Uber, Lyft, Taxi, & Limo Accidents: Resources

Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. § 95.11), you generally have two years from the date of the car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the accident resulted in a fatality, a wrongful death claim must also be filed within two years. Failing to file within this statute of limitations typically bars you from seeking compensation. Because evidence disappears and witnesses' memories fade, it is prudent to act quickly. The Altman Law Firm can evaluate your timeline and ensure all legal deadlines are met to preserve your right to recovery.

The timeframe is strictly limited. Under Fla. Stat. Sec. 95.11, the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death claim in Florida is generally two years from the date of the deceased person death. Failing to initiate legal action within this period usually results in the loss of your right to seek compensation for funeral expenses, loss of companionship, and lost income. Prompt action is necessary to preserve evidence.

Jeffrey S. Altman and The Altman Law Firm provide compassionate guidance during this difficult process.

If you are injured in a taxi or limo collision, follow these immediate steps: 1. Call 911 to request emergency medical services and require police to complete an official crash report. 2. Record the driver's name, chauffeur registration, company operating name, and vehicle medallion or fleet number. 3. Photograph vehicle positions, visible vehicle damage, and physical injuries before leaving the scene. 4. Seek professional medical evaluation within 14 days to preserve Personal Injury Protection rights under Fla. Stat. § 627.736. 5. Consult The Altman Law Firm so Jeffrey S. Altman can act promptly to preserve commercial dispatch records, dashcam video, and fleet maintenance histories.

While many personal injury cases are settled out of court, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. This rigorous preparation often leads to better settlement offers. If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, we are fully prepared to advocate for your rights in front of a jury.

Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, is a mandatory insurance coverage in Florida that pays for your medical bills and lost wages after a crash, regardless of who caused the accident. Under Florida law, drivers must carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP coverage. To access these benefits, you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of the accident. If your insurance company denies or underpays your PIP claim, The Altman Law Firm can assist you with a PIP dispute to help you recover the benefits you purchased.

If another motorist causes a crash involving your rideshare, taxi, or limousine, the at-fault driver's bodily injury liability coverage is primarily responsible for your damages. If that driver is uninsured or carries insufficient policy limits, rideshare trips provide up to $1,000,000 in underinsured motorist coverage pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 627.748. Additionally, your own personal auto insurance policy may provide initial medical coverage through Personal Injury Protection under Fla. Stat. § 627.736. The Altman Law Firm coordinates these multiple insurance layers to help injured passengers recover full reimbursement for medical bills and related losses.

Florida Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, governed by Fla. Stat. § 627.736, provides coverage for up to 80% of all necessary medical expenses and 60% of lost wages, capped at a maximum of $10,000. However, to access the full $10,000 limit, a medical professional must determine that you suffered an Emergency Medical Condition (EMC). If your injury is not deemed an EMC, your PIP medical benefits are capped at $2,500. The Altman Law Firm can help review your medical records and insurance policy, and Jeffrey S. Altman is available to assist you with these complex claims.

Multiple parties may be liable in a commercial truck accident. The truck driver is responsible for driving while fatigued, but the trucking company may also be held liable for encouraging hours-of-service violations or failing to monitor their drivers. Additionally, cargo loaders or maintenance providers could share fault depending on the crash factors. Trucking companies have extensive legal resources. Jeffrey S. Altman at The Altman Law Firm thoroughly investigates logbooks and corporate records to identify all responsible parties in these complex cases.

Insurance coverage in a Florida rideshare collision depends on the driver's active digital status under Florida Statute § 627.748. If the rideshare driver has accepted a ride request or is actively transporting a passenger, the transportation network company provides up to $1,000,000 in primary commercial liability and uninsured motorist coverage. If the driver is logged into the app awaiting a request, lower statutory limits of $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage apply. If the app is off, only the driver's personal policy applies. Jeffrey S. Altman and The Altman Law Firm investigate electronic app records to identify all available policies.

Florida law mandates higher insurance minimums for commercial passenger vehicles than standard automobiles. Pursuant to Florida Statute § 324.032, for-hire passenger transportation vehicles—including taxicabs and limousines—must carry commercial liability coverage of at least $125,000 for bodily injury per person, $250,000 for bodily injury per occurrence, and $50,000 for property damage liability. These requirements ensure that paying passengers and members of the public have access to dedicated coverage in the event of severe injuries. Jeffrey S. Altman and The Altman Law Firm verify compliance and pursue claims against commercial taxi and livery fleet insurers.

