Boynton Beach Ride Share Accident Lawyer

The ride share industry has exploded in the United States in recent years. As of 2023, Uber services almost 75 percent of the market with Lyft rides accounting for the majority of the remaining rides. Collectively, revenue in the U.S. rideshare market is projected to be over $100 billion in 2023 with the number of users anticipated to be close to 200 million. While ride share services offer a convenient way to take anything from a short trip to a friend’s house to a longer trip to the airport, every time you get into a ride share vehicle your safety depends on the reliability of an unfamiliar vehicle, and the driving skills of a stranger. Most ride share trips go as planned; however, accidents do occur. If you were injured in a Boynton Beach ride share accident, or a loved one was fatally injured in one, compensation may be available to you for the injuries or loss you suffered.

Trying to figure out what steps to take following any motor vehicle accident can be overwhelming. When you are injured in a ride share accident, it adds a layer of confusion and uncertainty to the aftermath of the accident. Attempting to locate and follow up on medical care while also worrying about the legal ramifications of the accident can be exhausting. Fortunately, you do not need to do all that by yourself. A Boynton Beach ride share accident lawyer at Demand the Limits can assist you and act as your advocate throughout the entire legal process. If another party was partially or wholly responsible for a ride share accident that left you injured or grieving the loss of a loved one, you need a Boynton Beach ride share accident lawyer to protect your rights to compensation. We will aggressively work to hold the at-fault party accountable and to secure compensation for your physical injuries and emotional trauma. Contact us today by calling (561) 600-3555 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation.

What Causes Boynton Beach Ride Share Accidents?

According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (FHSMV), there are approximately 25,000 motor vehicle accidents throughout Palm Beach County each year. While we do not know how many of those crashes involve a ride share vehicle, we do know that over one in three adults admits to using ride shares and that approximately six percent of a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) across the U.S. It is likely, therefore, that a significant number of Boynton Beach collisions involve a ride share vehicle each year. Many of the most common contributing factors in all motor vehicle collisions are believed to cause ride share accidents, including:

• Speeding
• Aggressive driving
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription medications, or over-the-counter medications.
• Driving while fatigued.
• Distracted driving.
• Improperly designed or maintained roadways.

Are Ride Share Drivers Required to Carry Insurance in Florida?

The good news for an injured victim or surviving family member of someone killed in a Boynton Beach ride share accident is that Florida law requires ride share drivers to carry liability insurance in the amount of at least $1 million in coverage for property damage, physical injury, and death when a passenger is in the vehicle. That same law calls for a ride share driver to have $50,000 in physical injury or death liability coverage anytime the app is on, even if a passenger is not in the vehicle, as long as the driver is actively waiting for a passenger to hail a ride. To ensure that their drivers remain in compliance with the law, major ride share companies such as Uber and Lyft provide the necessary liability coverage to drivers. They may also offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to drivers.

How Does Florida’s No-Fault Insurance Law Impact a Boynton Beach Ride Share Accident?

Like a few other states, Florida has what is commonly referred to as a “no-fault” insurance law that requires all drivers to carry a minimum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance that will cover medical bills and lost wages up to $10,000 without the need to determine who caused a collision. That law applies to ride share drivers as well as to other passenger vehicles operating on the state’s roadways. Unfortunately, the no-fault insurance law only requires an injured victim to be compensated at the rate of 80 percent for reasonable medical bills and 60 percent for lost wages, up to the maximum of $10,000. Not only does the law fail to fully compensate an injured victim, but it requires no compensation for non-economic damages, such as pain, suffering, scarring, or mental anguish, nor does it address compensation for survivors of a fatal accident.

When Can I Leave the No-Fault System for a Boynton Beach Ride Share Accident?

Because the no-fault insurance system cannot fairly compensate a victim for serious injuries or a surviving family member for the death of a family member, the law includes a “serious injury” threshold that opens the door to additional compensation through a traditional personal injury lawsuit. Florida’s serious injury threshold requires a victim to suffer one of the following:

• Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function.
• Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability.
• Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement.
• Death.

If your injuries qualify to pursue a traditional personal injury lawsuit, you will need to prove that another party’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident to be entitled to compensation. Negligence essentially requires you to prove that another party breached the duty of care owed to you. In a car accident, that often means proving that another driver was doing things such as driving under the influence, driving distracted, or speeding at the time of the accident.

What Compensation Am I Entitled to for My Boynton Beach Ride Share Accident?

If you were injured in a Boynton Beach ride share accident, you may be entitled to economic and non-economic damages from the at-fault party or parties. Economic damages represent the objective, easily quantifiable costs and expenses associated with the accident, such as:

• Doctor and hospital expenses.
• Lost wages and income.
• Rehabilitation expenses.

Non-economic damages represent the subjective, less easily quantifiable, costs and expenses related to the accident and may include things such as:

• Physical pain and emotional suffering.
• Diminished quality of life.
• Scarring and disfigurement.

If you are a surviving parent or child of someone who was killed in a Boynton Beach ride share accident you may also be entitled to compensation in a Florida wrongful death lawsuit for things such as lost future earnings, pain and suffering, and the loss of guidance and companionship.

Get Help from an Experienced Boynton Beach Ride Share Accident Lawyer

If you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a Boynton Beach ride share accident, you may be entitled to compensation for all your injuries or loss. A Boynton Beach ride share accident lawyer at Demand the Limits can review your case and explain your legal options to you. We can also discuss what we can do to pursue justice for you and your family, such as:

• Investigating the accident to determine if anyone was at-fault.
• Reviewing your injuries to see if you meet the “serious injury” threshold.
• Identifying the at-fault party or parties.
• Helping you locate the best medical care available.
• Negotiating a favorable settlement, so you do not need to go through a trial.
• Litigating your case at trial if a favorable settlement is not forthcoming.

At Demand the Limits, our experienced West Palm Beach personal injury accident lawyers have extensive experience with ride share accident injury cases. We will fight hard to defend the legal rights of all Boynton Beach injury victims. Call (561) 600-3555 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation. Don’t delay – the sooner you have an attorney fighting for you, the better protected your legal rights will be.