Albuquerque Rideshare Accident Lawyer

Rideshare Accident Attorney in Albuquerque, NM

A rideshare accident can be an overwhelming, stressful experience. Many elements can impact liability for a rideshare accident. If you were a victim of a rideshare wreck, you might be entitled to financial recovery for your injuries and property damage. An Albuquerque rideshare accident lawyer can determine liability and maximize your overall recovery against a rideshare company, like Uber or Lyft.

Why Do Albuquerque Locals Trust Berenson & Associates, PC, for Rideshare Accidents?

An experienced Albuquerque personal injury lawyer from Berenson & Associates, PC, can discuss your case and explore how to build a successful rideshare injury claim. An attorney can also address your important legal questions. Although each case is unique, your lawyer can explore any factors that might impact your case’s resolution.

Our firm has more than 25 years of experience in holding careless parties responsible for the harm they cause.

Are Albuquerque Rideshare Accidents Common?

Ridesharing is a practice utilized by companies like Uber and Lyft, which operate throughout New Mexico. In Albuquerque, these companies use apps to connect owner-operator drivers with passengers. Uber and Lyft reflect market values of approximately $62.5 billion and $5.5 billion, respectively.

With the popularity of these major companies, people increasingly sign up to become rideshare drivers. Although rideshare vehicles remain a small proportion of vehicles in New Mexico, their services account for approximately 13% of all vehicle miles driven in some U.S. cities. It’s not always easy to gather reliable data for rideshare accidents. Rideshare drivers use their personal vehicles for picking up passengers, which means their accidents get reported just like any other car wreck in Albuquerque.

However, Uber’s own safety report charted fatalities that occurred only while a passenger was riding in the driver’s vehicle (versus all accidents, even those where the driver was alone). In 2017, Uber reported 107 total fatalities in 2017-2018. Also, a recent study notes that traffic fatalities have unfortunately increased by about 2% to 4% since rideshare companies, like Uber and Lyft, began operating in major cities nationwide.

Locally, Albuquerque reflects hotspots for vehicle accidents along I-25 and I-40, which would inherently involve rideshare vehicles. With so many accidents involving rideshares, it’s important to speak with a trusted personal injury attorney after your accident.

What’s the Average Albuquerque Rideshare Settlement Amount?

The amount you might expect for your own settlement with a rideshare company will vary, as each case is unique. Also, rideshare companies typically require settlements to remain confidential before they’re willing to resolve claims after an accident, making averages difficult to calculate. Nevertheless, it’s important to understand that rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft often want to quickly resolve cases via settlement before sparking media attention.

Consequently, the amount you might get for your case may be slightly higher on average than for a more traditional two-car accident claim. Cases with more complicated injuries and/or damages tend to result in higher settlement payouts for accidents.

What Damages Are Available After Albuquerque Rideshare Accidents?

The damages that are available after an Albuquerque rideshare accident depend on the damages you sustained in the accident, along with the insurance limits of the party you are filing against. How seriously you are injured is one of the main factors that influences your settlement or verdict amount, as many types of damages are affected by your injury’s severity. Damages in a rideshare accident claim could include:

• Medical Costs: These encompass your existing bills for medication, hospital transport, and surgeries, along with future costs for physical therapy, mobility aids, and expected complications.
• Lost Income: Doctor’s visits and injury recovery can require time off work, so this lost income is recoverable in a claim.
• Lost Earning Capacity: If your injury permanently affected your employment, the wages you should have earned during your life could be recoverable.
• Property Damage: This could include repairs or replacement costs for your vehicle or other personal property.
• Pain and Suffering: This is one type of intangible damage that compensates you for physical pain and emotional trauma.
• Loss of Euality or Enjoyment of Life: If your injuries permanently disable you and prevent you from engaging in hobbies, daily tasks, or other activities, this loss could be compensated.

Rideshare companies have higher insurance coverage limits than the average individual, but it can also be harder to recover fair compensation from a commercial insurer. An attorney can use the state’s rideshare accident laws to accurately assess the total of your damages. Then, they can recover what you are owed from an insurance claim.

Steps to Take After a Rideshare Accident

Some important steps after a rideshare accident include:

1. Get to safety and out of traffic.
2. Assess your injuries and those of others in the accident.
3. Report the accident, including injuries.
4. Exchange contact and insurance information with other drivers, including the personal and rideshare company information of the rideshare driver.
5. Get medical care on-site.
6. Provide information for a police report.
7. Document the accident.
8. Get contact information from passengers and witnesses.
9. Get additional medical care, such as from the UNM hospital.
10. Contact an attorney.

FAQs About Rideshare Accidents

Q: Can You File a Claim Against Uber or Lyft in a Car Accident?

A: Yes, you could file a claim against Lyft or Uber after a car accident involving a rideshare vehicle. Rideshare passengers can recover damages in a claim against the rideshare company. As another driver, you could also file with the rideshare company if the rideshare driver was working and at fault.

Q: What Should You Not Say to an Injury Lawyer?

A: You should not downplay your injuries and other losses to an injury lawyer. Instead, give them the information about the financial costs of your injuries and how they have affected your life, and allow the lawyer to determine the severity and the damages associated with those impacts. Always be honest with an injury lawyer.

Q: How Hard Is It to Win a Rideshare Car Accident Claim?

A: Every rideshare car accident claim is unique, and how hard it is to win one will largely depend on the evidence that supports who was to blame and shows the injuries you sustained. It is also generally easier to win a rideshare car accident claim when you hire a rideshare accident lawyer, as they can gather this evidence and negotiate your case.

Contact Berenson & Associates, PC, for Uber & Lyft Accidents

An experienced Albuquerque rideshare accident attorney from Berenson & Associates, PC, can diligently pursue justice for your accident. Our team can provide comprehensive legal assistance for your claim, especially if you’ve sustained serious injuries after a rideshare accident.

Contact us to set up your initial consultation with an attorney.