victims are often entitled to substantial compensation. To recover that compensation, you have to take legal action. If you or a loved one were injured, call a Clearwater Uber accident lawyer at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.

Our Clearwater, FL personal injury law firm in Pinellas County also provides: