Rideshare Accident & Injury Attorneys In Santa Fe

The rise of rideshares felt at first like a revelation to anyone who hates driving. A car on call, right from an app? What could be better? But when someone is in an accident as a rideshare passenger or as someone sharing the road with a rideshare, those conveniences come with a lot of questions.

At Clark & Ruyle, Attorneys at Law, LLC, our personal injury lawyers work hard for clients across Santa Fe. As Lyft and Uber accident attorneys, they confront the often confusing and unsettling issues of rideshare crashes that confound our clients. We offer our clients the benefits of our team’s trial-tested skills and 45 combined years of high-stakes criminal defense experience. They understand how to fight in court, and they are ready to bring those skills to the people who need it most.

How Rideshare Accidents Differ From Other Accidents

A rideshare does not differ from car accidents in any physical way. The injuries that can result from a rideshare accident, are all the same as what you would find in other accidents:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Broken bones
• Puncture wounds
• Internal organ damage
• Whiplash

Additionally, from a damages perspective, you can pursue the same damages that you’d have in other accidents from medical bills to the considerable non-economic damages.

What changes is who is liable. In New Mexico, there are important laws about liability in regard to rideshares that look closely at the status of the driver when the accident occurred. There are three potential statuses that could be relevant here:

• App off: If the app is not on, and the driver is not actively seeking a ride, then the driver is fully liable for the compensation owed.
• App on/seeking passenger: Before the rideshare driver is notified of a ride request, there must be some rideshare company liability coverage.
• While engaged in a ride: From notification to drop off, the rideshare company must provide high liability coverage.

The potential victims for any accident can include drivers of other vehicles, passengers in the rideshare, pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Role Of Auto Insurance In Rideshare Accidents

If you are in an accident with a rideshare, or if you are a rideshare driver, your auto insurance can come into play in multiple ways. The first way is through comparative fault in the accident. In complex, multicar accidents, many parties can share some amount of the fault in an accident, and all are potentially liable for damages. In these cases, your insurance will be impacted.

However, as a rideshare driver, the law specifically states your insurance must cover the accident if you are not utilizing the app at the time of the accident. If the app is in use there are two levels of coverage for accident:

• Reduced coverage: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident for injuries or death due to the crash for accidents when the app is on and the driver has not received a ride request.
• Enhanced coverage: $1 million minimum coverage active from the moment they accept a rider, to the moment they drop off their rider.

The enhanced coverage available is important, and it is often one of the targets we pursue aggressively when our clients are victims of rideshare accidents. However, as a rideshare driver for a rideshare, it should be a comfort to know that you have some support if you should get into an accident while transporting someone.

Can You Still Recover Compensation If The Operator Was Partly At Fault?

With the New Mexico comparative negligence rules, you can recover compensation even if you are 51% or more at fault. Your recovery gets reduced by your fault percentage only. Even with the majority of the blame, you still recover the remaining percentage.

Insurance carriers know how to use this rule to reduce payments. They often push for statements that shift more fault onto you. A small detail in your wording can change the outcome of your case. Our attorneys counter these tactics with:

• Police reports and witness statements
• Traffic camera and dashcam footage
• Accident reconstruction analysis
• Medical records documenting your injuries

With 45 combined years of trial-tested experience, we build strong cases that hold negligent parties accountable.

Why Do Rideshare Accident Claims Take Longer Than Regular Car Accidents?

Rideshare accidents involve multiple parties and policies. You deal with the driver’s personal insurance, the rideshare company’s coverage and other drivers’ policies.

The app’s status at the time of the crash determines which insurance applies. Multiple insurance companies mean more negotiations. Each one tries to minimize their payout and disputes coverage.

Many riders and drivers we serve start the process themselves, and later discover missed deadlines or incomplete forms. These mistakes can delay payment or harm the claim. At our firm, we do not let insurance companies drag out your case. When insurers refuse to cooperate, we take your case to court.

What If You Were Hit By An Uber Or Lyft While Riding A Motorcycle, Bicycle Or Walking?

You still have the same rights as any accident victim. Rideshare companies must carry liability coverage when their drivers are working. That coverage applies whether you are in a vehicle, on a motorcycle, bicycle or walking as a pedestrian.

Motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians suffer more severe injuries because they lack the protection cars provide. However, fast settlement offers are common in these cases. They rarely cover future treatment or lost income. Our attorneys take the time to examine every cost, both now and later.

Get Representation Now

If you’ve found yourself in an accident with a rideshare driver or you are a rideshare driver in an accident, representation matters. There are many small things you can do after you get in a crash like that, but the laws regarding rideshare accidents in Santa Fe and all over New Mexico are highly complicated. You do not want to go this alone.

Our attorneys have built reputations for aggressiveness in all of their cases. We hold the people that injure you accountable, and we make sure that any question you have about your case is answered quickly, correctly and with full care taken to look at all the factors of your unique situation.

Reach Out To Clark & Ruyle, Attorneys at Law, LLC For A Free Consultation

Our legal team includes Lyft and Uber accident lawyers with experience. They know how the law works, and they are ready to fight for victims of negligence anywhere in Arriba County. Don’t delay after your crash. Get in touch with our firm by calling 505-819-0493 or sending an email using this form.

You’re in pain right now, and we’ll take every step we can to help you move forward and get the compensation you deserve.