To protect your health and any potential injury claim, take these immediate steps: 1. Contact law enforcement so an official police crash report is drafted. 2. Capture screenshots of your ride receipt, the driver's profile, and the active route within the application. 3. Photograph vehicle damage, all license plates, and your visible injuries. 4. Report the accident through the rideshare platform's safety incident feature. 5. Seek medical evaluation within 14 days to comply with Florida Personal Injury Protection requirements under Fla. Stat. § 627.736. Prompt documentation helps preserve critical digital and physical evidence.

The value of a personal injury claim depends on multiple unique factors and cannot be predetermined. Compensation is based on the severity of your injuries, total medical expenses, lost wages, future rehabilitation needs, and the impact on your quality of life. Available insurance policy limits and your percentage of fault under Fla. Stat. Sec. 768.81 also play major roles. At The Altman Law Firm, Jeffrey S. Altman meticulously evaluates all evidence and damages to pursue appropriate compensation for your specific circumstances.

Under Florida Statute § 627.748, rideshare drivers are generally classified as independent contractors rather than employees, shielding Uber and Lyft from ordinary vicarious liability in many scenarios. However, injured victims can pursue compensation through the mandatory commercial auto insurance policies of up to $1 million that these companies must maintain while drivers carry passengers or travel to pick them up. Direct lawsuits against Uber or Lyft may also arise if the corporation committed independent negligence, such as improper driver screening, negligent onboarding, or ignoring safety complaints. The Altman Law Firm, led by Jeffrey S. Altman, investigates all corporate and individual sources of recovery.

Electronic app and telematics data provide objective proof of driver behavior before and during a collision. Rideshare platforms continuously log GPS location, travel speed, rapid deceleration, braking patterns, and screen interactions. Because transportation network companies routinely purge or overwrite electronic records according to internal retention schedules, preserving this digital evidence quickly through formal spoliation notices is crucial. This data often resolves disputed fault under Florida's comparative negligence statute, Fla. Stat. § 768.81. The Altman Law Firm routinely demands prompt preservation of rideshare server logs to support client claims.

You may have a valid premises liability claim. Under Fla. Stat. Sec. 768.0755, if you slip and fall on a transitory foreign substance in a business establishment, you must prove the business had actual or constructive knowledge of the dangerous condition and should have taken action. A missing warning sign strengthens the argument that they failed to protect visitors. The Altman Law Firm investigates incident reports, surveillance footage, and witness statements. Jeffrey S. Altman can assess the specific facts of your fall.

If you are injured in a rideshare collision in Miami, take the following actions to safeguard your health and injury claim: 1. Call 911 immediately to ensure local police investigate the crash and dispatch paramedics. 2. Take screenshots of your rideshare application showing the driver's profile, route, vehicle, and digital receipt before ending the ride. 3. Photograph vehicle damage, scene conditions, and visible injuries. 4. Seek medical evaluation within 14 days to protect Personal Injury Protection coverage under Fla. Stat. § 627.736. 5. Contact The Altman Law Firm before speaking with corporate insurance adjusters, allowing Jeffrey S. Altman to preserve critical digital evidence.

Yes. Under Florida common law, traditional taxi services, limousines, and commercial shuttles are classified as common carriers. Common carriers owe their passengers the highest degree of care, diligence, and foresight for their safety while in transit, rather than just ordinary reasonable care. If a taxi or limo driver causes a crash due to speeding, fatigue, distraction, or failure to properly maintain vehicle brakes or tires, the driver and transportation company can be held liable for resulting damages. Jeffrey S. Altman evaluates whether commercial carriers violated these stringent legal standards in Miami-Dade accident claims.

When a rideshare driver is logged into the application and waiting for a ride request, Florida Statute § 627.748 mandates specific contingent liability coverage. In this phase, the rideshare company must provide minimum liability limits of $50,000 for death and bodily injury per person, $100,000 for death and bodily injury per incident, and $25,000 for property damage. This commercial coverage applies if the driver's personal automobile insurer denies coverage under a commercial-use exclusion. The Altman Law Firm works to secure the electronic app logs necessary to establish the driver's exact operational status at the time of the collision.

