Westport residents are fortunate to be able to take advantage of on-demand rideshare services like Lyft and Uber. Should a need or situation arise where traditional taxi and limousine services are needed, these options are also at the disposal of interested consumers. However, there is always a risk when stepping into a vehicle and taking to the roadways.
When events do not go as planned and the unexpected happens, an accident involving a rideshare car or taxicab could turn your life upside down. If you have experienced an accident, consider speaking to a Westport Uber/taxi accident lawyer right away. An experienced taxi accident attorney could help you file an insurance claim or advocate for your interests in a personal injury lawsuit.
Roadway accidents transpire for any number of reasons. When an injured rider seeks compensation for the harms they have suffered in an accident, they generally need to prove that the responsible driver behaved negligently.
Negligence is a legal concept meaning disregard for standards of conduct that every driver is responsible for upholding for their safety and others’. Some of the common reasons for accidents resulting in driver liability include:
Connecticut imposes additional rules on rideshare and taxicab companies. If a hired driver is not qualified to under the law or their vehicle does not meet the minimum requirements, the company or corporation itself could be responsible for its oversight. With the help of a Westport Uber/taxi accident attorney, victims could focus on their recovery efforts while legal counsel reviews the nuances of their cases.
In a lawsuit, a plaintiff must prove not only that a driver was negligent, but that they also caused the accident. Causation is a tricky element of the claim to prove because the opposing party often raises several defenses.
A driver could try to refute the notion of negligence and argue that under the circumstances, they did what any reasonable person would have done, and therefore cannot be held liable under the law. A defendant could also use the concept of contributory negligence in their defense.
Contributory negligence is a way of apportioning fault in accidents. Parties to a lawsuit would present evidence demonstrating who they believe was at fault and why. A judge, or more likely a jury, then decides which party was at fault and to what degree, expressed as a percentage.
A defendant Uber or taxicab driver could argue, for example, that the rider injured in the accident contributed to or caused their own injuries by failing to wear a seatbelt. If the evidence convinces a jury of a plaintiff’s contributory negligence, a set of rules applies that can limit a plaintiff’s recovery. A Westport taxi accident lawyer could help victims understand how contributory negligence may affect their case and recovery.
The inconvenience of an accident is never something people plan for. Sometimes collisions are much more serious and threaten the very things people hold precious. It is understandably emotionally traumatizing and profoundly upsetting to be left with the expenses associated with recovery, especially when a wreck was not of your doing.
An Uber accident attorney understands the stress of dealing with an accident. They could assist you in navigating the legal or insurance claim process with confidence. Get in touch with a Westport Uber/taxi accident lawyer to learn more about how legal counsel could fight for you.