Injuries in a car accident can range from minor to severe to fatal. There are a number of factors that can impact the types of injuries a victim suffers in a car accident. Accidents involving a Lyft or Uber can cause injury to the rideshare driver, another driver, passengers, cyclists, or pedestrians.
The first priority after an accident with a ride-share vehicle is to seek medical attention if necessary. Immediate medical attention can reduce the long-term impact of an accident and increase the chance of recovery. Medical bills can be expensive after a car accident, and the driver responsible for causing the accident should be held accountable.
The attorneys at accidentdenver.com represent injury victims in Colorado rideshare accidents. We will investigate your claim, deal with the insurance and rideshare company, and fight to get compensation after an accident. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries
Modern safety equipment like seatbelts, airbags, and crumple zones have made driving safer. However, the mass and speed of a vehicle traveling along the road can make motor vehicles dangerous instruments. As a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bystander, common accident injuries can include:
- Head injury,
- Neck injury,
- Broken bones,
- Contusions,
- Concussion,
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI),
- Eye injury,
- Internal bleeding,
- Nerve damage,
- Severed limbs,
- Hearing damage,
- Burn injury,
- Chemical injury,
- Road rash,
- Back injury,
- Spinal cord injury,
- Sprains, and
- Infection.
Delayed Symptoms of Car Accident Injury
In a minor accident, the parties involved may be able to walk away without needing medical care. However, car accident injuries can be tricky because they may not be felt immediately. It may take hours or even days before the injury victim feels the damage. Delayed symptoms of a more serious brain injury or spinal cord damage may include:
- Headache,
- Forgetfulness,
- Numbness,
- Dizziness,
- Loss of range of motion movement,
- Pain,
- Numbness,
- Tingling,
- Nausea or vomiting,
- Sleep problems, and
- Loss of consciousness.
It is better to seek out medical attention after an accident, just in case. Early treatment can reduce the damage of a serious injury and increase the chance of recovery.
Common Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents
The types of injuries involved in a ride-sharing vehicle accident depend on the type of accident. Accidents involving motor vehicles can include:
- Multiple vehicle accident,
- Single vehicle accident,
- Pedestrian accident,
- Motorcycle accident,
- Truck accident, and
- Bicycle accident.
Multiple Vehicle Accident
A car accident involving two or more vehicles are among the most common types of accidents. The severity of the accident often depends on the speed of the vehicles, type of collision, and the safety equipment in use. Types of multiple vehicle accidents include:
- Rear-end accidents,
- Head-on collisions, and
- T-Bone collisions,
While speed can be a big factor in the type of injuries, even a low-speed rear-end collision can cause serious injury. Sensitive parts of the body, including the head and neck, can be susceptible to injury in a seemingly minor accident. Rear-end collisions often cause whiplash, which can lead to serious muscle and nerve damage, including permanent injury.
Head-on collisions and T-bone accidents can be very damaging to drivers and passengers. In a head-on collision, the speed of the collision is effectively doubled because of the speed of each driver traveling towards the collision. T-bone accidents may hit the weaker side of the car, causing greater damage to the driver who is hit on the side. This includes crushing injuries or the risk of getting trapped in the vehicle.
Single Vehicle Accident
Single vehicle accidents often involve hitting a stationary object, like a pole, guardrail, or building. Single vehicle accidents with a stationary object can be very serious because the stationary object may not move or buckle, causing the vehicle to absorb all the energy of the accident.
Other single-vehicle accidents include rollover crashes. Certain vehicles are more susceptible to rollover accidents, including vehicles with a higher center of gravity, like trucks and SUVs. In a rollover crash, the occupants can be flung around the interior of the vehicle in different directions, causing multiple impacts with the interior as the vehicle rolls.
Pedestrian Accident
Accidents involving pedestrians have some of the highest rates of serious injury or death. Drivers have seatbelts, airbags, and are surrounded by a heavy metal cage in a vehicle. Pedestrians often have no protection. Even a small bump by a slow-moving car can knock someone over where the pedestrian hits their head or back.
In a rideshare accident with a pedestrian, the Lyft or Uber driver is often distracted and not paying attention to the road. The driver may be looking for their fare passenger, checking their map, or entering in information on the rideshare app. A distracted rideshare driver may hit a pedestrian in a crosswalk or take a turn at a red-light intersection without coming to a complete stop, causing serious injury for the accident victim.
Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents are also often more dangerous for the motorcycle rider than the driver. Motorcyclists have some protections, through a helmet and protective clothing. However, riders may also be traveling at high rates of speed when they are hit by a rideshare driver. Rideshare accidents involving motorcycles often involve a Lyft or Uber driver who is distracted and does not check blind spots or mirrors before changing lanes or making a turn.
Truck Accident
In a truck accident with a rideshare driver, the rideshare driver may face a greater risk of injury or harm. Depending on a number of factors, including speed of the accident and size of the truck, many accidents between a truck and vehicle result in damage to the vehicle which traps the injury victim inside the car. The longer an injury victim is trapped and unable to get medical attention, the greater the chance of further injury.
Bike Accident
Bicycle accidents with rideshare drivers may be caused by any number of things, including distracted driving, failure to yield to cyclists, following too closely, improper passing, or inexperienced drivers who do not know the traffic laws in Colorado.
A bike helmet can lower the risk of serious head injury for come bike accidents. However, there is no mandatory bike helmet law in Colorado. When a bike is involved in an accident with a rideshare driver, the cyclist almost always loses.
What Causes Ride-Share Accident Injuries in Colorado?
Any car or driver can be involved in an accident. However, there are certain inherent risks of sharing the road with Lyft and Uber drivers. Some of the risks of rideshare accidents include distracted driving, inexperienced drivers, and drowsy driving. Lyft and Uber drivers are often distracted by using the rideshare app, following the maps, driving in unfamiliar areas, or talking to the riders.
Ridesharing Accident Injury Lawyers
The attorneys at accidentdenver.com have successfully represented their clients and families in Denver who were involved in an injury accident with Lyft and Uber drivers to get compensation for their losses. Our attorneys understand how the ridesharing and insurance companies operate and will fight to get the maximum compensation available for your injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation.