Ubers and Lyfts are extremely popular ways to get around East Boston, Massachusetts, whether you are a local or a tourist. In fact, there were more than 18 Million Uber and Lyft rides in Boston in 2021. Some people have opted for calling an Uber or Lyft instead of using public transportation such as the MBTA bus or T ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. While many people use rideshare services locally in East Boston, many people in East Boston often choose to hail a ride to Boston’s downtown or the North End. Of course, many people also use Uber or Lyft rides to commute to a local T-station in East Boston to avoid parking fees.
Taking an Uber or Lyft ride to the Boston Logan Airport in East Boston is also very popular. Interestingly, one of the most concentrated areas for car crashes in East Boston is the departure level at Boston Logan Airport in Terminal B. From 2011 to 2020, there were two fatal crashes at Terminal B. There was also a fatal pedestrian accident at Terminal B in March 2023.
Compared to other drivers, Rideshare drivers may be more likely to be rushed or negligent. Distracted driving is a major concern as the app is in use during your ride and notifies the driver of potential next rides during your trip. Every notification that comes up on the screen has the potential to distract drivers from the road and their surroundings. If you were involved in a car accident while a passenger in a Lyft or Uber ride in East Boston, the driver or others could be responsible for your accident and injuries.
Uber and Lyft drivers were responsible for nearly one-quarter of all motor vehicle crashes in the city of Boston in 2021, according to data from a state agency that regulates the app-based ridesharing companies. The data implies that Uber and Lyft drivers are much more likely to be involved in a crash in Boston (including East Boston) than in other cities in Massachusetts.
Uber and Lyft accidents are far more complicated than a typical car accident case, but the experienced lawyers at Spada Law Group are here and ready to help you. We will represent you to help you recover medical costs, lost income, and other losses. If an Uber or Lyft injured you as a rider, passenger, or third party, please call or text today for a free consultation: (617) 889-5000.
How Can I Get Compensation After An Uber or Lyft Car Accident Injury in East Boston, Massachusetts?
You have a right to compensation if you were injured in an Uber or Lyft car accident in East Boston or Massachusetts. As a passenger or rider, you have a right to file a claim against whoever is at fault for the car crash.
One of the most important things to know if you were injured in a car accident involving a Lyft or Uber in East Boston is NOT to talk to anyone’s insurance company until you meet with an attorney.
An injury lawyer knows all your rights and the best way to advocate for and protect them. Your claim may involve the personal insurance policy of your driver, the insurance policy from Uber or Lyft as a company, and the insurance policies of any other drivers involved in the accident.
What NOT to do after your Lyft or Uber car accident:
- Do not make any statements to insurance companies (even your own!).
- Do not sign any release forms or any type of paperwork.
- Do not discuss or agree to any form of monetary settlement.
Uber and Lyft car accident injury cases are more complicated than other car accident cases due to the involvement of multiple parties and insurance companies. Skilled car accident injury attorneys at Spada Law Group are ready to assist you.
What To Do if You Are Hurt in an Uber or Lyft Accident in East Boston
If you were hurt in a car accident as an Uber or Lyft passenger, or injured in any other way by an Uber or Lyft driver, there are three main things you need to do:
- Get information at the scene of the accident
- Get the medical attention you need
- Call a skilled car accident attorney to set up a free consultation
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What to Do on the Scene of the Car Accident
If you’re able to, here is what you can do at the scene of the accident:
- Call 9-1-1 to get a police report.
- Get information about the other driver involved in the accident, including their license plate and car insurance policy information.
- Get information from your Uber or Lyft driver: their full name, phone number, address, information about their car, and their insurance policy.
- Take photos of the accident scene and all vehicles and property involved.
- If any witnesses are at the scene, get their names and contact information.
- Screenshot the details of your Uber or Lyft ride on your phone so you have proof that you were a passenger in a ride at the time of your accident.
- Email yourself notes about what happened.
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Get Medical Attention Right Away
The most important thing you can do after a car accident is to get the proper medical attention you need for your accident injuries. You should go to your doctor or urgent care after an accident, even if you don’t immediately notice any pain. Sometimes injuries can take a few days to settle in after a car accident because of the adrenaline your body may experience in an accident.
A medical exam soon after the accident will help an injury attorney prove your injuries were actually caused by the car accident. This will help strengthen your case and help ensure you get the compensation you deserve and that you’re entitled to. If you wait too long to get medical care, insurance companies will try to argue your injuries did not result from the Uber or Lyft accident, or they will try to argue that your injuries are not severe.
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Book a Free Consultation With an East Boston Personal Injury Attorney
Set up a consultation with a skilled personal injury attorney with experience handling injuries suffered in Lyft and Uber accidents in East Boston. Spada Law Group offers FREE consultations and is a top car accident and top personal injury lawyer in Boston and all of Massachusetts.
What Kind of Compensation Can I Recover After an Uber or Lyft Accident in East Boston, Massachusetts?
