Santa Fe Rideshare Accident Lawyer

Santa Fe Rideshare Accident Attorney

More cars are on the road today than ever before, and the advent of ride-sharing services reflects the modern transportation system’s versatility. Despite the convenience offered by ride-sharing services, they are not foolproof, and accidents involving rideshare vehicles can lead to complicated legal questions that impede access to the financial support victims need.A Santa Fe rideshare accident lawyer is an important asset after any such accident.

Representing Rideshare Accident Victims in Santa Fe, NM

Joleen Youngers has been a passionate proponent of injury victims’ rights throughout New Mexico for years. She has the knowledge and experience to represent car accident victims when rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are involved.

To get personalized legal advice from an experienced attorney, call the firm at 505-820-0108.You can also complete the contact form. With offices in Santa Fe and Las Cruces, the firm provides representation to injury victims throughout New Mexico.

Proving Liability for Your Rideshare Accident in Santa Fe

If you believe another party is liable for your recent rideshare accident in Santa Fe, you will need to prove fault before you will be able to collect any compensation for your damages. The state’s fault-based system for resolving vehicle accident claims requires establishing fault before any compensation may be claimed through insurance or a personal injury suit.

If you were riding as a rideshare passenger, it is unlikely that you would beblamed for the accident. Fault may fall on your driver or the driver of another vehicle. Your Santa Fe rideshare accident lawyer can assist you in gathering evidence to prove fault so you know how to direct your recovery efforts. If you were driving your own vehicle when a rideshare driver hit you, you must prove they were responsible for the accident before seeking compensation for damages.

Allow Your Attorney to Gather Evidence for You

Attempting to gather the evidence you need for your case on your own would be incredibly difficult. Not only would the average person have trouble securing certain types of evidence without assistance, but they may also be recovering from painful injuries or caring for an injured family member. By hiring a Santa Fe rideshare accident lawyer, you make handling your case easier, and you are more likely to maximize your recovery in an efficient manner.

How Ride-Sharing Complicates Insurance Claims

Every driver in the state must have personal auto insurance that meets basic coverage requirements and rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft require their drivers to have appropriate coverage before they allow them to work as rideshare drivers. These companies also have additional insurance coverage, but this insurance works in different ways based on who is at fault for a rideshare accident and the timing of the accident.

In a car crash, there are usually clear participants, but ridesharing introduces an additional party and additional questions. Rideshare companies are reluctant to pay for injuries, even when the company can be held liable. And rideshare companies have significant legal resources to combat your claim. Determining whether a driver is at fault, whose insurance is responsible for compensation and whether there is shared liability can be complicated. Right now, when you are healing, additional complications are the last thing you need.

You have a very limited time in which to file your insurance claim after any vehicle accident, and while it is crucial to file the claim as quickly as possible, you should not rush this aspect of your recovery and accept the first settlement offer extended to you. You should also refrain from discussing a settlement with an insurance company before you speak with a Santa Fe rideshare accident lawyer.

Ms. Younger will fight for your well-being and the compensation you deserve. She holds rideshare companies liable for injuries to passengers and other motorists. She can even help you get compensation for injuries if you were hurt while driving for a rideshare company. She will work diligently to identify your claim eligibility and maximize your compensation to account for your medical bills and lost wages.

Understanding Rideshare Insurance

The purpose of auto insurance is to cover the damages a policyholder caused in an accident. New Mexico requires a driver’s insurance policy to meet minimum coverage levels for bodily injury liability and property damage. When a driver causes an accident, their insurance can pay for the resulting damages up to the limits of their policy. Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have additional insurance, but this type of insurance works a bit differently.

Rideshare companies have strict terms and conditions for when their insurance will pay for their drivers’ damages after accidents and when their insurance will pay for an injured passenger’s damages. The timing of the accident in relation to the driver’s actions is crucial. If the driver is using their vehicle for personal reasons and is not logged into their driver app when they cause an accident, their own personal insurance policy applies if they cause an accident.

Once the driver has logged into their driver app and marked themselves as ready for a passenger’s ride request, the first level of the rideshare company’s insurance can apply if they cause an accident. Depending on the fault for the accident, the rideshare company’s insurance can act as third party coverage, but the at-fault driver’s insurance is likely to be used first to cover a victim’s damages.

After the rideshare driver picks up a passenger, the second level of the rideshare company’s insurance will apply until they deliver the passenger to their destination. At this level of coverage, the rideshare company’s insurance policy can provide extensive third-party coverage, but this is still not a guarantee that insurance can fully cover all your claimable damages or that filing your claim will be easy.

Insurance companies generally tend to avoid paying out settlements whenever they can, sometimes engaging in unethical tactics in their efforts to take advantage of unwary injured claimants who are desperate for whatever compensation they can get as quickly as possible. Claim adjusters are trained to use a claimant’s own words against them, which is why it is so important that you have an attorney guide you through the insurance claim filing process.

Building a Personal Injury Case for a Rideshare Accident

Auto insurance may be your first option for recovering your damages after a rideshare accident, but the available insurance coverage may not fully compensate your losses. If insurance does not fully cover your damages, you will need to build a personal injury suit in order to secure compensation from the party or parties responsible for causing the accident. Success with this claim requires clear proof of liability and proof of the full extent of your claimable damages.

