Ordering an Uber and choosing to travel with a rideshare service instead of driving yourself can be one of the most convenient and enjoyable ways to get around St. Augustine, but how certain can you be each time that you get into the back of a stranger’s car that you will make it safely to your destination without being hurt in an accident? Uber Technologies, Inc. is the parent company of the Uber ridesharing service, and they go to great lengths to ensure that all drivers on their platform meet strict quality and safety standards. These include background checks, vehicle inspection requirements, and rigorous rating standards, but a St. Augustine car accident lawyer is aware that there is no way that Uber can guarantee that you will never be involved in an accident while using their service.
If you have been in an accident while riding in an Uber, there is good news: Uber covers their drivers with policies that have limits that start at $1 million while they have a passenger in the car, and that coverage is available to compensate you for the damages that you incur from your accident. However, no matter how high the policy limit is, you can be certain that the insurance company is not going to willingly pay you all of what you deserve. For that, you will need to negotiate aggressively and bring ample proof of your counter-offers in order to keep conversations moving.
Contact Fasig | Brooks Today For a Free Consultation About Your Uber Accident
A St. Augustine personal injury lawyer at Fasig | Brooks is available as soon as possible to discuss your accident with you during a free initial consultation. During this consultation, we will be able to go over the specifics of your accident, learn more about the steps that you have already taken, discuss the impacts that this accident has had on your life, and give you a better sense of what you can expect when you are our client. We will also be happy to discuss past cases similar to your own so that you do not feel like you are all alone and that there is no clear path forward.
Read more below about Uber accidents in St. Augustine, and contact us as soon as possible to begin working with our firm and fighting for the money that you deserve today.
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Calculating Damages After An Uber Accident
When you file an insurance claim as a victim in an Uber accident, you will be assigned a claims adjuster that will spend the next few weeks investigating the case, taking statements, requesting documents and proof of damages, and more. Once they conclude their investigation, you will get an offer from the insurance company for a one-time settlement. In exchange for this settlement, you will be required to sign a waiver that blocks you from taking any additional legal action against the insurance company, the driver, or their client (Uber Technologies, Inc.).
There are a few problems here: first is that the settlement offer will be much lower than what you deserve. Secondly is that by waiving your rights for future actions so early, and without outside consultation, you will almost certainly be missing significant damages that you are entitled to. The following are some high-level examples of these damages that you are entitled to:
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Economic Damages
Economic damages are the basis of an insurance settlement and are the most likely to be included in the initial offer. The term “economic damage” refers to any damage that has a measurable dollar value. However, there are many different economic damages that the insurance company will likely avoid, but that your attorney will be able to include and provide clear proof of the connection with your accident. These damages include any of your medical bills for injuries relating to the accident, recovery costs such as physical therapy, as well as any impacts to your earnings and income as a result of your injuries. There are many other economic damages as well, all of which we will be happy to discuss with you during your initial consultation.
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Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are more difficult to calculate, and to negotiate for, than economic damages, because they do not have any measurable dollar value associated with them. Trying to negotiate these damages can be extremely frustrating, and if the insurance company knows that you are unfamiliar with these processes they will work aggressively to push back on any mention of these damages. To get what you deserve, they will need to provide calculations with their estimates.
Non-economic damages include things like pain and suffering, as well as other emotional, psychological, and physiological impacts of an accident. It is easy to doubt the validity of these damages when the insurance company pushes back aggressively, but your attorney will take the reigns while you are focusing on your health.
We know what needs to be done to facilitate a fair settlement