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RIDESHARE ACCIDENTS
Rideshare Accident Lawyer in Gainesville
If you live in Gainesville, Georgia, chances are you’ve either taken a rideshare service or have shared the road with rideshare vehicles. Nevertheless, when you’re enjoying a drive on the scenic routes around Lake Lanier, the last thing you might expect is a car accident with an Uber or a Lyft car.
In an instant, a rideshare accident could alter your life and leave you with long-lasting injuries and significant bills. If you file an insurance claim, you may find that a rideshare insurer might be reluctant to pay you what you’re rightfully owed. Insurance giants may try to make you jump through hoops or outright deny your claim.
You don’t have to walk the path to justice alone. A rideshare accident lawyer in Gainesville with The Scott Pryor Law Group knows how to deal with the insurance companies, can compassionately offer legal knowledge and walk beside you through each step of the legal process, and will battle the insurance companies on your behalf.
Uber and Lyft don’t want to pay. We make sure they do.
Rideshare Insurance Requirements (O.C.G.A. § 33-1-24) – Uber and Lyft must carry $1 million in liability coverage for accidents while a driver is actively transporting a passenger.
Rideshare Accidents in Georgia
In recent years, the number of rideshare accidents in Georgia have increased and rideshare accidents have increased as well. Rideshare companies often carry up to $1 million in liability coverage and rideshare drivers are required to carry full coverage.
Nevertheless, insurance giants employ a highly experienced legal team and may try to poke holes in your claim so that they won’t have to pay you.
The current statistics on rideshare accidents in Georgia are limited, but both Lyft and Uber consistently release accident data and safety reports. Those reports indicate that under 1% of nationwide rideshare drivers are involved in car accidents.
However, state and federal statistics reflect rideshare accidents that result in significant injury and fatality.
Who’s liable after a Gainesville rideshare accident?
A rideshare accident lawyer in Gainesville can advise you on the complexities of liability in your case. For example, there may be multiple parties at fault for your accident. Multiple factors, including the cause of your collision, can help to determine liability.
Common causes of rideshare accidents can include:
- Congested Traffic
- Dropoffs or Pickups in unsafe traffic conditions
- Distracted Driving
- Driver Fatigue
- Driver Inexperience
- Excessive Speed
- Impaired Driving
- Poor Vehicle Maintenance
- Reckless Driving
- Unfamiliar Routes
Liable parties in a rideshare accident might include:
- Construction company (unclearly marked work zones)
- Local government (poor road conditions)
- Rideshare company
- Rideshare driver
- Another driver
- Vehicle Manufacturer
What to expect during a rideshare accident claim
Your Gainesville rideshare accident lawyer will explain any additional steps your unique case might take. However, here are the general expectations of what to expect during your claim:
- Directly after your accident, call 911, safely pull over, and wait for first responders to arrive and file a police report. Your police report is vital documentation for your case.
- Seek immediate medical attention. Even if your injuries initially seem minor, official medical diagnosis and treatment are vital to your personal injury claim.
- Begin the insurance claims process with your insurance company. Your insurer will contact the rideshare’s insurance provider. You’ll be assigned a claims agent and case number to refer to throughout the process.
- Consult a rideshare accident lawyer in Gainesville. The Scott Pryor Law Group offers a free initial consultation which can help you to discern what legal steps you can take next.
- If the rideshare’s insurer lowballs or denies your claim, a rideshare accident lawyer may advise you to file a personal injury lawsuit..
- The Scott Pryor Law Group will investigate your accident and collect evidence from the scene, including any photo and video documentation and your police report.
- Your lawyer will then record eyewitness testimony and obtain testimony from forensic experts, such as crash reconstructionists.
- The defendant (s) in your case has 30 days to respond to your complaint.
- The Scott Pryor Law Group will represent you and advocate for your best interests in all meetings and negotiations.
- Although most personal injury cases are settled before they go to trial, if a settlement is not reached, your Gainesville rideshare accident lawyer will fight in court on your behalf.
Compensation in a Gainesville rideshare accident
The compensation you might receive after a rideshare accident is classified into categories called damages. Each category represents different types of losses.
These damages represent both the measurable and immeasurable losses you’ve endured. Compensatory damages include Economic, Non-Economic, and Punitive.
A rideshare accident lawyer in Gainesville will help you calculate your damages and determine the compensation you should seek.
Economic Damages
Economic damages (or special damages) cover measurable losses with a set monetary value. For example, any accident-related bills are considered economic damages.
