Need an Injury Lawyer After an Uber/Ridesharing Accident in Utah?
Uber and Lyft ridesharing services became legal in Salt Lake City, Utah as of November 2014. The laws also imposed requirements upon these drivers to submit to background checks, safety inspections and carry certain levels of insurance coverage. Utah S.B. 294 Transportation Network Company Amendments, enacted in 2015, requires that ridesharing drivers carry comprehensive and collision insurance coverage, among other things.
If the driver did not meet these requirements, additional legal remedies may be available to you. Consult with an experienced Utah ridesharing accident attorney to learn more.
Ridesharing Companies Attempt to Dodge Liability by Utilizing Independent Contractors
Uber, Lyft and most other ridesharing companies do not hire drivers as their employees. Rather, the drivers join the companies’ networks as independent contractors.
Independent contractors hold a very different legal status from employees. It can be much more difficult to hold a company responsible for the actions of their independent contractors as opposed to employees. It is much easier for the actions of an employee to bind their company legally.
However, many states require both Uber and Lyft to maintain a $1 million liability insurance policy. Those who were injured or even killed due to the actions of a ridesharing driver make seek claims against this policy.
Don’t Go Up Against the Insurance Company Alone
It is likely that the ridesharing company’s insurance will take every advantage of the fact that their driver was an independent contractor. Don’t go up against the insurance company without the aid of personal injury attorney who has experience both with trials and with dealing with injuries caused by ridesharing accidents.
To counteract the insurance company’s arguments, a good attorney will know how to use the very language of the insurance contract against them. Sometimes a court will rule that the language of an insurance contract is unlawful, or that the policy does not shield the insurance company from having to pay your claim against it.
However, you should not attempt to obtain such legal results on your own. The person who deals with the insurance company should be prepared to fight them all the way through trial, and a trial attorney should be the one for that task.
Retain the Services of A Reputable Utah Trial Attorney
Being able to avoid trials usually makes everyone involved happy. But in court cases, you can often obtain “peace through strength.” In other words, if you have a strong trial attorney on your side as early as possible, you might be able to get a peaceful resolution sooner rather than later.
A good trial attorney can often prompt a settlement without expending a great deal of effort, because they hold so much power and leverage. This will come across with their very first discussion with the insurance company.
So if you have a good trial attorney on your side, you have a better chance of obtaining just and fair compensation for your injuries caused by the Uber, Lyft or other ridesharing driver. Contact us today to find out more!