Jackson Uber Accident Lawyer

Trusted Uber Accident Attorney in Jackson, MS

Uber and Lyft simplify traveling around Jackson, but an Uber accident raises complicated insurance issues that aren’t present after a standard two-car crash. A Jackson Uber accident lawyer can discover which insurance policy applies, whether the rideshare driver was online or driving for a passenger, and file a legal claim against the appropriate parties who caused the accident. 

These factors can apply to Uber passengers, Lyft drivers, passengers in other vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists harmed after a crash. 

About Chhabra, Gibbs & Gustavis, P.A.

Our lawyers have fought for injured people and families since 1999. While other firms may choose corporate entities and insurers as their clients, our clients are individuals. Our attorneys have over 130 years of combined experience handling personal injury matters. We represent people hurt in motor vehicle accidents and rideshare crashes throughout Mississippi.

Rideshare drivers spend time traveling to new locations, looking for passengers, and driving between pickup and drop-off points. In Jackson, Uber and Lyft vehicles travel along congested highways like I-55, I-20, and I-220, as well as main surface roads connecting downtown Jackson with outlying areas. Additionally, rideshare drivers pick up and drop off passengers at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, hotels, restaurants, entertainment venues, and more. 

An Uber crash can happen for the same reasons that other motor vehicle collisions occur, including: 

• Speeding
• Driving distracted
• Driving while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Failing to yield
• Tailgating
• Reckless driving

Distracted driving may be of particular concern because rideshare drivers use smartphones to navigate and receive information about upcoming ride requests. 

Even though every accident needs its own thorough look, the rideshare driver isn’t automatically to blame for a crash. Someone else may cause an accident, or multiple motorists might share liability. Identifying who caused the accident is one concern, but it is separate from identifying what insurance policies cover the injuries. 

Dozens of traffic crashes occur every day across Mississippi. Some of these accidents cause serious injuries to motorists and passengers. Data from the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety’s fiscal year 2024–2026 Triennial Highway Safety Plan reveals that, between 2018 and 2022, Mississippi experienced an average of 711 fatal traffic accidents and 2,520 instances of serious traffic injury each year. 

Mississippi also averaged 1.76 traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled during this same time frame.

Mississippi Uber Accident Laws and Insurance Requirements 

Uber and Lyft companies are known as transportation network companies under Mississippi law. When investigating an Uber accident, a lawyer’s initial step often involves reviewing Mississippi Code § 77-8-15, detailing insurance stipulations tied to the driver’s status during the crash. 

In Mississippi, drivers must carry $50,000 in bodily injury or death coverage per individual, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage liability once they sign into the rideshare network and are ready for ride requests. After a driver accepts a passenger’s request for a ride, Mississippi law requires $1 million in primary liability coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage. 

The law defines a prearranged ride as occurring when a driver accepts a passenger’s request for a ride and carries through until the final passenger leaves the vehicle. 

Uber accident laws also permit insurers to deny coverage if a driver is actively engaged in the rideshare company’s system or is actively engaged in a trip, either transporting someone or en route to pick them up. This means a driver’s own car insurance likely won’t kick in for Uber or Lyft accidents unless specific conditions are met. 

What Insurance May Apply

Insurance coverage may depend on whether the driver moved forward with a passenger request for a ride or was traveling to a passenger pickup location. According to Uber, insurance coverage for drivers varies depending on whether they’re logged off, logged on and waiting, or on the way to pick someone up. Lyft uses similar time periods. The insurance rules can be simplified as follows: 

• Driver offline. Since the driver wasn’t actively engaged with the rideshare application at the time, their personal auto insurance should cover the accident. 
• Driver online and awaiting a passenger to request a ride. Mississippi’s minimum insurance requirements of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident for bodily injury liability and $25,000 for property damage liability apply. 
• The driver accepts the passenger’s request for a ride and drives to pick up the passenger. Mississippi considers this time as part of a prearranged ride. In this case, $1 million in primary liability insurance applies. 
• The driver has arrived at the pickup location, and the passenger enters the vehicle. The prearranged ride lasts until the last requesting passenger leaves the vehicle. Therefore, $1 million in liability coverage continues to apply during the trip. 

