Old City Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers

When you get into a rideshare accident in Philadelphia’s historic Old City district, you are dealing with more than just a typical car crash: You must handle unique regulations, insurance policies, and the injuries that often follow an accident. 

What Makes Old City Uber and Lyft Accidents Different?

Old City is not like other parts of Philadelphia: The narrow, historic streets were not built for today’s traffic, and thousands of people walk around the city at all hours, especially on weekends. With about 20,000 rideshare vehicles giving roughly 125,000 rides every day in Philadelphia, Old City sees its fair share of pickups and drop-offs. 

The problem is that rideshare drivers often do not know the area well. They are constantly looking at their phones for directions, stopping suddenly in bike lanes, or blocking narrow streets to pick up passengers. And when you add in the tourists who are not paying attention as well as the nightlife crowd, you have a recipe for accidents. 

Who Can Get Compensation After a Rideshare Accident in Old City?

The good news is that Pennsylvania law protects several types of accident victims. Uber or Lyft passengers can seek compensation no matter who caused the accident, as the rideshare companies carry insurance that covers their passengers—that is one of the benefits of using these services. 

If you are driving another vehicle and get hit by a negligent rideshare driver, you also have rights to compensation, though it depends on what the Uber or Lyft driver was doing at the time. Pedestrians and cyclists who get injured by rideshare vehicles can also file claims. 

The rideshare drivers themselves might also be able to get compensation in certain situations, like when they are hit by an uninsured driver while transporting a passenger. 

How Does Rideshare Insurance Work in Old City, Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania’s rideshare insurance system has three different phases that affect the money available if you get hurt:

1. When drivers are offline and just driving around normally, only their personal car insurance applies. 
2. When drivers turn on their app but have not accepted a ride yet, the rideshare companies provide limited coverage: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries, plus $25,000 for property damage. 
3. The best coverage kicks in once drivers accept a ride or are actively driving passengers around. In these situations, Uber and Lyft provide up to $1 million in liability coverage.

This last coverage is usually much better than what regular drivers carry, since Pennsylvania only requires $15,000 per person and $30,000 total for individual drivers. 

What Types of Compensation Can You Recover?

Pennsylvania law allows accident victims to recover both “economic” and “non-economic” damages after rideshare accidents:

• Economic damages cover your actual financial losses—medical bills, lost wages, and property damage—including everything from your initial emergency room visit to ongoing physical therapy. 
• Non-economic damages address the ways the accident has affected your quality of life that lack a specific price tag. These damages include compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and the loss of your ability to enjoy activities you used to love. 

The amount you can recover depends partly on whether you opted into “limited tort” or “full tort” coverage when you purchased insurance: ‘Full tort’ gives you much broader protection and allows you to seek compensation for pain and suffering regardless of injury severity. 

What Evidence Do You Need to Build a Strong Case?

The strength of your rideshare accident case depends heavily on the evidence you can gather immediately after the crash. Police reports provide an official third-party account of what happened, including any traffic violations and statements from everyone involved. Take photographs of everything: The vehicles, your injuries, road conditions, debris, and traffic signs. Witness statements can provide an impartial account of the accident, so gather contact information from anyone who saw what happened and ask if they would be willing to provide a statement. Additionally, save screenshots of your Uber or Lyft ride details, including the trip history, driver information, and GPS data showing the route. 

What Challenges Do Accident Victims Face?

Pennsylvania has what is called “modified comparative negligence,” which means you can only get compensation if you caused less than 50% of the accident. In Old City’s chaotic environment, insurance companies often try to blame victims, especially pedestrians who might have been drinking or not paying attention. 

The state also has an optional “no-fault insurance” system that can limit your right to sue the at-fault driver. This gets complicated quickly, which is why you need someone who knows how to navigate these laws. 

Why Should You Act Quickly?

Pennsylvania gives you two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit, which might sound like a long time, but it goes by fast, especially with injuries and medical treatment that you need to take care of. But if you miss this deadline, you lose your right to compensation completely, no matter how strong your case is. 

Get the Help You Need With the Old City Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC

When you get hurt in an Old City rideshare accident, you do not want to settle for just any lawyer: You want someone who has a proven track record of getting results for injured people. The Old City Uber and Lyft accident lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC have recovered over $200 million in verdicts and settlements over the past 15 years—and they can help you too. For a free consultation, call today at 215-569-8488 or contact us online. With office locations in Philadelphia and Abington, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware, we proudly serve clients in the surrounding areas.