If you were hurt in an East Boston Lyft or Uber car accident, you might be entitled to many different forms of compensation. You may be owed health care costs, damages for pain and suffering, compensation for lost income, property damage, and more.
Healthcare Costs
You may be entitled to damages for medical bills from your Uber or Lyft accident injuries. This includes medical transportation, emergency or life-saving medical treatment, hospital charges, X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, surgical procedures and more. Healthcare costs also include ongoing medical costs such as medications, doctors’ appointments, physical therapy, specialists, and more.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering includes physical pain and other intangible hardships you suffer from accident injuries. You deserve compensation for your pain and suffering. When you experience an injury due to an accident, your pain and suffering is “worth” something. Pain and suffering also includes psychological harm caused by the accident, such as anxiety or trauma.
Lost Income and Professional Losses
You could experience a loss of income from being unable to work, or perhaps you can show you had to change careers or that your earning potential was harmed because of your Uber or Lyft accident injuries. In that case, you can recover damages for these losses. Serious injuries could result in cutting back work hours, losing performance bonuses, being less productive, needing to change careers, and more.
Property Damage
You can receive compensation for any property damaged by the accident. As a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, damages could include your cell phone, glasses or eyewear, suitcases, or anything you had in the vehicle. If you were driving your own car and were crashed into by an Uber or Lyft driver, then property damage recovery would include any damages to your vehicle and personal items.
Who is Responsible for an East Boston Uber or Lyft Car Accident?
An attorney will determine who is legally responsible for your Uber or Lyft accident. The legally responsible party is known as the “at fault” party in a car accident lawsuit. To determine who is at fault, you need an attorney to prove which drivers involved in the accident were negligent.
Negligence is a well-established legal standard in all car accident cases, including all Lyft or Uber ride accidents. There are unique factors to consider when determining who is at fault for an East Boston Lyft or Uber accident. An attorney will carefully examine the details of your specific accident to discover all the relevant factors that contributed to your accident and injuries.
Evidence That Can Help Prove Your Uber or Lyft Accident Case Claim
Injured in an East Boston Uber or Lyft car accident as a passenger? There are several steps you can take to take care of yourself and to help build a successful injury case.
Things to do at the scene of the accident, If you’re able to: Call 911, take screenshots of the rideshare application, get information from your driver and any other driver involved in the accident (think license plates, car insurance information, photos of drivers’ licenses), take photos, take notes, talk to any witnesses you see (and get contact information if they’re willing).
Parties That May be Liable for Your East Boston Uber or Lyft Accident
If you were involved in a car accident while riding in an Uber or Lyft in Massachusetts, the rideshare driver could be responsible for your accident, or someone else could be responsible for the accident.
Any negligent party can be responsible for damages. Sometimes, there are multiple negligent parties. For example, if the accident involved a defective vehicle, you would have a claim against the car’s manufacturer. It’s also possible that a third party is entirely responsible for your accident, such as if a driver ran a red light and collided with the Uber or Lyft car you were a passenger in. Just because you were injured while in an Uber or Lyft does not necessarily mean the accident was the Uber or Lyft driver’s fault.
When considering responsible parties for Uber and Lyft accidents, other factors to consider include road construction or conditions. As attorneys, we will look at all the facts, perform research, and determine all possible responsible parties who were involved in the accident.
An Uber and Lyft Accident Claim Could also Include Other Responsible Parties Due to the following:
- Negligent hiring
- Negligent training or supervision
- Misrepresentation
These factors are more unique to Uber and Lyft ride accidents than a typical car accident case. Sometimes, Uber or Lyft as a company may also be partially responsible for your accident or injuries.
How Can an East Boston Lyft or Uber Accident Lawyer Help Me?
Massachusetts has a no-fault personal insurance policy. Anyone injured in car accidents can sue the responsible party for negligence if their damages exceed the standard severity threshold.
Uber and Lyft companies have a unique relationship with their drivers, which means Uber and Lyft accident cases are much more complex than “typical” car crash cases. Rideshare injury cases are even far more complicated than an injury from a traditional taxi cab accident.
It takes a skilled injury attorney like Spada Law Group to know how to ensure Uber and Lyft are held responsible for the accident. As a passenger injured in an Uber or Lyft accident, the good news is that the companies carry a $1 million liability insurance policy – which is much more coverage than the $20,000 liability coverage taxicabs are required to have. Perhaps this is something to consider when deciding whether to call a cab or a Lyft or Uber ride.
What Kind of Insurance is Involved in an Uber or Lyft Accident in East Boston, Massachusetts?
Uber and Lyft carry a $1 million injury liability policy that applies while a passenger is riding in the car. Rideshare drivers also must carry their own insurance policies in addition to the company policy. Sometimes, the driver’s insurance policy applies to your claim, sometimes Uber or Lyft’s policy applies to your claim, and sometimes both policies may apply to your claim.
