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Attorney Chandon S. Alexander is a Las Vegas lawyer who is an active member of the National Trial Lawyers Association and has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Attorneys under 40. He is a member of the Clark County Bar Association, American Bar Association, and the Nevada Justice Association.
Las Vegas is a popular tourist destination, which makes taxis and ridesharing options readily available. That leaves the roads filled with taxi cabs, Uber vehicles, and Lyft vehicles, carrying passengers to and from various locations at all times of the day. Not only are Las Vegas roads overcrowded, but many taxi and rideshare drivers display risky behavior on the road to get as many fares as possible. Because of this, taxi and rideshare accidents are inevitable in Las Vegas and injuries and vehicle damage are common.
Taxicab and Uber/Lyft drivers are commonly deemed at fault for their vehicle collisions based on evidence of careless driving making the other party involved a victim of their misconduct. The victim of such a crime may face steep medical expenses, hefty vehicle repair costs, lost wages, significant injuries, and much more. Being the victim of a taxi, Uber, or Lyft accident doesn’t mean you should be a victim of the law though. To get the compensation you deserve and to see that your case gets the best defense possible, contact your local Las Vegas taxi, Uber, and Lyft accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Though Uber and Lyft services are often compared to taxi services, there are some differences between them worth noting. Taxis are considered commercial vehicles while Uber and Lyft vehicles are not. This key difference affects the type of insurance plan your driver is covered under. Taxi drivers are required to have a commercial vehicle insurance plan and Uber and Lyft drivers are often covered by their own liability insurance plan.
Similarly, Uber and Lyft vehicles are not required to adhere to the same vehicle regulations as taxis. This fact can significantly alter your legal case and not having a deep understanding of these regulations can be problematic for Uber accident victims and Lyft accident victims. Fortunately, a Las Vegas Uber accident lawyer or Lyft accident lawyer has the knowledge and expertise to see that your case is handled appropriately.
Uber and Lyft are required to provide a minimum amount of coverage to their drivers. The amount will vary by state and platform (whether it’s Uber or Lyft) and each coverage plan has its own set of regulations and stipulations that accompany such coverage. Determining driver liability is crucial and the circumstances of the accident will be highly taken into account. There are three possible points throughout the service in which an accident may occur. These include:
1. An Uber or Lyft vehicle accident that occurs while the ride share application is off and inactive.
2. An Uber or Lyft vehicle accident that occurs while the ride share application is on and the driver is waiting for a ride request while their vehicle idles.
3. An Uber or Lyft vehicle accident that occurs while the ride share application is en route with their passenger.
Typically, a taxi, Uber, or Lyft accident is the result of negligent driving. In Nevada, this is considered simple negligence which may look like distracted driving, failure to use a turn signal, or speeding slightly. In some cases, an Uber or Lyft accident is the result of reckless driving which is a more severe charge in Nevada. Reckless driving may include running a red light, speeding in excess, or aggressively weaving in and out of traffic to name a few examples.
Though there are several reasons an Uber accident or Lyft accident may occur, some of the most common causes of a taxi, Uber, or Lyft accident in Las Vegas include:
The costs of being involved in a vehicle accident typically aren’t just monetary, but also emotional and physical. A person could easily be injured while riding as a passenger in a taxi cab or ride share vehicle, and other drivers who are at risk of colliding with a taxi, Uber, or Lyft driver may also sustain serious injuries and damage to their vehicle. Some of the most common injuries sustained in a car accident include emotional distress, bruising, minor to severe lacerations, head trauma, whiplash, and fractured bones. These injuries can be serious and may require months or possibly years of taxing treatments or therapies.
Some victims are forced to miss work or are unable to resume their day-to-day tasks following a taxi, Uber, or Lyft accident. Other victims suffer from daily anxiety and develop a fear of being in a vehicle, either as a driver or a passenger. In these cases, a victim may be required to attend therapy or take medication to help with their trauma for the rest of their lives.
A victim of an Uber accident or Lyft accident may find themselves responsible for paying for all or some of the expenses relevant to the accident. These expenses might include emergency treatment, physical therapy, prescription medication, or related surgeries on top of lost wages due to the accident. Fortunately, these expenses may be repaid if the injured party is able to prove that the taxi, Uber, or Lyft driver was at fault for the incident.
A taxi accident lawyer, Uber accident lawyer, or Lyft accident lawyer is better prepared to seek justice for your case than if you were to try to handle the situation on your own. This is mostly because a taxi, Uber, or Lyft accident attorney in Las Vegas has a comprehensive understanding of Nevada laws on and off the road. Along with this, an accident lawyer has access to certain resources that are unavailable to victims such as expert witness testimonies, factual evidence, and driving records of the taxi, Uber, or Lyft driver.
Your Las Vegas taxi, Uber, and Lyft lawyer will begin the process by investigating the facts of your case by collecting information, evidence, and more to prove fault on the other party. Throughout the investigation, your Las Vegas accident attorney will do the following:
A personal injury claim is no minor matter and should be dealt with promptly and aggressively. In Nevada, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of the accident. This means that as a victim, you must file your claim before this period runs out. Allowing the statute of limitations to expire on your claim is allowing yourself to lose the opportunity to seek compensation. Compensation from a personal injury claim can be used to cover the following expenses:
Ubers and Lyfts are known as Transportation Network Companies (TNC’s). A TNC is defined by NRS 706A.050 as “an entity that uses a digital network or software application service to connect a passenger to a driver who can provide transportation services to the passenger.” These companies operate differently from taxis in that they require a passenger to request a ride through a digital network or software application.
Nevada Revised Statute 706A.060 defines transportation services as a driver who carries one or more passengers between destination points chosen by the passenger(s). The service is pre-arranged through the use of the digital network or software application that is connected to the TNC. Also, according to the statute, “the term includes only the period beginning when a driver accepts a request by a passenger for transportation through the digital network or software application service and ending when the last such passenger fully disembarks from the motor vehicle operated by the driver.”
These statutes were created to help passengers and drivers of Uber and Lyft determine the extent of rideshare services and what they include. The following statutes list the requirements Uber drivers must meet before they can register or partner with a TNC.
NRS 706A.160 requires potential drivers to complete the application and investigation process before they can be contracted with a TNC. The statute requires drivers to obtain a state business license, provide a valid driver’s license and relevant driving records, comply with insurance and liability coverage laws, and more.
Furthermore, NRS 706A.180 provides passengers with additional protection by ensuring that the Uber or Lyft vehicle passes a vehicle inspection each year and prohibits drivers from providing transportation to passengers if they do not have an appropriate vehicle to do so. Uber and Lyft vehicles must abide by all state and federal driving/road laws.
