As the second largest city in Illinois, we are available to meet with Rockford based clients in their homes at 
a moment’s notice to consult regarding personal injuries, lost wages and pain and suffering suffered in motorcycle accidents in Winnebago County. We recognize the importance of Rockford and desire to be your Rockford motorcycle accident lawyer.
Our office is available to all clients throughout Illinois including Winnebago County and in the surrounding cities of:
- Cherry Valley
- Belvidere
- New Milford
- Marengo
Motorcycle accident caused by Uber/Lyft/Rideshare
There are two sides to every story. On the one side the evidence seems to suggest that the ride of Uber/Lyft/Rideshare driving has caused a fairly significant increase in the number of accidents and fatalities on the streets.
Conversely, Uber would argue that the averages for accidents for their drivers is no different than for that of the regular driver. So which is the truth? We’ve got some numbers to look at to try and discern through this issue.
First, the objective information. A 2018 University of Chicago study showed an increase of 2-3% in the number of motor vehicle fatalities and fatal accidents after the introduction of ridesharing to a city. That number jives with what we’ve seen in our practice in that there are a lot of rideshare vehicles getting in accidents.
In 2018, Uber issued their own U.S. Safety Report. According to Uber, there were 107 total fatalities in 2017 and 2018 caused by 97 fatal crashes of drivers while on the Uber app. This according to Uber is about half of the national rates.
No number was given as to how many of these accidents involved motorcycles but 30% of the crashes involved a pedestrian, 25% and 2% were bicyclists.
If you are involved in an accident with an Uber or Lyft driver, the same parties may be at fault as in a normal scenario with one twist. Your Uber driver may be at fault which would require you to pursue damages from Uber. Or alternatively, the driver of another vehicle may be at fault.
The issue that arises is whether the large Uber insurance policy will cover your damages. Hopefully, it will and you will not have any issues. However, having dealt with companies like Uber and GrubHub, it’s not always that easy.
If you are involved in an Uber accident, contact a Rockford motorcycle accident lawyer for a consultation.
How an Attorney Can Help with Your Motorcycle Rideshare claim?
The amount of work a motorcycle accident lawyer does to process and win a case is staggering. So much goes on behind the scenes. But in a nutshell, we can help:
- Get the police report
- Get your property damage fixed
- Help get medical assistance
- Order your medical bills and records
- Review and analyze the records
- Prepare a demand package for the insurance company
- Negotiate with the insurance company
- File suit if necessary
- Settle/reduce your medical bills and hospital liens and other expenses
- Get you your check
We always recommend to people seriously injured in an Uber or other accident to get the help of an attorney. However, this is particularly true when you’re dealing with rideshare companies. If you don’t, we can almost guarantee you’re going to get low-balled. Then you’ll contact an attorney 18 months later upset at their offer and looking for help. But by that time much damage may have already been done to your case.
What to Do If You Are in an Uber Accident
The steps to take after getting involved in a rideshare accident are similar to those that you would take after any motorcycle accident.
One important difference involves the Uber driver. It’s important to get the information about the Uber driver for your records and to record the time at which the accident occurred. Whether the driver has the Uber app on at the time of the accident could have a huge impact on whether you can recover against Uber or not.
Can I Recover for Lost Wages After a Motorcycle Accident?
You definitely can recover for lost wages after a motorcycle accident with a Lyft or other rideshare vehicle the same way you can recover against any third party.
However, it’s important to be able to document your lost wages and to show that the lost wages were caused by the accident.
Often clients will argue they lost money on a construction job where they’re an independent contractor. These types of situations are tougher to prove but with the appropriate document, even these types of scenarios may result in compensation.
And you can recover for more than just lost wages. You may have used up vacation time during your recovery or perhaps you lost stock options or other benefits. Those have value as well and if adequately proved can be compensated for.
Rockford, Chicago’s Sister City
The city of Rockford, Illinois, is not just a city Chicagoans pass on the way to the Dells. It’s the second biggest city in Illinois and there are a lot of motorcycle riders there.
Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County and home of the 17th Judicial Circuit located at 400 W State Street.
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident in Rockford and want to speak to a Rockford motorcycle accident attorney, call 1-847-305-4105. We will come to you no matter where you are.
