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Seattle Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyers
Holding rideshare drivers and companies accountable for the accidents they cause in Washington
At Smith McBroom, we’re skilled at showing how car accidents happen, why they were preventable, and exactly who is responsible. Our Seattle Uber/Lyft attorneys work with your doctors and our own network of physicians to show the full severity of your injuries. We also represent families if a loved one dies in a Washington rideshare accident. Our record of impressive results includes numerous verdicts and settlements for hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars.
How can we help?
- How do you fight for rideshare accident victims?
- What types of Uber/Lyft accidents do you handle in Seattle?
- Why do rideshare accidents happen in Seattle?
- What types of injuries do your Seattle Uber/Lyft lawyers handle?
- Who is liable for an Uber or Lyft accident in Seattle?
- Who pays when an Uber/Lyft driver causes an accident?
- Do you have a Seattle Uber or Lyft accident lawyer near me?
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How do you fight for rideshare accident victims?
We work step-by-step to show:
- That the Uber or Lyft driver was on duty and looking for rides
- That the Uber or Lyft driver had a passenger in their vehicle
- What caused the accident
- What other cars or pedestrians were involved in the accident
- What route the Uber or Lyft driver was taking
- Who is responsible for the accident
We explain to insurance and insurance companies that rideshare drivers owe a high duty of care to their passengers and everyone on the road.
We work with your doctors and our own network of doctors to verify what injuries you have, what medical care you’ll need (for the rest of your life), the full cost of that medical care, your daily pain and suffering, and every way your life is more difficult because of your injuries.
If a loved one dies, we file wrongful death actions against the responsible driver and any other responsible parties.
What types of Uber/Lyft accidents do you handle in Seattle?
Our Seattle Uber & Lyft accident lawyers represent drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicycle riders, and families when any rideshare accident happens, including these types of collisions:
- Head-on accidents
- Rear-end crashes
- Broadside collisions
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Slip and fall accidents when passengers get into and out of vehicles
- Sexual assaults by Uber or Lyft drivers
- Any other type of car accident
Why do rideshare accidents happen in Seattle?
Uber and Lyft drivers often cause accidents for the same reason other car drivers cause accidents – distracted driving, driving under the influence, speeding, failure to use caution at intersections, and other causes.
Many reasons Uber and Lyft drivers are involved in accidents are due to the challenges of driving a rideshare vehicle. These challenges include:
- Technology. Uber and Lyft drivers depend on technology to earn a living. They routinely check their smartphones and the Internet for requests for rides and messages from passengers. Drivers who are texting while driving, looking at their phones, or even speaking on their phones are not focused on the traffic around them. Overreliance on technology is a leading cause of distracted driving.
- Using a GPS. Most Uber and Lyft drivers rely on their car’s or smartphone’s GPS to instruct them where to pick up passengers and where to deliver passengers. Looking at a GPS is dangerous. It’s better to listen. Yet too many rideshare drivers in Washington routinely look at a GPS to understand where to turn, how far to travel until the next intersection, and for other reasons. Looking at a GPS is a form of distracted driving.
- Driver fatigue. Many Uber and Lyft drivers spend too many hours on the road looking for extra rides that mean enough income for the day. Tired drivers can’t focus on their driving. Tired drivers who cause car accidents deserve to be held accountable for the injuries and deaths they cause.
All Uber and Lyft drivers must comply with Washington’s traffic laws.
What types of injuries do your Seattle Uber/Lyft lawyers handle?
Smith McBroom handles catastrophic injuries and all other types of serious injuries. We have the experience and medical relationships to handle:
- Head trauma and traumatic brain injuries
- Loss of limb/traumatic amputations
- Spinal cord damage and paralysis
- Complex, simple, compound, and multiple fractures
- Third-degree burn injuries
- Kidney, lung, and other organ damage
- Nerve, tissue, ligament, muscle, and tendon damage
- Back injuries
- Neck and shoulder injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Sexual assault injuries
- Loss of sight
- Loss of hearing
- Other serious injuries
Who is liable for an Uber or Lyft accident in Seattle?
Uber and Lyft drivers owe a duty of care to their passengers and to other drivers on the road to drive safely. It’s inexcusable for a driver to become distracted because he/she is looking at their GPS or communicating with passengers by texting while driving. Our Seattle car accident lawyers file claims against all responsible parties. The defendants may include:
- The driver of an Uber or Lyft vehicle
- Another driver
- The manufacturer of a defective car part, such as brakes, tires, electrical systems, seatbelts, and airbags
- Any sellers of alcohol to a driver who is visibly intoxicated or underage
- Any responsible Washington agency or entity
We’ll explain when Uber or Lyft is responsible and when Uber of Lyft’s insurance coverage pays for your damages.
Sexual assault claims
At Smith McBroom, we file sexual assault claims. Some of our largest results involve victims of sexual assaults and abuse.
If an Uber or Lyft passenger is sexually assaulted, we file a personal injury complaint against the driver. We coordinate the civil claim with the local prosecutor’s office. We may also file a complaint against the rideshare company for failing to conduct background checks on their drivers, investigate any complaints of prior sexual assault or abuse, and properly monitor their drivers.
We work with rape professionals, sexual assault counselors, and psychologists to help victims with the trauma of a sexual attack. We demand compensation for the victim’s physical injuries, emotional injuries, and any financial damages.
Who pays when an Uber/Lyft driver causes an accident?
Determining which insurance company pays your claim if you are injured by an Uber or Lyft driver is complicated. Our Seattle rideshare lawyers understand these complexities. Different insurance policies apply depending on whether the driver was off-duty, on-duty but hadn’t agreed to pick up a passenger, and on-duty and was transporting a passenger.
Generally, the insurance coverage is as follows.
- The Uber or Lyft driver is off duty. If the driver causes an accident that injures a driver or passenger in another car, a pedestrian, or a bicycle rider; then the personal auto liability policy of the driver pays for the damages. All car drivers in Washington must have the following minimum insurance:
- Bodily injury and death to one person in one accident. $25,000.
- Bodily injury and death to multiple people in one accident. $50,000.
- Property damage coverage. $10,000.
- The Uber or Lyft driver is logged in and looking for a passenger. Uber and Lyft should provide the following coverage:
- Bodily injury and death to one person in one accident. $50,000.
- Bodily injury and death to multiple people in one accident. $100,000.
- Property damage coverage. $30,000.
- The Uber or Lyft driver is transporting a passenger. Uber and Lyft must provide at least $1 million in liability and uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage for everyone who is injured.
Our Seattle Uber & Lyft injury lawyers have the experience to show when a driver is logged in and when a driver has a passenger in the car.
Where possible, rideshare accident victims should keep any electronic records that they had accepted a ride with an Uber or a Lyft driver.
Do you have a Seattle Uber or Lyft accident lawyer near me?
Smith McBroom meets rideshare accident victims at our Seattle office at 16400 Southcenter Parkway Suite 210. Our lawyers meet clients who are too injured to come to our office at healthcare facilities and the homes of victims. Our attorneys also speak with clients by phone and online.
We understand how anxious you are. We’ll answer all your questions and guide you calmly and clearly through the claims process.
Talk with our respected Seattle Uber/Lyft lawyers today
Just because Uber and Lyft drivers are supporting themselves financially doesn’t excuse negligent driving. Rideshare drivers owe their passengers and other vehicles on the road a high duty of care to protect their passengers. Our Seattle rideshare lawyers work with investigators, the police, traffic reconstruction experts, and through the discovery process to show how your accident happened. We work with your medical team and our network of doctors to show just how devastating your injuries are. Please call us or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We represent car accident victims in Tukwila, Seattle, and across Washington state.