Most Uber and Lyft drivers are professionals who get you where you want to go, safely.  Sometimes, though, accidents happen. Essential Guidance for Uber and Lyft Passengers Involved in an Accident If you are a passenger in an Uber or Lyft that is, unfortunately, in an accident during your ride, make sure you have proof of your ride. Save all text messages and emails which Uber or Lyft send to you and keep them. You know, the kind you get before you are picked up which confirms your ride, gives you a ride number, etc. In New Jersey, Uber and Lyft are required to have $1.5 million of liability coverage as well as $1.5 million in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage,…

Many people use rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft, or encounter vehicles driving for these services on the road. As a result, some people will eventually become involved in an accident with a rideshare vehicle. However, pursuing a claim for compensation for injuries or property damage that occurred in a rideshare accident can be a complicated matter. If you have been in an accident with a rideshare vehicle, here are five steps you should remember to take to protect your rights and interests. Report the Accident First, you should report the accident to the authorities. If you or someone else has been badly injured, you can call 911 for emergency medical assistance. However, if no one requires immediate medical…

Vehicle rollover accidents may have many different potential causes. The causes or circumstances that lead to a vehicle rollover may determine who can be held responsible for the accident. A rollover crash may result in a traditional car accident claim, or it might lead to product liability or professional negligence claims.  The Driver of the Overturned Vehicle Many vehicle rollover accidents are caused by driver error. A vehicle may overturn because its driver was speeding or traveling too fast for the conditions, because the driver made a reckless maneuver such as swerving in and out of traffic, or because the driver put too much cargo on the top of the vehicle and gave it a dangerously high center of gravity.…

Now more than ever, people are looking for ways to save money.  And that goes for car insurance, too.  One way to save money on car insurance is to get the so-called “verbal threshold” or “limitation on lawsuit” option.  Your premium will be lower but in exchange, you give up your right to sue for injuries, except in serious cases.  Most people don’t want to do that, and at Courtlaw we don’t recommend it, but economic reality sometimes forces people’s hands.  They just can’t afford the higher auto insurance premiums. What to do?  One thing you can do is take Uber or Lyft. Under New Jersey law, the limitation on lawsuit/verbal threshold “shall not be . . . be asserted…

It seems like the price of everything is going up and many people are looking for ways to cut corners.  Auto insurance is required by law and the cost puts a squeeze on many people.  This is one area where it’s best not to cut any corners.  Don’t drive an uninsured vehicle.  Don’t even be a passenger in an uninsured vehicle.  Under New Jersey law, N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4.5a, if you are a vehicle owner required to maintain PIP coverage (which is most people) but you fail to do so, you are barred from bringing a lawsuit if you’re injured while “operating” the uninsured vehicle.  The term “operating” in this context has been interpreted very broadly and includes an uninsured owner who…