Rideshare companies do not have the same employer/employee relationship with their drivers as traditional taxi companies. Because Uber and Lyft drivers are not typically considered “employees” of the company, when an Uber or Lyft driver is responsible for an accident, their negligence does not automatically make the company liable for your injuries.
The Uber or Lyft driver is considered an independent contractor, meaning the ride-sharing company is not legally responsible for certain car accidents. In general, an employer is usually not responsible for the actions of an independent contractor, but sometimes there are special circumstances that can make the employer responsible. Because of this unique liability situation, you need to know your rights if you were in an accident as a passenger or driver in a ride-sharing vehicle.
Sometimes Uber or Lyft can be liable as a company for an accident involving a driver. It takes a skilled injury attorney like Spada Law Group to know when this is the case. As an Uber or Lyft passenger, you are covered by a $1 million liability insurance policy. This is far more coverage than the $20,000 liability insurance taxicabs carry, which is hardly enough to cover your damages for any substantial injury. This difference in insurance coverage may be a good reason to opt for an Uber or Lyft ride over a taxi.
What Happens if I Was Injured by an Uber or Lyft Driver who Did Not Have an Active Ride Request?
It is possible to be injured by an Uber or Lyft even if you were not a passenger. An Uber or Lyft car may hit your car while you are driving or riding in a car, or an Uber or Lyft driver might even hit you as a pedestrian while you are crossing the street.
Suppose an Uber driver is available for riders but still waiting for a ride request. In that case, Uber’s liability insurance policy may cover the accident if the Uber driver injures a third party (you). If the driver’s personal insurance does not cover the accident, Uber's insurance policy will cover the accident.
In a scenario like this, Uber or Lyft insurance policy typically covers up to $50,000/$100,000 for bodily injury and up to $25,000 for property damage caused by the accident.
Who is Responsible if an Uber or Lyft Driver Injured Me on Their Way to Pick Up a Passenger?
If an Uber or Lyft driver is en route to pick up a passenger, the rideshare companies’ insurance policy will typically pay for the third party’s or driver’s injuries. Even if the accident involves an uninsured driver, the policy includes up to $1 million in total liability coverage.
This means if a driver has their app turned on, and you are injured in any way by an East Boston Uber or Lyft driver (even though you are not a passenger), there is coverage for you to seek compensation for your injuries.
What if I Was Hurt When The Rideshare Driver Was Not Using the Uber or Lyft App?
There are several things to consider if you were hurt by a Lyft or Uber driver when they were not using the app. Typically, if the driver was unavailable to pick up passengers and the app was turned off during the accident, the driver’s personal insurance policy covers any accident because the driver was not actively working with Uber or Lyft at the time of the accident and instead was acting as a typical driver.
Time Limits For Filing an Uber or Lyft Accident Case in Massachusetts
A car accident injury case must be filed within three years from the date of the accident in Massachusetts. It is best, however, to bring the case as soon as possible. There may be circumstances that require a case to be brought more quickly, and a lawyer is in the best position to get you the best possible outcome on your case the sooner he is on board.
Changes in Massachusetts Law Regarding Ride-Sharing
Governor Charlie Baker officially passed legislation in 2016 to regulate ride-share services in Massachusetts.
Traditional taxi companies criticized the legislation for being too liberal and putting them at risk of eventually going out of business. The regulations included requirements for ride-share drivers to have a form of unique, supplemental insurance because once drivers launch the app and log in, they are no longer covered under their own personal auto insurance policy.
Pursuing legal action against a ride-share company like Uber or Lyft can be a complex process. It is essential to have a proven, experienced East Boston car accident lawyer to represent you during this process.
At Spada Law Group, we have a proven track record of fighting for our clients to get the best possible result. We used to work for insurance companies — so we have a unique advantage.
How We Help People After Car Accidents in East Boston
View our car accident case results to learn how our East Boston injury attorneys have helped people heal and recover compensation after being injured in a car accident.
- Learn how Spada Law helped someone get a $120,000 settlement after an insurance company said our client was responsible for the accident.
- Learn how Spada Law helped a passenger injured in a rear-end accident recover $100,000.
Injured In An Uber or Lyft Car Accident in East Boston? Text or Call Our Car Accident Injury Attorneys For A FREE Consultation
As Massachusetts car accident attorneys, we know the unfortunate truth: Car accidents in an Uber or Lyft are inevitable.
Over the last three decades, we’ve helped thousands of people in Massachusetts get the recovery they need after a car accident injury. Spada Law Group was recently recognized as one of Boston’s Top 20 Car Accident Attorneys. Attorney Spada was named one of Boston’s Top Personal Injury Lawyers. We’re here and ready to help. As personal injury lawyers, you never pay us a penny until we win your case.
We have four offices, but we proudly serve the entire state. We can meet with you remotely from the comfort of your own home.
Contact us for a free consultation to see how we can help you get the recovery you deserve after your injury.
