Huntsville Rideshare Accident Attorney

Filing an insurance or legal claim after suffering injuries and property damage in a rideshare accident in Huntsville might allow you to recover compensation for financial and personal losses you incurred due to the accident.

If you obtain a settlement or judgment in your rideshare accident case, you might receive money for:

• Costs of repairs to your car or reimbursement for your vehicle’s cash value if totaled in the accident
• Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation, including hospitalization, surgeries, pain medication, or physical/occupational therapy
• Home health care or other long-term support needed for disabilities that result from your accident injuries
• Ongoing and future losses of income if your injuries keep you out of work or reduce your earning capacity
• Physical pain and anguish
• Emotional trauma or distress
• Loss of quality of life due to physical disabilities or permanent scarring/disfigurement

Where Do Rideshare Accidents Occur in Huntsville?

According to the Alabama Department of Transportation, 134,039 motor vehicle crashes occurred statewide in one recent year, with a reported accident occurring on average nearly every four minutes.

Alabama motor vehicle accidents resulted in 37,983 cases of injuries. The state had 853 fatal motor vehicle accidents, resulting in 932 deaths. Fifty-seven fatalities occurred in traffic accidents caused by distracted driving.

Passenger cars comprised about half of all vehicles involved in auto accidents in Alabama, while SUVs, minivans, and station wagons accounted for over a quarter of crashes. Over half of all traffic accidents in urban communities in Alabama occurred in shopping or business districts, with about another quarter of accidents occurring in residential districts.

In the Huntsville area, 7,087 motor vehicle accidents occurred at intersections, while 2,545 accidents occurred outside of intersections.

Rideshare drivers face the same risks of getting into crashes as other drivers. Huntsville motorists know some of the most dangerous roads and intersections for motor vehicle accidents.

Some of the most notable dangerous roads and intersections in and around Huntsville include:

• U.S. 72/Lee Highway, particularly at the intersections of Ryland Pike and Dug Hill Road
• U.S. 431
• University Drive at Memorial Parkway
• Jordan Lane at University Drive and at I-565
• Old Madison Pike at Research Park Boulevard

About Rideshare Accident Claims in Huntsville, AL

Because rideshare drivers have other tasks to perform while driving that other drivers don’t have, such as continually navigating to unfamiliar destinations and interacting with passengers, operating a rideshare vehicle can become a challenging job.

However, rideshare drivers receive no specialized training beyond the standard driver’s education required of all motorists.

The demands of rideshare driving, which include picking up passengers and completing rides as quickly as possible, can lead drivers to get into accidents for various reasons, including:

• Speeding or traveling too fast for road/weather/visibility/traffic conditions
• Tailgating/following too closely
• Reckless driving, including excessive speeding or swerving around or through traffic
• Aggressive driving
• Double parking
• Turning, changing lanes, or pulling into traffic without signaling or checking mirrors
• Distracted driving, including focusing on a cell phone while moving
• Drowsy/fatigued driving, because rideshare drivers frequently work long hours and drive during late night/early morning hours to take advantage of increased demand from people going to or leaving bars, clubs, restaurants, and house parties.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Running red lights/stop signs or disregarding traffic controls
• Failing to yield the right of way
• Making illegal turns or lane changes

Rideshare accidents can cause passengers or occupants of other vehicles involved in collisions with rideshare vehicles to suffer various physical trauma, such as:

• Lacerations and abrasions
• Broken bones
• Dislocated joints
• Ligament sprains and tears
• Muscle or tendon strains and tears
• Nerve damage
• Whiplash
• Facial and dental injuries
• Herniated spinal disc injuries
• Internal injuries and bleeding
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Traumatic brain injuries

Under Alabama law, rideshare drivers and companies must maintain primary insurance coverage with policy limits that meet minimum requirements. A qualifying insurance policy, either obtained by the rideshare driver or by the rideshare company on behalf of its driver, must provide coverage for rideshare activities.

This insurance coverage comes into effect whenever a rideshare driver logs into the company’s network and makes themselves available for transportation requests.

Coverage requirements for rideshare insurance vary depending on the driver’s activity when an accident occurs.

When a driver logs into the rideshare company’s network and makes themselves available for transportation requests but has not yet received a request, rideshare insurance provides coverage that includes:

• At least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident for bodily injury and death liability coverage
• At least $25,000 per accident for property damage liability coverage

When a driver has accepted a transportation request or has a passenger or delivery in their vehicle, rideshare insurance must provide a combined liability policy limit of at least $1 million for death, bodily injury, and property damage.

The statute of limitations in Alabama typically requires filing a lawsuit within two years after a rideshare accident. However, this two-year deadline does not mean you should wait to speak with a Huntsville rideshare accident attorney about your case.

Investigating an accident, recovering evidence, and preparing your legal case will take time. If you wait too long to begin preparing your claim and file a lawsuit after the limitations period expires, you may lose the opportunity to recover compensation for your injuries and losses.

For this reason, contact McCutcheon & Hamner immediately after a rideshare accident to give yourself the best chance to file your claims on time.

Rideshare Companies and Insurers Fight Hard To Deny Accident Claims

Although state law requires rideshare drivers and companies to carry liability insurance, victims of rideshare accidents frequently face challenges in recovering the compensation they need and deserve.

Insurance companies maximize profits by paying as little as possible on accident claims. As a result, insurers will do everything they can to avoid liability for rideshare accident injuries.

Adjusters will use tactics such as pressuring accident victims to accept a quick settlement, asking for written or recorded statements so that the insurance company can twist an injured party’s statement to shift blame for the crash onto them, or requesting access to an accident victim’s medical history to look for evidence of pre-existing or degenerative conditions the insurance company can blame the victim’s injuries on.

Don’t face the insurance companies alone. Turn to a Huntsville rideshare accident attorney from McCutcheon & Hamner to help you stand up to insurers to demand the fair and total compensation you deserve.

Our legal team will vigorously pursue the financial resources you need to recover from the accident and your injuries so you can focus on your treatment and healing. You can trust us to fight as hard as possible for the best outcome in your rideshare accident case.

What Steps Can You Take After Getting Hurt in a Rideshare Accident

After you’ve gotten into an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, you can take steps to preserve your legal options for seeking financial recovery and put yourself in a favorable position to maximize your compensation.

Steps to take following a rideshare accident include:

• Follow your healthcare provider’s recommended treatment plan and recovery instructions. Do not put off procedures or rehabilitation for your injuries; otherwise, you risk aggravating your injuries and jeopardizing your financial recovery.
• Request copies of medical records of your injury treatment and rehabilitation.
• Obtain copies of any police accident reports.
• Keep any bills, invoices, or receipts for expenses you incur for vehicle repairs or medical treatment.
• Gather your pay stubs/income statements if you need to take time off work or suffer a loss of earning capacity due to injuries or resulting disabilities.
• File an accident report with the rideshare company as soon as possible, which you can do through the trip page on the rideshare company’s mobile app (if the accident occurred while riding in a rideshare vehicle) or through the company’s website.

Finally, make time to speak with a Huntsville rideshare accident attorney from McCutcheon & Hamner as soon as possible after a crash involving a rideshare vehicle. You have limited time to prepare and file your rideshare accident claims.

The sooner you talk to a rideshare accident attorney, the greater the chances your attorney can recover evidence and testimony to build a compelling case to hold the driver or company liable for your injuries and losses.