Most personal injury cases filed in the state arise from acts of negligence, or failure to use reasonable care in specific situations. Some of the most common forms of negligence that cause rideshare accidents in Santa Fe include distracted driving, moving violations, speeding, and failure to address mechanical issues with a vehicle. Establishing negligence in a personal injury case means proving a defendant’s failure to use reasonable care directly caused your damages.

Alternatively, it is possible for a personal injury to arise from an intentional and illegal act, such as intoxicated driving. In this situation, the defendant not only faces a civil suit from their victim but also criminal charges from the state. The fact that they severely injured or killed someone with their illegal act could mean a significantly increased penalty. Your attorney can advise you as to how any such factors could influence the outcome of your civil claim for damages.

Damages in a Personal Injury Case

The objective of a personal injury case is for the injured plaintiff to prove fault for their damages and to recover compensation for those damages so they can be as whole as possible again. The injured plaintiff has the right to claim compensation for their economic damages, which include any direct and measurable financial losses incurred as a result of the accident, and non-economic damages, which include intangible losses like physical pain and psychological distress.

Your accident may have resulted in serious injuries, which are not only painful but also expensive to treat. The defendant who caused the accident is liable for the full cost of all yourmedical expenses, including future medical treatment costs, if you suffered a serious injury that requires ongoing care. Similarly, if you are unable to work due to your injury, the defendant is liable for your lost income and your lost earning capacity if you cannot return to work.

Non-economic damages are more challenging to define, as the average person may not know how to assign a monetary value to intangible losses like physical pain and emotional distress. New Mexico law does not cap or limit pain and suffering compensation in most personal injury cases, so this could be a large portion of your total recovery if you suffered extreme injuries. Generally, the more serious an injury, the more the plaintiff can expect in compensation.

Punitive damages may also come into play if the facts of your case show the defendant broke the law in causing your injury. These damages are awarded at the discretion of the court based on the severity of the defendant’s actions and their financial status. While your claimed damages aim to repair losses, punitive damages intend to punish the defendant’s wrongdoing and discourage similar behavior in the future.

What to Expect from Your Santa Fe Rideshare Accident Lawyer

The right attorney can have a tremendous positive influence on your experience with your rideshare accident proceedings and the quality of the recovery you obtain. When you choose Youngers Law, PA, to represent you in a rideshare accident case, trust our team to help you gather the evidence needed to prove fault for the crash, determine your most viable recovery options, and guide you toward securing the compensation you need to recover.

Your case is likely to involve difficult negotiations with auto insurance companies. These companies have robust in-house legal teams and are adept at taking advantage of unwary claimants. They will generally seek to settle a claim for as little as possible, and they will seize every opportunity to justify denying a claim entirely. However, you will be better prepared to face them when you have legal counsel you trust to support you.

Youngers Law, PA, will help you gather the documentation necessary to file your auto insurance claim, and we will explain what you can expect during this process so you can approach the situation with confidence. If you encounter any unfair pushback from the insurance company, our team will be ready to help you overcome the situation and ensure they handle your claim in good faith.

If you must file a personal injury suit to recover your damages, trust us to build a compelling case. If the defendant accepts liability and agrees to settlement negotiations, you can rely on us to guide you through this process and obtain a fair settlement. However, if litigation is necessary for any reason, or if you are more likely to secure maximum compensation with a trial verdict, trust us to represent you in the courtroom.

FAQs

How Do You Prove Fault for a Rideshare Accident in Santa Fe?

You can prove fault for a rideshare accident in Santa Fe by gathering evidence that proves the exact cause of the accident and identifies the party or parties responsible. Proving fault for a rideshare accident will entail what you could expect after most other vehicle accidents. Cell phone records, traffic camera footage, and witness testimony are often some of the most important pieces of evidence for proving fault in these cases.

How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Rideshare Accident?

The amount of compensation you can claim for a rideshare accident will depend on the nature and severity of your injuries. If you can prove another party is directly responsible for causing the accident, you can hold them accountable for all resulting damages. The total value of your claim could potentially include compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and your pain and suffering.

Why Should I Hire a Santa Fe Rideshare Accident Lawyer?

You should hire a Santa Fe rideshare accident lawyer because resolving this type of case is far more difficult than resolving most other types of vehicle accident cases. These cases often raise difficult questions of liability and insurance-related disputes. You need a legal representative who can help you make clearer sense of your situation and guide you through the complex series of legal proceedings necessary for resolving your case.

How Long Will It Take to Resolve My Rideshare Accident Case?

The time required to resolve your rideshare accident case can fluctuate based on several variables. If you are able to recover full compensation for your damages through insurance and the insurance carrier handles your claim in good faith, this may only take a few weeks to resolve. If you encounter disputes against your claim or must file a personal injury suit, these factors can significantly extend your case’s timetable.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Santa Fe Rideshare Accident Lawyer?

The cost to hire a Santa Fe rideshare accident lawyer will depend on the lawyer’s billing policy. At Youngers Law, PA, we accept most personal injury cases on a contingency basis, meaning we only charge our clients a fee if we succeed with their claim, and their fee will be a percentage of the total compensation we recover for them. If we are unable to obtain compensation for our client, there is no fee.

Experience with Rideshare Accidents

Attorney Joleen Youngers has decades of experience handling collision cases and works with her staff as a team to tackle difficult legal problems. To work with a passionate, creative and effective lawyer, call the firm at 505-820-0108 or send the firm an email. Your initial consultation is free.