Attorney Carolina Eder-Weaver Secures $115,000 Settlement for Injured Rideshare Passenger

Angel Reyes & Associates Recovers Six Figures After Insurer Held Firm at $30,000

Attorney Carolina Eder-Weaver of Angel Reyes & Associates, with the assistance of Spencer Browne, has secured a $115,000 settlement for a client who was injured in a rear-end accident. Our client was riding as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle when the driver failed to stop in time, colliding with another vehicle stopped ahead of it.

Despite clear liability, the insurer never offered more than their initial value of $30,000, even walking away from mediation rather than move off that number.

Rideshare Passengers Are Supposed to Be Protected

Our client was riding in the back seat of their booked rideshare when the driver failed to control their speed and struck the vehicle in front of them as traffic slowed. Liability was clear from the start; no police responded to the scene, and everyone went their separate ways.

When you get into a rideshare vehicle, coverage is in place for exactly this situation. Robust insurance policies protect riders when the driver makes a mistake. However, despite the driver’s clear liability and documented evidence detailing the extent of the injuries our client suffered to their neck and shoulder in the incident, the insurer gave an initial offer and then refused to move from it for some time.

This shows how even in instances where liability is unmistakable, insurers can and will still fight these claims. A $30,000 offer to someone with neck and shoulder injuries and undisputed liability is not a serious attempt to resolve a case. It is a number designed to make the claim go away cheaply.

Injuries like that are not something you sleep off. They show up when you reach for something on a high shelf, when you turn your head to check a blind spot, or when you try to do small things you used to do without thinking twice. They can have a far-reaching impact on someone’s quality of life, both in the short and long term.

We Filed Suit and Got Ready for Trial

Stalled negotiations are not the end of a case; they just might signal that it needs to be brought before a jury.

Because the insurance company would not move, we prepared for litigation. Building on the case file assembled by pre-litigation paralegal Mayira Duarte, Attorney Eder-Weaver filed suit with the assistance of litigation paralegals Joezer Blandon and Andryk Alvarez.

Later in the case, the matter was included in a second mediation session scheduled only days before the trial was set to begin. Spencer Browne participated in that session, and the defense finally moved, resolving the case for $115,000.

Insurance companies write these policies. They collect premiums on them. When a claim comes in, our job is to make sure they honor what they sold.

Sometimes that means negotiating. Sometimes it means sending the case to a courtroom, taking depositions, retaining experts, and standing in front of a jury. This additional pressure might be enough to convince the defense to up their offer. In this case, it got them to increase their offer to nearly four times what they had ever been willing to pay previously.

At Angel Reyes & Associates, we prepare every case trial. We know it’s sometimes the more difficult path to follow, but that preparation is what can dramatically change the number in favor of our clients.

Were You Hurt as a Rideshare Passenger?

If you were injured while riding in a rideshare vehicle, you should not have to argue with an insurance company about what your recovery is worth. Contact Angel Reyes & Associates today for a free consultation. We will review what happened, explain your options, and fight to recover every dollar you are owed.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances.