Nashville Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney

Skilled Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers in Nashville, Tennessee

Private transportation services are a great way to get to and from your destination when your vehicle is getting repaired or you’re on a business trip. In recent years, ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber have revolutionized the private transportation market, giving customers the ability to schedule cash-free rides and transactions with the push of a button on their smartphones. Although ridesharing services are convenient, customers and passengers face the same risks as when they ride buses or take taxis—especially when their drivers are negligent or careless behind the wheel. At Matt Hardin Law, our Nashville Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys know that the rise of ridesharing applications has made life easier for many residents of Middle Tennessee, but it can also increase the risk of accidents and serious injuries. If you or someone you love was injured in a ridesharing accident, contact us today by dialing completing a free online consultation form.

What Are Common Causes of Ridesharing Accidents?

One of the perks of ridesharing services is the fact that they rely on cutting-edge technology to schedule rides, pickups, and drop-offs. That often makes them much faster and more reliable than traditional taxi services. However, the reliance on technology can also result in accidents, as can the erratic schedules many drivers follow and their lack of training opportunities.

Some of the most common causes of ridesharing accidents include:

Distractions due to smartphones and GPS systems.

Most taxi drivers are familiar with the areas where they work, but drivers for ridesharing services may be new residents or frequently pick up passengers in unfamiliar locations of a city. Because they may not know the areas where they work, they often depend on their smartphones or GPS systems to navigate to and from their passengers’ destinations. When their attention is diverted away from the road due to looking at their GPS screens, serious accidents can occur.

Lack of driver training.

Many taxi driving companies and agencies require that their drivers undergo extensive background checks and screenings in addition to completing comprehensive driver training programs and even taxi training schools. While these steps can’t completely prevent accidents from occurring, they can help drivers be better equipped to deal with the stresses of the job. However, ridesharing services offer limited training and have lax requirements for their employees, and that means many drivers who are inexperienced and ill-prepared end up behind the wheel and transporting dozens of passengers every day.

Reckless or aggressive driving.

Ridesharing drivers don’t get paid unless they are transporting a customer to his or her destination. Because of that, it’s important for them to pick up as many customers during a shift as possible. In order to maximize their pay, they may engage in unsafe driving behaviors, such as speeding, running red lights or stop signs, making illegal U-turns, turning right on red where prohibited, and weaving in and out of traffic.

Driver fatigue and exhaustion.

People who drive for Lyft and Uber are free to set their own schedules. That means they may work extremely long shifts or in the middle of the night in order to increase their earnings. However, working for long periods of time or when they’re sleepy can put them, their passengers, and other drivers on the road at serious risk. Drivers who are sleepy or exhausted can either fall asleep behind the wheel or experience a severe impairment in their ability to drive safely.

What Should You Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident in Nashville?

The steps you take immediately after an Uber or Lyft accident can have a significant impact on both your health and your injury claim. If you’re physically able, call 911, seek medical attention, report the accident through the Uber or Lyft app, exchange contact and insurance information with everyone involved, and take photos of the accident scene. It’s also important to avoid giving recorded statements to insurance companies before speaking with an attorney.

Because rideshare accidents often involve multiple insurance policies and questions about driver status, determining who is responsible can be more complicated than a typical car accident. An experienced Nashville Uber and Lyft accident lawyer can investigate the crash, identify all available insurance coverage, and help you pursue the compensation you deserve while you focus on your recovery.