Need an Injury Lawyer in Maine for a Ridesharing Accident?
People are injured and killed in ridesharing accidents every year in Maine and many other states. There are many more risks in these accidents than we could have ever perceived. Every state has adopted some type of ridesharing company to take people from one place to another. Every year, more than 1 million people lose their lives to accidents that occur on our roadways, which opens our eyes to the fact that these accidents can occur in the blink of an eye. Uber drivers and many other ridesharing drivers are supposed to go through background checks so that companies can ensure that drivers do not have extensive traffic records showing that they were in previous serious accidents. Because ridesharing services are still fairly new, we don’t know as much as we’d like to about these accidents – but we do know one thing: You may not be as protected as you’d like if you are involved in one.
If you are involved in a ridesharing accident, you may wonder where to turn. You may wonder which parties you can file a claim against to receive the compensation you deserve because sometimes it is not as clear as you’d like for it to be. Luckily, we can help in your time of need as you make these distinctions.
Personal Injury Protection
After your accident, you may be confused as you think about where to turn in your desperate time of need. Many states across the country practice something known as ‘personal injury protection,’ or PIP – this is a special type of protection that allows many people to gain recovery when it comes to things like medical bills, lost wages, and more. Anything that you have suffered on a financial level is up for grabs when it comes to this category. However, many people discover that they are not eligible for PIP because they do not have vehicles and solely rely on the help of ridesharing services. If you do not have any type of insurance and you are involved in an accident, the bills may be piling up and you wonder how you will be compensated in this difficult time.
How to Receive Compensation for Your Injuries
After your accident, you want to do everything it takes to preserve evidence in your case because you could wind up involved in a personal injury battle. This means that you want to take photographs of your injuries and damages to the vehicle, as well as show proof of your medical bills from the past and present. Uber, like many other ridesharing companies, provides passengers with a type of protection under their $1 million insurance policies meant to protect passengers. But is it as ‘protective’ as it needs to be? Many serious accidents result in losses that well exceed this amount, so you may wind up in debt even when the company is willing to protect you.
Many ridesharing companies consider their workers ‘independent contractors,’ which means that you cannot hold a company liable for the actions of the worker. This is because they are not an actual employee. If they were an employee, you could hold the company liable under vicarious liability laws. As you can see, these cases can take many different directions and you could end up being more confused than you did directly after your accident. Luckily, you have help on your side. If you have been injured in a Maine ridesharing accident, we want to help. Call us for more information.