PIP will cover at least some of the injuries you suffered in an Uber or Lyft rideshare accident if you were in your car at the time of the collision. However, in cases where the victim’s injuries are permanent or very severe, an insurance policy is not always enough to cover all expenses. If your needs exceed what your insurance policy will pay, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the person responsible for your accident.
- The Purpose of PIP
- Who Owes You Money After an Accident
The Purpose of PIP
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is a type of auto insurance. According to the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYSDFS), it will cover up to $50,000 in what are called “economic damages.” Economic damages refer to any and all financial losses you suffered because of the accident, including medical expenses. PIP does not cover non-economic damages, which include the physical and emotional losses related to the crash.
The best part of PIP coverage is that it does not matter who was responsible for your accident or whether you were a driver or a passenger. (This is why it is also known as “No-Fault” coverage.) You and everyone else who was in your car at the time of the crash will be compensated for their injuries regardless.
As already stated, there are limits on what PIP will pay. You cannot rely on this insurance for economic damages in excess of $50,000 or for any non-economic damages. To recover compensation for things that PIP does not cover, it is best to consider, in consultation with an experienced, dedicated car accident lawyer, making what is known as a liability claim or filing a lawsuit. a lawsuit against the liable party.
Take your case to a Lyft car accident lawyer to understand liability, fault, insurance coverage, and claims. After a thorough conversation regarding the details of your situation, your attorney will present you with your legal options. When you suffered injuries and are in shock after a car accident, the last thing one considers is engaging in a long, stressful, and costly legal battle. Most people take whatever they are given under their PIP and carry all the other burdens alone. You shouldn’t settle for less than you deserve. For this reason, getting an experienced attorney to fight for your rights is the wisest thing you can do.
For a free legal consultation, call 516-932-0400
Who Owes You Money After an Accident
The liable party is the person or organization responsible for your accident. They could be a driver, the company that the driver works for, an auto part manufacturer, or someone else. Some cases even have more than one liable party.
To receive compensation from a lawsuit, you must create a list of the damages you believe you are entitled to recover, except for the damages covered by your PIP insurance. This will include all non-economic damages and all economic damages after the first $50,000. Below are examples of the items you might include in your list.
- Medical expenses: e.g., ER visits, medication, therapy, surgery, hospitalization, in-patient long term rehabilitation, medical devices, and more
- Repair expenses: e.g., fixing your car or buying a new car
- Loss of wages: e.g., you could not work for a while, or your recovery cost you important job benefits or you cannot return to the same type of work and need to be retrained for new work or you cannot return to work at all
- Loss of earning capacity: e.g., you cannot work as many hours or had to give up your job for a lower-paying one or you will be permanently disabled from all work
- Pain and suffering: e.g., physical trauma, mental illness, and/or emotional anguish
- Disability: e.g., a lost limb or loss of sight or hearing
- Scarring: e.g., permanent disfigurement or painful marks
- Impaired quality of life: e.g., you need help taking care of yourself or cannot engage in favorite hobbies
Bear in mind that the damages discussed above are available in personal injury cases, or cases where you yourself were injured.
Tragically, some rideshare accidents involve a wrongful death. If you have lost a loved one in a rideshare accident, we extend to you our deepest heartfelt condolences. We consider it a special privilege to advocate for the surviving family members of car accident wrongful death victims. We are dedicated to winning the compensation you need and the justice your departed loved one deserves. Legal representation is available to help you. We invite you to call us and we will patiently and compassionately review your options, answer your questions and address your concerns. Making Sure You Get Your Money
Per New York Civil Practice Laws & Rules § 214, you have a limited amount of time to seek damages. There are other case deadlines as well. In addition, building a strong case becomes more difficult as time goes by; witnesses might leave the area or forget what they saw, and documentary evidence (e.g., surveillance footage) might be destroyed. For these reasons, the sooner your contact us, the greater our opportunity to build the strongest possible case on your behalf.
Our firm will help you with all aspects of your case and provide a fresh perspective on the accident. We will:
- Keep you up to date: expect regular calls from your lawyer, telling you about what is happening and when you need to make important decisions.
- Identify liable parties: as stated earlier, who you are allowed to sue depends on how your accident happened. An investigation will show who the liable party is in your case.
- Maintain the lines of communication: if or when the liable party has something to say to you, your lawyer will relay that message, and vice versa.
- Collect evidence: police reports, medical records, witness statements, and more will prove that you deserve compensation.
- Determine a value for your case: the severity of your injuries will determine how much money you should ask for.
- Fight relentlessly to win the best possible case outcome for you.
To learn more about if your PIP will cover the injuries you suffered in an Uber or Lyft rideshare accident, call Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. at (516) 932-0400. We are happy to meet you anywhere on Long Island or in the New York metropolitan area to discuss your case. We are also a multilingual staff, offering assistance in Spanish, Bengali, Greek, Tamil, and Kannada.
Call or text 516-932-0400 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form