Lyft, Uber and other ride-sharing services both have liability coverage. Between the time of turning on the app and accepting a ride, there is coverage of up to $50,000 for bodily injury, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for damaged property. Between the ride matching and dropping off the passenger, there is primary liability coverage of $1,000,000 per accident and $1,000,000 for uninsured and under-insured motorists. However, some drivers may also carry their own insurance policies which may provide additional coverage.
All ride-share drivers have personal insurance coverage and company coverage. Please REMEMBER, AS A PASSENGER YOU ARE NOT AT FAULT. The driver’s insurance through the company should cover the damages, but your claim may become complicated depending on the nature of the accident.
Uber, Lyft and other Ride-share services have insurance coverage for injuries and damages while you’re a passenger. In this case, the other party is at fault. Their insurance should pay for injuries and damages. However, if they’re uninsured or under-insured, Ride-share services have policies for that. Your claim could get complicated in this situation since you’ll have multiple insurance companies to contend with and will work together to give you a lower settlement offer than you deserve. It is always best to have a seasoned attorney working on your behalf. Your attorney represents you and you alone.
If you’re involved in an accident with a ride-share driver, you may be able to sue the ride-share service company, but the requirements are dependent on the case and the specifics of the accident. Ride-share drivers are considered independent contractors by the ride-share companies, but the legal definition of “independent contractor” may not apply 100% to drivers as we’re now finding out. It is always best to discuss your questions with a seasoned attorney who understands the laws and how they apply to ride-share accident cases.
Yes, you most certainly do.
If you’ve been in an accident with another driver and feel the other driver was at fault, you can receive insurance compensation for any injuries you’ve sustained as well as for the damage your car received including loss of wages and other compensation. While Uber/ Lyft and other Ride-share services provide liability coverage when you’re driving a passenger or traveling to pick up a passenger, you’ll need to rely on your own insurance coverage for the periods when you’re using the app if you don’t have a passenger.
Proving the other driver was at fault can be tricky on your own, but you can contact a ride-share accident lawyer to help you with your claim who will definitely help you.
Sometimes. These cases can range with complexity depending on how many parties are involved, who was to blame and the level and severity of damages. Usually these matters can take from a few weeks to a few years to sort the matter out. However most claims can settle within a few months.
Ride-share accident cases often involve three insurance groups– the driver’s insurance, the ride-share company’s insurance, and the other driver’s insurance. If you’re not a passenger and were driving your own vehicle, then your insurance is involved, too. Insurance policies are complex enough and any accident claim can get confusing fast. This might result in an unfavorable settlement or may result in multiple groups taking advantage and only offering you a low settlement offer. It is always best to discuss your claim with a experienced attorney who understands and specializes in ride-share services. They are experts in getting maximum claim amounts for their clients.
Yes, you can file a claim and potentially receive compensation. The settlement amount is determined on the extent of the injuries, treatment of injuries, damages to property and loss of wages or salary. By contacting an experienced and seasoned attorney who specializes in Rideshare (Uber / Lyft) Auto Accidents, you have taken the right steps to ensure your accident claim is taken seriously by all parties involved, like the insurance companies. Once the insurance companies know there is an experienced legal team behind your claim, they know they can't low-ball you with a ridiculous offer. The attorney is there to represent your interests and ensure you get a fair and maximum settlement.
Financial responsibility will most likely be settled with the insurance company of the at-fault driver. Whether it’s the ride sharing company’s driver or another driver involved in the accident who caused the crash or from Uber/ Lyft's or other ride-share car insurance coverage.
The ride sharing driver’s car insurance coverage will apply to your passenger injuries, if the driver has a commercial insurance policy or a personal car insurance policy with a special provision providing insurance coverage while engaged as a ride sharing driver. Most ride sharing drivers probably won’t have a commercial or personal car insurance policy that will cover your injuries. And their personal car insurance policy will probably have a "business use exception" that won’t cover damages and injuries that occur while the insured is acting as a for-profit driver. It is always best to discuss this with a lawyer who specializes in ride-share claims.
And what about the ride sharing company's insurance? The good news is that Uber/Lyft and other ride-share service companies carry third party liability insurance coverage which pays up to $1 million for personal injuries and property damage per accident. These policies will only kick in after the ride sharing driver’s own insurance has been exhausted. As a passenger, you're covered under this kind of liability policy, when the ride sharing driver is at fault for the accident.
Yes, you can file a claim. By contacting an experienced and seasoned attorney who specializes in Rideshare (Uber / Lyft) Auto Accidents, you have taken the right steps to ensure your accident claim is taken seriously by all parties involved, like the insurance companies. Once the insurance companies know there is an experienced legal team behind your claim, they know they can't low-ball you with a ridiculous offer. The attorney is there to represent your interests and ensure you get a fair and maximum settlement.
In this case, you would seek to recover from the at-fault driver, via a third party car insurance claim against the at-fault driver's car insurance carrier, or a personal injury lawsuit.
This brings up another avenue of recovery, the ride sharing company’s uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) insurance coverage. This coverage also typically provides $1 million in coverage per accident. This will only apply if the responsible driver is unknown, doesn’t have car insurance, or doesn’t have enough car insurance to pay for your injuries. And, it applies only during the period of time between when the driver picks up the passenger and drops him off.
If these insurance policies are inadequate to fully compensate you, or the insurance companies refuse to pay out, you may sue the ride sharing company itself independently of your insurance claim.
Uber/Lyft and other Ride-share service companies, their drivers are not employees, but rather, independent contractors. This is an important distinction because employees have more rights than independent contractors and are not legally responsible for the negligence of its independent contractors.
Yes, you can file a claim. By contacting an experienced and seasoned attorney who specializes in Rideshare (Uber / Lyft) Auto Accidents, you have taken the right steps to ensure your accident claim is taken seriously by all parties involved, like the insurance companies. Once the insurance companies know there is an experienced legal team behind your claim, they know they can't low-ball you with a ridiculous offer. The attorney is there to represent your interests and ensure you get a fair and maximum settlement.