Chicago Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Rideshare Accidents
In 2021, the Chicago Sun-Times released a report that claimed there were only 703 taxi medallions (the licenses that cab drivers need to legally operate) in Chicago compared to more than 227,000 registered transportation network provider vehicles, also known as transportation network companies or TNCs but more commonly known as “ridesharing” companies.
The emergence of Uber, Lyft, and similar rideshare providers in Chicago has created intense pressure on the City Council to balance how these competing services are regulated, but it has also given many residents additional options to get to and from destinations in and around the city.
The competition, however, has also created additional pressure on drivers to not only find more passengers, but to get them to destinations as quickly as possible. As a result, taxis and ridesharing vehicles can frequently cause crashes that leave innocent people with very serious injuries.
Rideshare Accident Lawyers
If you suffered severe injuries or your loved one was killed in a taxi or ridesharing crash in the Chicagoland area, it is in your best interest to retain legal counsel as soon as possible. Susan E. Loggans & Associates represents clients involved in motor vehicle collisions in communities all over Cook County, such as Burbank, Calumet City, Chicago, Des Plaines, Berwyn, and many others.
Chicago personal injury attorney Susan E. Loggans understands the complex nature of these types of claims and will work tirelessly to hold all negligent parties fully accountable.
Call (312) 588-9773 today to have our lawyer review your case and discuss all of your legal options during a free initial consultation. Susan E. Loggans & Associates represents individuals on a contingency fee basis, so you will not pay our firm one cent unless you receive a financial award.
Overview of Rideshare Accidents in Illinois
Rideshare Accident Victims in Illinois
Causes of Rideshare Accidents in Chicago
Rideshare Accident Resources
Rideshare Accident Victims in Illinois
When a taxi or ride sharing vehicle is involved in any kind of crash, numerous parties can sustain injuries. The City of Chicago requires taxis to carry automobile liability insurance policies with a minimum limit of $350,000 per incident, but insurance can be much more complicated with ridesharing vehicles.
Uber and Lyft, for example, both provide $1 million in liability coverage per incident—but such coverage only applies when a rideshare driver is at fault and was carrying passengers. When such drivers are “off duty,” meaning they have no passengers and have not accepted any new ride requests, the liability limits are much lower.
Some of the possible victims include:
-
Passengers
Taxis are generally considered “common carriers,” which means that the bus operator “owes a duty to exercise the highest degree of care consistent with the practical operation of its conveyances to protect the safety of the passenger and such duty is continuous throughout this relationship and extends to passengers who are given a transfer for continuous passage upon another conveyance of the carrier.” [Rotheli v. Chicago Transit Authority, 7 Ill.2d 172, 130 N.E.2d 172 (1955)] Under the Transportation Network Providers Act (625 Illinois Compiled Statute 57/), “TNCs or TNC drivers are not common carriers, contract carriers or motor carriers, as defined by applicable state law, nor do they provide taxicab or for-hire vehicle service.” Passengers are always at risk of serious injuries in any taxi or ridesharing vehicle crash.
-
Occupants of Other Vehicles
When a taxi or ridesharing vehicle is involved in an accident, the crash often involves another automobile—possibly several. Depending on the type of collision, the drivers and passengers of such vehicles can sustain severe injuries.
-
Pedestrians
Inattentive taxi or rideshare drivers may strike people attempting to lawfully cross city streets. People on foot are more likely to suffer catastrophic injuries in taxi or rideshare accidents.
-
Bicyclists
People ride bikes all over Chicago, and many streets in the city even have specific lanes carved out for bicyclists. The rights of bicyclists to share roads can be ignored by some cab or rideshare drivers, and victims on bicycles are often seriously harmed when the operators of taxis or ridesharing vehicles act negligently.
Causes of Rideshare Accidents in Chicago
Crashes involving taxis or ridesharing vehicles share many of the same causes as traditional car accidents. Some of the most common causes of taxi, Uber, Lyft, and ridesharing crashes include, but are not limited to:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding / aggressive driving
- Driver fatigue
- Failure to maintain
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Another driver’s negligence
- Other traffic violations
Despite the higher required minimum insurance limits for taxi and rideshare drivers, the companies that own the vehicles often attempt to argue that drivers were independent contractors in an effort to avoid liability. Because victims may suffer paralysis, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, or any one of a number of other types of serious physical harm requiring extensive hospitalization and medical care, it is important for anybody involved in such a crash to immediately seek the help of a skilled Chicago personal injury lawyer who can fight to get maximum compensation.
Rideshare Accident Resources
Chicago Taxi Fare Finder
Taxi Fare Finder calculates taxi fares based on a proprietary algorithm that takes into account multitude of considerations, utilizing up-to-date taxi rates from over 1000 localities. Use this website to plug in addresses and get estimated taxi rates for trips in Chicago. The website also has a link to RideGuru, a similar website that provides fare estimates for ridesharing services.
Rideshare, taxi accidents happen in Chicago, so why is data hard to get?
Read a September 5, 2016, Chicago Tribune article examining the reasons for why it is difficult to obtain data about ridesharing accidents in Illinois. As the article notes, taxis “are easier to identify and document on the traffic crash report because of their specially issued Illinois license plates and medallion numbers,” but Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing drivers do not have such designations. The article does include some 2014 taxi accident statistics for the state.
Susan Loggans Law
Did you suffer catastrophic injuries or was your loved one killed in a crash caused by a taxi, Uber, Lyft, or other ridesharing service driver? You should avoid making any kind of statement to an insurance company until you have legal representation. Contact Susan E. Loggans & Associates as soon as possible.
Susan E. Loggans is an experienced personal injury lawyer in Chicago who helps residents of and visitors to Park Ridge, Elgin, Elmhurst, Evanston, Oak Forest, and several other nearby communities. She can provide an honest and thorough evaluation of your case when you call (312) 588-9773 or complete an online contact form below to receive a free, no-obligation consultation.