Under Fla. Stat. Sec. 95.11, the statute of limitations for most general personal injury claims in Florida is two years from the date of the accident. For medical malpractice or wrongful death, the timeframe is also generally two years. Failing to file within this strict deadline usually permanently bars you from seeking compensation. Because evidence can disappear quickly, Jeffrey S. Altman and The Altman Law Firm recommend seeking legal guidance promptly to protect your rights.

The rideshare company's commercial insurance policy provides primary coverage once a driver accepts a ride dispatch. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.748(7)(c), commonly known as Period 2, transportation network companies must provide at least $1,000,000 in primary commercial liability coverage for bodily injury, death, and property damage from the moment a trip match is accepted until the rider exits. Personal automobile insurers generally exclude coverage during commercial transit, making the corporate policy the primary source of financial recovery for injured motorists, pedestrians, or cyclists. Jeffrey S. Altman examines dispatch timestamps to confirm full policy coverage.

Florida follows a modified comparative negligence system under Fla. Stat. Sec. 768.81. This means you can still recover compensation if you are partially at fault for an accident, provided your fault is not greater than 50 percent. Your financial recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 51 percent or more responsible, you cannot recover damages. At The Altman Law Firm, Jeffrey S. Altman investigates the facts to help ensure fault is accurately assessed. This information is for educational purposes and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Yes. Rideshare drivers who sustain injuries caused by another motorist's negligence can pursue a personal injury claim against that driver. Because rideshare drivers are classified as independent contractors rather than direct employees under Fla. Stat. § 627.748, claims are not barred by Florida workers' compensation immunity rules. Injured drivers can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering. Depending on app activity during the crash, supplemental underinsured motorist coverage from the rideshare network may also provide financial protection. The Altman Law Firm assists injured rideshare drivers in identifying all available insurance coverage.

In Florida, insurance bad faith occurs when an insurer fails to act in good faith to settle a claim against their insured when they could and should have done so, had they acted fairly and honestly. Under Fla. Stat. § 624.155, insurers have a statutory duty to settle claims in good faith. Common examples include failing to properly investigate a claim or unreasonably delaying payments. If you suspect your insurer is acting in bad faith, The Altman Law Firm and attorney Jeffrey S. Altman can evaluate your case to determine if you have grounds for a bad faith claim.

Navigating the aftermath of an injury can be overwhelming, but Florida law provides robust avenues for comprehensive financial recovery. At The Altman Law Firm, our priority is to meticulously build your case to ensure you receive the maximum compensation you deserve. We fiercely advocate for your right to recover all applicable economic damages, which encompass past and anticipated future medical expenses, lost current wages, and any long-term diminished earning capacity.

Beyond your direct financial losses, our experienced legal team aggressively pursues non-economic damages to account for your physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and property damage. Furthermore, in instances involving egregious or extreme negligence, we may also seek punitive damages to hold the at-fault party fully accountable and deter future misconduct.

You can afford legal representation because The Altman Law Firm operates on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay no upfront costs or hourly fees. Attorney fees are only collected as a percentage of the financial recovery if compensation is secured on your behalf. If no recovery is made, you do not owe attorney fees. Jeffrey S. Altman provides initial consultations at no charge to discuss your case, ensuring that anyone injured by negligence has access to legal guidance regardless of their financial situation.

It is not necessarily too late, but you should seek medical attention immediately. Adrenaline often masks injury symptoms like whiplash or internal trauma for days. Under Florida Personal Injury Protection laws, you must seek initial medical treatment within 14 days of the motor vehicle accident to qualify for benefits. Delaying care can harm your health and complicate your legal claim.

The Altman Law Firm emphasizes that documenting your injuries promptly is vital. Consult Jeffrey S. Altman to understand how treatment timelines affect your case.

Yes, you can seek additional compensation if your medical bills exceed your PIP limit, but you must meet certain statutory thresholds. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.737, you may pursue a bodily injury liability claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver if you have sustained a permanent injury. To pursue this: 1. Document all medical expenses exceeding the $10,000 PIP limit. 2. Identify all potential third-party insurance policies. 3. Contact Jeffrey S. Altman at The Altman Law Firm for a consultation to evaluate your legal options for recovering your remaining damages.

