Rideshare vehicles travel throughout Spokane, transporting passengers across the city. Unfortunately, there are circumstances when these drivers are careless behind the wheel, take unnecessary risks, or violate the rules of the road.
When a rideshare accident occurs, it becomes important to determine who should be responsible for compensating victims. Both the passengers in the rideshare vehicle and others on the road who were harmed by the incident may have a right to pursue a claim for compensation.
Monge & Associates can provide help and support in this situation. Our team of Spokane personal injury lawyers understand Washington laws inside and out, is committed to fighting for justice on behalf of injured victims, and brings decades of experience to every case.
To find out more about how a Spokane rideshare accident lawyer on our legal team can help you, give us a call or contact us online today.
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Injured In A Rideshare Accident? Monge & Associates Can Help
Injured in a Spokane rideshare accident? Learn how Washington’s pure comparative fault rule and RCW 48.177 insurance phases impact your claim. Free case review.
Why Turn To Monge & Associates After Your Rideshare Accident
Monge & Associates is the firm to turn to after a rideshare crash for many reasons. You should place your trust in our team because:
- We have 30+ years of experience fighting for victims: We have been practicing personal injury law since 1993, so we understand the laws in Washington state very well. We know how the court system works; we have built a solid network of experts, and we are prepared to handle the complexities raised by rideshare accident cases.
- We’ve recovered over $1 billion in compensation for clients: Every case is different, with your potential recovery determined based on the extent of your injuries and the facts of your claim. However, we have recovered millions for clients and over $1 billion total, which demonstrates that we understand how to make strong and compelling claims.
- We are prepared to go the distance to represent you: Our team includes skilled negotiators who can often negotiate settlements effectively with the insurer representing the driver or the rideshare company. But we are also talented litigators who can present a strong case in a courtroom. This maximizes the chances of a settlement since insurers know we won’t back down, and it also means we can fight for you if no settlement is reached.
Monge & Associates is also committed to providing compassionate representation. We care about every client, and we will make it our mission to get justice for you when a rideshare accident has harmed you. We also don’t charge legal fees unless we win.
Common Causes Of Rideshare Accidents
There are many potential risk factors when rideshare drivers are operating their vehicles, especially as drivers who work for rideshare apps for a living often spend many hours per day on the road.
These drivers could cause collisions for a number of reasons, but some of the most common include:
- Distracted driving
- Fatigued driving
- Impaired driving
- Reckless driving
- Poorly maintained vehicles
- Road design issues
Uncovering the cause of the accident is a key part of taking legal action. You must know how the crash happened in order to determine who was likely to blame and can be held liable for losses.
Monge & Associates can use techniques and tools like working with accident reconstruction specialists, gathering evidence from the scene, obtaining police reports, interviewing witnesses, and obtaining cell phone records and records from the rideshare app to better understand who caused the accident and who can be held responsible for harming you.
Liability For Rideshare Accidents
When a rideshare accident happens, if driver negligence played a role in causing the incident, the driver can likely be held liable.
You’ll need to show that there was a violation of the rules of the road or that the motorist was driving negligently. Negligence is defined as behavior that no reasonably prudent or cautious driver would have engaged in.
You will also have to show the driver’s actions caused the incident, which harmed you in a way that you can be compensated for. This can involve working with accident reconstruction specialists, providing details on medical treatment, and more.
It may not just be the driver who is at fault, though. Unfortunately, complicated issues can arise in determining liability because the relationship between drivers and the apps that they are paid by can be unclear.
Is A Rideshare Company Liable For An Accident?
When a driver is an employee of a company that pays them to pick up passengers or deliver items, the employee is the agent of the company. That means the employee acts on behalf of the company, and employee negligence is seen as the equivalent of company negligence.
Most drivers on rideshare apps, however, are not employees. They are independent contractors. As a result, vicarious liability rules do not apply to hold the company accountable for losses caused by a careless driver on the job.
This can mean a victim, in theory, would need to rely on a driver’s own insurance, and sometimes a driver’s insurer will exclude claims arising out of business use.
Many rideshare companies do have protections in place, including Uber and Lyft, both of which provide some coverage to victims when a driver active in their app causes harm.
Typically, the coverage is limited to when the driver is actively on the app, en route to pick up passengers, or is transporting passengers. If the driver is in their car with the app off, the rideshare company provides no coverage.
Most companies also provide more coverage when the driver is en route to pick up a passenger or has a passenger in the car, as opposed to the driver simply being active in the app but not yet having a pickup. So it is important to understand what phase the driver was in to determine what kinds of insurance may be available.
Monge & Associates can obtain cell phone records and records from the ridesharer company to uncover what insurance should be in place to pay for damages.
Contact a Spokane Rideshare Accident Lawyer Today
Rideshare accidents are high-stakes claims that raise complicated issues. Monge & Associates is here to help. Give us a call or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Spokane rideshare accident lawyer to learn how we can fight for you.