Rideshare, Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer in Centennial, CO
Like many metropolitan areas, getting around Centennial can involve frustrating, time-consuming hassles. As such, many commuters use ridesharing apps to get where they are going. Whether commuting to the office, going out for happy hour, or on vacation, there’s no doubt that rideshare services are convenient and offer an alternative to other modes of transportation.
Unfortunately, rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft cause accidents as well. Uber and Lyft drivers are not any less likely to get into an accident than any other driver.
A Centennial rideshare accident lawyer at Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC can help those injured in an accident recover financial compensation for their damages. If you or someone you love suffered an injury in a rideshare accident, reach out to us as soon as possible.
About Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC
At Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC, we know the devastation and uncertainty of a rideshare accident. We can fight for your rights and will treat you like a unique individual, not a case file. Throughout the legal process, we will listen to your story and present it to the other side so you can receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Our injury attorney Lauren Varner received recognition as a SuperLawyers Rising Star from 2019 to 2022 and a 5280 Top Lawyer in 2022. She has settled hundreds of cases and has extensive litigation experience.
Her partner and co-founder, personal injury attorney Eric Faddis, has conducted 45 jury trials and over 100 hearings. The National Trial Lawyers Association recognized him as one of the Top 40 Under 40 criminal defense attorneys in Colorado, and in 2019 the Colorado Bar Association selected him as a finalist for the Gary McPherson Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year Award.
Together with the rest of their highly-experienced team of attorneys, they have resolved thousands of personal injury cases over the past five years.
We serve personal injury clients throughout the Denver metro area from our convenient Centennial office location.
A few of our recent settlements and court awards include:
- $1.3 million: personal injury case
- $1.25 million: motor vehicle collision case
- $1.19 million: motor vehicle collision case
- $1 million: motor vehicle collision case
- $900,000: personal injury case
- $800,000: motor vehicle collision case
- $750,000: wrongful death case
- $730,000: motor vehicle collision case
Colorado Insurance Requirements for Uber and Lyft Drivers
Colorado law requires a rideshare driver or the rideshare company to file proof of car insurance with the state. Their insurance policy must have higher limits compared to what other drivers have for their personal vehicles. For example, Colorado requires rideshare companies to carry a minimum $50,000 per person limit. In addition, the auto insurer has to acknowledge that the driver is a rideshare driver.
Drivers can meet these insurance requirements in one of two ways:
Confirm Rideshare Company Coverage
The first way to meet Colorado’s rideshare insurance requirement is to confirm coverage through the company’s insurance guarantee system. The rideshare company can have its own insurance policy covering its drivers, which is what both Uber and Lyft do. Uber has a liability policy of up to one million dollars for accidents that occur while one of its drivers has an active passenger.
However, they have different coverage limits when the app is on compared to when the driver is waiting on a passenger.
Lyft also has a one-million-dollar accident policy if it occurs while the driver has a passenger in their vehicle.
Purchase Private Ridesharing Coverage
The other way to meet the state’s insurance requirement is to purchase a private insurance policy covering ridesharing. However, the insured must make it clear to the insurance company that they intend to use their vehicle for ridesharing. In addition, there must be an acknowledgment that the insurance company knows that they are using the vehicle for rideshare services.
This acknowledgment aims to ensure that an insurance policy covers lyft ot uber rideshare accident customers if a crash happens. Colorado is an at-fault state, meaning the driver is responsible for an accident while driving for Uber or Lyft. They are liable to all of the victims, including the passengers in their vehicle, if they cause the accident.
Recognizing that a passenger enters a rideshare vehicle with the expectation that there is insurance coverage in the event of an accident, Colorado lawmakers made it, so there aren’t any surprises for passengers after a car accident occurs.
Common Rideshare Car Accident Injuries
It doesn’t take a severe rideshare car accident to cause serious injuries. Sometimes even a seemingly minor fender bender can lead to severe and debilitating injuries.
Car accident victims can suffer a wide range of injuries, but the most common ones include:
- Broken bones: Bones are tough, but they can’t always withstand the forces of a car accident. It’s common to break your legs, pelvis, arms, knees, ribs, collarbone, ankles, and even the vertebra of the neck and back in car accidents. Fractured bones usually require stabilization with a cast, brace, or sling. Some may need surgery or physical therapy to return to their pre-accident state. Broken bones can also be very painful; some can become infected, causing significant complications.
- Burns: Sometimes, motor vehicle accidents result in fires. These fires can cause serious burns to those who don’t get out of the vehicle on time. Severe burns may require skin grafts, weeks or even months of hospitalization, and multiple surgeries. Burns can be excruciating and lead to scarring and disfigurement. They may also impact the future function of the affected area of the body.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): A TBI is one of the most severe types of injuries resulting from a car accident. Some are merely minor concussions that may have mild symptoms and require a few days of rest to recover. Other TBIs can alter the victim’s life forever—accompanied by many ongoing medical problems such as seizures and cognitive dysfunctions and the need for medical or supportive care around the clock. Many with a TBI experience personality changes and depression.
- Spinal cord injuries (SCI): Another potentially severe or even fatal type of injury is an SCI. Depending upon the severity and location of the SCI, the injured individual may experience temporary or permanent paraplegia or quadriplegia. They may also need around-the-clock medical or supportive care. If they become permanently paralyzed, these injuries are life-altering and lead to a decreased overall lifespan. They cannot return to work or care for their families. They are also at an increased risk for other medical problems.
