Many people get a ride from Uber or Lyft when they're not sober enough to safely drive home. Unfortunately, sometimes the driver who works for the ridesharing company isn't sober, either, and the passenger has no idea until it's too late. That's what happened to one Uber passenger in Florida, who is now deceased due to his driver's choice to take drugs and drive.

A Florida Uber driver was arrested in early March for his role in a deadly accident in early January. Police say a 30-year-old man ordered an Uber to take him from Orlando to Haines City around midnight. The driver who showed up to give him a ride began driving his Toyota sedan toward the U.S. 17 and Shamrock Drive, where he started drifting off the road and eventually struck the back of a semi-truck.

The investigation showed the Uber driver didn't even try to stop before hitting the back of the truck. The collision caused the passenger to hit his head so hard that he died at the scene. As police began investigating the cause of the Uber accident, they found that the driver's blood sample showed he was under the influence of both meth and THC. They also found a bag with a glass smoking device with meth residue in it in his car. As a result, the driver was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter, and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

What To Do After a Tragic Uber Accident in Colorado 

In this case, the Uber driver was clearly at fault, and the investigation by the police was thorough enough to determine that without a doubt. After all, the blood sample showed clear signs of intoxicated driving, and the police found drug paraphernalia in the Uber driver's car. But it's not always that cut and dried when it comes to rideshare accidents.

This is why most victims need to hire a personal injury lawyer to represent them after a rideshare accident. A lawyer can help determine if the cause of the accident involved distracted driving, poor road conditions, DUI, or other common causes of auto accidents. This is important because determining the cause will help prove who the at-fault driver was so you know who to bring a lawsuit against after a devastating Colorado auto accident.

In addition, a personal injury attorney can help gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and ensure you adhere to all legal deadlines. After all, in Colorado, the statute of limitations for car accident personal injury claims is three years. This means you have to file your claim three years or less after the collision occurs. And if you lost a loved one in an accident, you have only two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

For this reason, it's important not to delay if you're planning to seek compensation after an injury or death due to a ridesharing car accident. So contact a Colorado personal injury attorney today to discuss your legal options after experiencing a tragic collision in this state.