This complicated tiered system is why a driver’s app status may be one of the first issues to discover in an Uber accident claim. An accident that occurs one minute before accepting a ride may trigger different insurance from an accident occurring one minute after accepting a ride. 

Compensation After a Jackson Rideshare Accident 

If someone else caused an accident due to carelessness or negligence, an injured victim can file a legal claim for losses caused by the crash. Every accident and injury is unique, so the amount and types of compensation available vary. Potential types of compensation in an Uber accident claim include: 

• Medical expenses and expected future medical care 
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity 
• Damage to personal property and other costs that are accident-related
• Physical pain and suffering 
• Emotional harm associated with serious injuries 
• Permanent injuries or disability  

Evidence can be important when identifying these losses. Medical records can link treatment specifically to injuries resulting from the accident, while lost wage claims may require proof of employment. Professionals are often used to calculate long-term medical care and impairments.

What To Do If You’re in a Rideshare Accident

After an Uber or Lyft accident, quickly protect your medical needs and preserve evidence for a potential injury claim. If possible, immediately file a report of the accident with the police and wait for them to arrive. Get medical treatment quickly for injuries requiring attention. Also, it’s a good idea to get checked out quickly by a doctor if you start feeling pain, getting dizzy, finding it hard to move, or notice other worrying signs after you’ve left the accident site. 

Passengers who are injured should also take steps to preserve evidence of the trip and the driver’s on-duty identifier at the time the accident occurred. You may want to do the following:

• Take screenshots of the driver’s profile, which includes their name, vehicle information, pickup and drop-off locations, the route, and the receipt.
• Take photos of the accident site and your injuries. You may also want to take photos of contributing factors directly from the accident, such as construction or poor road signage.
• Collect the names, phone numbers, and information related to insurance for the drivers, passengers, and witnesses. 
• Report the accident using Uber/Lyft’s in-app accident or safety report tool and save copies of all correspondence.
• Save all medical bills and lost wages.

An injured passenger should understand what losses they have incurred and whether they are likely to need additional medical treatment before providing the other party with a detailed medical history or agreeing to a settlement. After a settlement check is cashed and a release is signed, you may no longer be able to recover compensation for losses that occur in the future. 

Hire an Uber Accident Lawyer 

Personal injury lawyers understand how to investigate accidents, determine liability, identify insurance coverage, calculate losses, and deal with insurance companies. A person may decide to hire an Uber accident lawyer after discovering that liability or insurance issues prevent an easy settlement. 

An attorney can help obtain the rideshare driver’s information and determine what the driver was doing when the accident occurred. A Jackson Uber Accident attorney can also look at your medical records and other supporting evidence to accurately calculate your damages, so you have a strong claim when seeking compensation. 

Insurance can become even more confusing when multiple policies might apply. A crash with a rideshare driver can involve the individual driver’s own insurance policy, Uber or Lyft coverage, another motorist’s insurance policy, and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Figuring out which policy covers what losses can require analyzing the facts associated with the accident and each policy’s language.

Where Are Jackson Rideshare Accident Cases Handled? 

Jackson is part of Hinds County, so most claims would be filed in the proper Hinds County court division. The Hinds County Circuit Court hosts a Jackson, MS location at 407 East Pascagoula Street, Jackson, MS 39205.

Rideshare accident claims do not always lead to legal claims. Insurance companies typically handle many cases, but there are times when litigation is necessary. If the insurance company disputes liability or the severity of injuries, a claim may be filed. 

Jackson Uber Accident Lawyer

If you were in an accident with an Uber driver, Chhabra, Gibbs & Gustavis, P.A. can help. We can look at the evidence of your accident and advocate for you to receive the compensation you need and deserve. Contact us today for a consultation.