- Whiplash: Car accidents can cause the body to move suddenly, faster than you move your body on your own. When this happens, the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck and surrounding area can become strained and suffer damage. Whiplash can be painful, limit mobility, and take several weeks or months to heal.
- Internal bleeding: Internal bleeding is also a serious injury. It’s often even more concerning as symptoms of internal bleeding might not be present immediately, although it is a medical emergency. This is one reason why it’s critical to seek medical care as soon as possible after an accident.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Car accidents can leave victims with mental and emotional injuries in addition to their physical injuries. PTSD, depression, and anxiety commonly strike survivors of car accidents, especially traumatic ones. Those that suffer from these conditions need to seek an accurate diagnosis and treatment just as they do for their physical injuries.
Injuries in a car accident are physically painful and can be debilitating. They also come with medical bills that can be impossible for the victim to pay on their own. Because of this, Colorado law allows rideshare accident victims to seek monetary damages from the liable parties in their rideshare accidents.
Who Can I Hold Liable for My Rideshare Accident Injuries?
Liability or the legal responsibility to pay for your injuries and damages will depend on the specifics of your accident.
Factors that can shift liability include:
- Who caused the accident
- If the rideshare driver was on the rideshare app or otherwise “working” at the time of the accident
- If the rideshare driver has their own insurance coverage
The legal aspects of rideshare accidents can quickly grow complicated. Getting the compensation you deserve depends highly on the legal help you receive.
Our Centennial rideshare accident attorneys know all about Colorado laws and rideshare accident liability. In fact, attorney Eric Faddis co-wrote Colorado HB22-1089, provided legislative testimony on its behalf, and lobbied to pass the law that requires rideshare companies to provide up to $400,000 in protections for injured passengers and drivers.
What Causes Rideshare Car Accidents?
Some studies show they rideshares increase accidents. For example, one study reveals that ridesharing services increased U.S. traffic fatalities by as much as 2 to 3 percent since 2011, by up to 1,100 deaths annually. This comes at a price of $5.33 billion to $13.24 billion yearly. These figures don’t account for the thousands of injured rideshare users and the costs of their injuries.
All of these rideshare car accidents happen for the same reasons as other motor vehicle accidents, such as not obeying the speed limit, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or lack of vehicle maintenance.
However, rideshare drivers are more prone to accidents for a few reasons that are directly related to the nature of their job:
- Distractions: Rideshare drivers face many distractions. Conversing with their passengers, looking at or listening to their GPS, and being on the rideshare platform are all distractions that direct their attention away from the road and the important task of driving. While they may seem necessary and innocent, they can prove extremely dangerous and even fatal.
- Driving in unfamiliar areas: Depending on where a rideshare driver chooses to work, they may frequently find themselves driving in areas they aren’t familiar with. This requires extra skill and attention, which an Uber or Lyft driver might not have that much to spare to start with.
- Rushing: For rideshare drivers, time is money. It’s rather simple— the more passengers they can take to their destinations in their shift, the more money they can make. So there’s no question that there is an incentive to be quick about pick-ups, drop-offs, and the commute in general. But unfortunately, being rushed means speeding and other skill and accuracy mistakes when it comes to driving it causes speeding fatal accidents.
- Drowsiness: This is a second job for many Uber or Lyft drivers. Evenings, late nights, or early mornings are often the busiest times and the best times for these drivers to make the most money. As such, they will work a regular job during the day and moonlight as a rideshare driver in their off hours. While this might seem smart and lucrative, driving requires alertness. For example, suppose a rideshare driver is mentally drained, drowsy, or falling asleep at the wheel. In that case, it puts everyone on the road at risk.
Were You Recently in a Centennial Uber or Lyft Accident? Contact a Seasoned Centennial Rideshare Accident Attorney Today
Lauren Varner, Centennial Rideshare Accident Accident Lawyer
Colorado law only provides a limited amount of time for parties injured in a car accident to seek compensation for their damages.
If you were recently involved in a rideshare accident, it’s in your best interest to contact a seasoned rideshare accident lawyer at our personal injury law firm in Centennial as soon as possible. This way, you can protect your legal rights, including your right to pursue damages.
At Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC, we want to tell your story to bring you justice. We treat you like an individual and aren’t afraid to stand up to large rideshare companies or insurance carriers on your behalf. Our experienced attorneys offer free rideshare accident case consultations to injured parties and their families. You can reach us at (720) 809-8380 or Get in touch today to schedule yours and begin fighting for your legal rights.
Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC – Centennial Office
6025 South Quebec St., Suite 100,
Centennial, CO 80111
Phone: (720) 809-8380
Testimonials
I would highly recommend Varner Faddis Elite Legal Team to anyone who was in a car accident and needs an attorney. From the initial meeting to the closing of the case, they were patient, kind, understanding, thorough, and always made sure I was aware of what was going on with my case. And, when I needed an advocate to nudge the insurance claim person or a medical provider, they were always there to bat for me. Their legal services are outstanding!!!
If you are in need of legal representation now or in the future, please do yourself a favor and each out to Eric and Lauren immediately. I guarantee that you will be in good hands.
– Dion Duran (more reviews on Google)
