South Carolina DoorDash Work Accident Attorneys

Experienced South Carolina Accident Lawyers Help Protect DoorDash Drivers After On-the-Job Accidents

DoorDash has grown steadily since its founding in Palo Alto, California. Today, DoorDash holds 45 percent of the market share for app-based food delivery services ー aggressively outpacing Gruhub and Uber Eats.

Today, DoorDash has about 32 million active annual users, and 15 million users subscribe to DashPass, which offers free delivery and cancellation. Over 390,000 restaurants and grocery stores had partnered with DoorDash by 2021.

To connect food vendors with hungry customers, DoorDash relies on its drivers. As the pandemic changed our habits on food and work, DoorDash driver numbers skyrocketed. Between March and September 2020, DoorDash reported that it had added 1.9 million new drivers. 

Most drivers work only part-time – yet every trip exposes a driver to the risks on South Carolina roads, including the risk of a crash. If you’ve been injured while driving for DoorDash, talk to an experienced South Carolina accident lawyer today. 

Types of Accident Risks for DoorDash Drivers

Because DoorDash drivers rely on their ability to drive to work with DoorDash, they often drive carefully. Even the most careful driver, however, may find themselves in an accident through no fault of their own. 

Risks that DoorDash drivers face on the road include the following:

• Speeding, distracted, or impaired drivers in other vehicles.
• Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists who do not follow traffic rules.
• Hidden vehicle defects that result in a crash. 
• Negligent maintenance of traffic lights, signs, and signals, or problems with road surfaces, bridges, and overpasses that result in injuries. 
• Weather issues like bright sunlight, sleet, rain, or fog. 
• Poor lighting conditions, especially at night or on overcast or foggy days. 

Any combination of these factors can increase the risk of a crash or cause an accident. 

Compensation After a DoorDash Crash

In South Carolina, the workers’ compensation system protects employees who are injured while doing their jobs. Delivery drivers employed by a company, for example, may seek workers’ compensation protection if they are injured while making their deliveries.

However, many DoorDash drivers cannot rely on workers’ compensation if they’re injured while driving for DoorDash. The DoorDash worker agreement specifies that when a person accepts assignments through the DoorDash app, they work as an independent contractor, not an employee. Unlike employees, independent contractors are not covered by workers’ compensation in South Carolina.

Even if a driver cannot file for workers’ compensation coverage, compensation for their injuries may still be available from other sources, including insurance and any at-fault parties in the crash. You may be able to seek compensation for losses like medical bills, lost wages, vehicle repairs, and pain and suffering. 

Who is at Fault When a DoorDash Vehicle Crashes?

All car crashes have a cause. Figuring out exactly what the cause is can be challenging, however. Finding the cause of a crash gets even tougher when multiple factors combine to trigger an accident. 

When a DoorDash driver suffers an accident:

• Other drivers may be at fault. The negligence or recklessness of another driver on the road can cause a crash.
• Defects in the vehicle may trigger a crash. For instance, a defective part in the brake system may cause the brakes to fail at a critical moment. The driver may not even know there is a problem until it is too late. 
• The surrounding environment can cause or contribute to an accident. Bad weather, burned-out traffic lights, inadequate or missing signs, defects in road design, darkness, animals, and other factors can all play a role in a crash.

Solving the fault puzzle is tough when you’re healthy. When you’re struggling to recover from severe injuries, it can feel impossible. An experienced lawyer can help. Having a law firm that can handle both workers’ compensation and personal injury cases can be critical in cases that have contract employees or third-party negligence involved. Some on-the-job injuries may have both a work comp claim and a personal injury case. 

Talk to a Dedicated South Carolina DoorDash Accident Lawyer Today

If you’re like most DoorDash drivers, you probably started driving with DoorDash because you needed some extra money. Driving through your city or town to make deliveries seemed like an easy, even enjoyable, way to boost your income. 

When a crash occurs, it changes your life. You may be dealing with severe injuries. Your job making food deliveries has been replaced by going to doctor’s appointments. You may wonder when you’ll get back to work – if ever. You may miss your old hobbies and wonder if you’ll ever return to them.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Talk to the experienced South Carolina DoorDash injury lawyers at the Steinberg Law Firm today. We’ll answer your questions and help you move forward in your fight for compensation. To learn more, schedule a free consultation with one of our dedicated attorneys today.