When you’re a passenger in a Lyft or Uber, you’re expecting to arrive at your destination without having to deal with an accident. These drivers are professionals, right? Unfortunately, accidents happen, and you could be left with serious injuries from an incident with no idea who to turn to for assistance with piling up medical expenses.
Similarly, if you are in an accident with an Uber or Lyft driver and the accident is not your fault, who covers the damages to your vehicle? Do you have to rely on your insurance? The driver’s insurance?
Let’s dive into the specifics of an accident with an Uber or Lyft vehicle, and when you have a case that you need to hire an auto accident attorney for.
1. Who was at fault?
As with any accident, the first thing that will be determined is fault. Some cases are cut and dry. The driver rear ended you? Obviously they’re liable for the accident. The driver ran a stop sign or red light and hit you? Again, this was obviously due to negligence on their part.
When it comes to murkier accidents, this is when it gets especially tricky, but especially a Lyft or Uber accident. Often these rideshare companies don’t want to pay for the accidents that their drivers get into, so you need to work with an attorney who understands your rights.
2. Whose insurance covers damages?
As we mentioned, Uber and Lyft rideshare companies don’t want to fork over money for their drivers’ accidents. So it’s disconcerting not knowing whether you need to rely on your own insurance or if you’re going to get some assistance.
However, both companies have recently started getting liability coverage for all of their drivers, so their insurance certainly is able to pay for any damages made to your vehicle or your person.
3. Does the company or the individual’s insurance cover your damages?
Both Uber and Lyft require all drivers to have their own car insurance that meets or exceeds state limits. They’re required to be on their own plans, but even so, both companies hold their own insurance for their drivers. More importantly, do the driver’s have the correct amount of coverage? In some cases, they don’t.
However, regardless of the circumstances, you should expect some compensation. Here’s a quick guide to understanding when the driver or the company will be covered damages.
– The rideshare company does not provide coverage when the driver is not logged into the app.
– The rideshare company provides liability coverage for an accident at fault of the driver up to $50,000/person injured, $100,000 total injury liability, and $25,000 property damage liability when the driver is logged in but hasn’t accepted a ride request.
– The rideshare company provides liability coverage up to $1 million when the driver has accepted a ride request.
If you’ve been in an accident with an Uber or Lyft driver, contact one of our attorneys at The May Firm to assist you in your case. It’s our mission to get you back to living your life as soon as possible.