If your insurance company denies your claim, you should take immediate action to protect your rights. 1. Request a formal, written explanation detailing the specific policy exclusions or reasons for the denial. 2. Gather all relevant documentation, including your medical records, police reports, and correspondence with the insurer. 3. Consult with Jeffrey S. Altman at The Altman Law Firm to review the denial letter. Under Florida law, insurers must handle claims in accordance with fair claims practices, and we can help you evaluate your options for appealing or pursuing legal action.

The property owner or business operator may be responsible if their negligence caused your injury. Under Florida premises liability law, you must prove the owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to fix it or warn you. Initially, your own health insurance may cover the bills. However, The Altman Law Firm can pursue a claim against the negligent party liability insurance to seek reimbursement for your medical expenses and other damages. Jeffrey S. Altman has over 25 years of experience evaluating these claims.

Following a dog bite, prioritize your health and document the incident. 1. Wash the wound and seek emergency medical care immediately to prevent infection. 2. Identify the dog and its owner, requesting their contact and insurance information. 3. Report the bite to local animal control or law enforcement to create an official record. 4. Take photographs of your injuries and the location of the attack. 5. Contact The Altman Law Firm. Jeffrey S. Altman can explain your rights under Florida strict liability dog bite laws.

Initial settlement offers from insurance companies are often much lower than what your claim may require. Accepting an early offer typically requires you to sign a release, preventing you from seeking further compensation even if your injuries require surgery or long-term care later. You should never sign documents or accept payments without understanding the full extent of your damages. The Altman Law Firm reviews all settlement offers. Jeffrey S. Altman advocates for compensation that accurately reflects your current and future medical needs.

If the at-fault driver lacks bodily injury liability coverage, you may still have options. You can turn to your own Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage if you purchased it. This policy steps in to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering up to your policy limits. Florida law does not mandate bodily injury coverage for all drivers, making this coverage crucial. Jeffrey S. Altman at The Altman Law Firm can review your insurance policies to identify available coverage for your recovery.

At The Altman Law Firm, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for you. Our fee is a percentage of the final settlement or verdict.

You should prioritize your safety and health while preserving evidence. 1. Move to a safe location and call 911 to report the crash. 2. Seek immediate medical attention, even if you feel fine, to document your injuries. 3. Gather information from the other driver and take photos of the scene, vehicle damage, and your injuries. 4. Notify your insurance company about the accident. 5. Consult with a qualified attorney before speaking to the other driver's insurance adjuster. Jeffrey S. Altman and The Altman Law Firm can help review your case and protect your rights during this critical time.

Under Florida law, the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims is generally two years from the date of the incident. Likewise, specialized matters—such as medical malpractice and wrongful death cases—are subject to a stricter two-year filing deadline.

Because failing to comply with these statutory timeframes can permanently bar your right to seek financial compensation, taking prompt legal action is absolutely vital. We strongly encourage you to consult with the experienced legal team at The Altman Law Firm as soon as possible. Engaging knowledgeable counsel early ensures that your rights are fully protected and all critical filing deadlines are meticulously observed.

Under Florida law, specifically Fla. Stat. § 627.736, you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of a motor vehicle accident to qualify for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. If you do not receive medical care within this 14-day window, your insurance carrier will likely deny your claim. To protect your health and your right to coverage, follow these steps: 1. Seek immediate medical evaluation at an emergency room or with a licensed physician. 2. Obtain a formal diagnosis. 3. Contact The Altman Law Firm so Jeffrey S. Altman can review your policy and help navigate the claims process.

Yes, injured passengers can pursue financial compensation even if their rideshare driver bore no fault for the collision. In Florida, your initial claim typically proceeds against the negligent third-party driver who caused the collision. However, if that driver is uninsured or carries insufficient bodily injury limits, the rideshare company's uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage applies under Florida Statute § 627.748 during an active trip, providing up to $1,000,000 in protection. Jeffrey S. Altman and The Altman Law Firm review all concurrent insurance policies to help injured passengers pursue recovery for medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, and lost income.