What Damages Can You Recover in an Uber Accident Lawsuit?

As demand for ride-sharing services like Uber continues to increase, so does the potential for accidents. If you’ve been involved in an Uber accident in Alabama, you might be wondering about your rights and what compensation you may be entitled to. If an Uber driver is at fault, victims may be eligible to file a lawsuit to recover damages. Consulting with an experienced Alabama personal injury lawyer, like Stephen Thompson, can be instrumental in understanding your legal rights and securing fair compensation.

There are various types of damages you can potentially recover from an Uber accident lawsuit, including compensatory damages (both economic and non-economic) and in some distinct cases, punitive damages.

1. Economic Damages

Economic damages are the most easily quantifiable losses suffered in an Uber accident. They include:

• Medical Expenses: These encompass all costs associated with treatment for injuries sustained during the accident. This includes hospital bills, surgeries, medication, therapies, and any future healthcare costs linked to your injuries.
• Lost Wages: If your injuries forced you to take a leave from work, you could be reimbursed for lost income. This also applies to decreased earning potential if you can no longer perform your job due to persistent injuries from the accident.
• Property Damage: If the Uber accident resulted in damage to your personal property, such as a vehicle or personal items within the vehicle at the time of the collision, you could be compensated for these losses.

2. Non-economic Damages

Non-economic damages are more challenging to quantify, as they do not have a specific monetary value but nonetheless impact the victim's life considerably. They can include:

• Pain and Suffering: This refers to the physical pain and emotional trauma resulting from the accident and subsequent injuries. It also considers the impact on your quality of life.
• Emotional Distress: Being involved in an Uber accident can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You may seek compensation for such emotional suffering.
• Loss of Consortium: If the accident severely impacts your relationship with your spouse or family, you could be entitled to this form of compensation.

3. Punitive Damages

Punitive damages aren't meant to compensate the victim but to punish the at-fault party for especially reckless behavior and deter others from similar conduct. While not commonly awarded in most personal injury cases, they may be considered if the driver's actions were particularly egregious or malicious.

Beyond these typical categories of damages, other state-specific rules can affect your claim. Alabama follows a pure contributory negligence rule, meaning that if you're found even 1% at fault for the accident, you could be barred from collecting damages. Thus, it is vital to consult and collaborate with a proficient Alabama personal-injury lawyer like Stephen Thompson, who is professional and experienced in dealing with Uber accident lawsuits.

Filing a lawsuit against Uber can be an intricate procedure given that drivers are considered independent contractors and not Uber employees. Therefore, Uber may not always be held legally responsible for the accident. However, Uber has a $1 million liability policy that applies when the rideshare driver is logged into the app, transporting a passenger, or on the way to pick one up.

To conclude, being involved in an uber accident in Alabama can be a distressing experience. However, with the right legal guidance, compensation recovery can ease the financial burden and aid your healing process. To better understand your rights and potential remedies following an Uber accident, consider seeking the services of an experienced, knowledgeable, and compassionate Alabama personal injury lawyer, like Stephen Thompson.

Free Initial Strategy Session

All Initial Strategy Sessions are Free. If you would like to discuss your options, you are invited to fill out one of the Contact Forms. I will attempt to contact you if I think I can help you.

During your Initial Strategy Session, I will asist you in creating a strategy on how to best pursue your claim, whether it be the result of a Car Accident Claim, 18 Wheeler Injury, or, Alabama Workers' Compensation Claim. At your Initial Strategy Session, you will receive the following:

• First - I will listen to your story. You will have a chance to tell everything to someone who wants to hear what happened to you.
• Based on the information that you provide, I will give you my best advice on both what claims you have, and the next steps you should consider to proceed with your claim(s).
• If your claim is something that I think I can help you with, I will explain the services that I can provide for you, and what the next steps are that we should take. We will start working immediately.
• If your matter is something that I do not think I can help you with, then I will attempt to put you in contact with another lawyer that might be able to help you.
• Either way, what should happen is we will put to rest some of the unkowns that you may be experiencing. We will start to shed some light on what you can expect, and how to best pursue the benefits you deserve.

Don't delay getting the recovery you deserve! Contact us today for your free Strategy Session!