Economic damages after a rideshare accident might include (but are not limited to):
- Lost Wages (including bonuses and tips)
- Medical Expenses (all accident-related medical care and prescriptions present)
- Vehicle Repair or Replacement Costs
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages (or general damages) cover the losses you’ve suffered that cannot be quantified. These are losses that no compensation can heal, but non-economic damages help to recognize the injustice you’ve experienced and may help to relieve your financial burdens.
Non-economic damages in a Gainesville rideshare accident might include (but are not limited to):
- Catastrophic Injury
- Chronic Pain
- Emotional Distress
- Loss of Consortium (loss of companionship and intimacy)
- Pain and Suffering
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Wrongful Death
Punitive Damages
In Georgia, punitive damages are also known as vindictive damages. This is because they are often used as punishment for a grossly negligent defendant and meted out by a judge or jury. Gross negligence means a defendant has intentionally or unintentionally violated the universal duty of care.
Your rideshare accident lawyer in Gainesville may advise you to ask for punitive damages if the defendant (s) in your case exhibited gross negligence, but typically, they are additional to your compensatory award.
Examples of gross negligence might include an intoxicated rideshare driver, a driver who was hired despite an extensive history of traffic violations, or a rideshare services company that failed to ensure the vehicle used meets basic automotive standards.
Our 6-Step Litigation Process
Summons & Complaint
Services of Process
Defendant’s Answer
Client Involvement
Elements to Prove (First Party No-Fault, MedPay/PIP, Third Party Auto)
Negligence (Treatment)
Interrogatories
Request to Produce
Subpoena Medical Records
Motions
Depositions
Experts
Meet with Doctors
Witness List
Attempt Settlement
Prepare for Trial
NOTE: A case can settle at any time during this process. Very few cases go all the way to trial.
Georgia laws that could impact your rideshare accident case
A rideshare accident lawyer in Gainesville can explain the Georgia laws that could have an impact on your case. However, here are some of the state laws that may present challenges or benefits to your personal injury claim after a rideshare accident.
HB529
Introduced in 2024, Georgia House Bill HB529 was introduced in 2024 and passed through the Georgia House, but has not yet been introduced in the Senate. If this bill is passed into law, it may impact rideshare accident claims.
HB529 mandates a minimum amount of uninsured and uninsured motorist coverage for all rideshare services. This means that legally, Lyft and Uber will be able to carry low insurance premiums, rather than the $1 million liability premiums these companies carry now.
If HB529 becomes law, car accident settlement offers from rideshare companies may be extremely low.
Modified Comparative Negligence
Georgia’s modified comparative negligence law (or comparative fault) can impact the amount of compensation you receive for a Gainesville rideshare accident claim. One of over a dozen states with a modified comparative negligence law, Georgia mandates that if you share fault for your accident, your percentage of liability affects your compensation.
The attorneys for a rideshare insurance company will work diligently to try to prove that you hold partial responsibility for your collision so that they don’t have to pay you. However, a rideshare accident lawyer in Gainesville from The Scott Pryor Law Group can disprove modified comparative negligence, or advise you on your next steps if you are proven to be partially liable for your accident.
Modified comparative negligence means:
- You no longer have valid recourse to pursue compensation if you’re 50%-100% at fault for your accident.
- The compensation you can seek will be reduced if you’re liable for 0%-50% of your collision.
For example, if you’re speeding when a rideshare driver hits you, you may hold some responsibility for your accident.
Statute of Limitations
According to the Georgia statute of limitations § 9-3-33, you must file any personal injury claim within two years of the date of your accident. This statute gives you ample time to build your case and determine your next legal steps.
If the statute of limitations elapses and you have not yet filed a claim, you no longer have a legal path to compensation. However, the courts grant a two-year extension if your claim includes loss of consortium (companionship and intimacy), and you will have four years to file.
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How The Scott Pryor Law Group can help
The Scott Pryor Law Group cares about your personal story and understands the life-changing impact of the trauma you’ve endured. We’ll fight for your voice and your pain and suffering to be heard so that you can receive the justice you deserve.
We can’t guarantee a successful verdict, but we’ve recovered 7-figure settlements for many clients and have over 1000 5-star client reviews. We understand the injustice and pain of suffering due to the actions of another person, and we won’t stop fighting until we’ve done everything we can to find justice so that you can focus on healing.
Schedule your free consultation with The Scott Pryor Law Group today.
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