The stories you hear are incredibly sad: a young person coming home from a night of partying decides to be responsible but then is killed or injured while riding in an Uber or Lyft. Ridesharing has become extremely popular, especially among young people and in big cities. Over 1 billion rides have been taken on Lyft, and over 10 billion on Uber. Unfortunately, along with that explosive growth comes an increase in rideshare accidents. Sometimes these accidents are the fault of another driver, but other times the Uber or Lyft driver is responsible. In either case, the experienced rideshare accident attorneys at The Collins Law Firm can help you get the compensation you deserve if you have been injured in a rideshare accident.
Why Are Uber and Lyft Accidents on the Rise?
What Steps Can I Take to Protect Myself in an Uber or Lyft?
How Much Insurance Do Uber and Lyft Drivers Carry?
What Should I do After an Uber or Lyft Accident?
What Happens if my Rideshare Driver Caused the Accident?
What Happens If Another Driver Was Responsible?
What Happens if I am Injured By a Rideshare Driver Without a Passenger?
Can I Sue Uber or Lyft for Sexual Assault?
Do I Have a Rideshare Lawsuit?
How Can The Collins Law Firm Help?
Unfortunately, neither Uber nor Lyft require any special training. Anyone over 21 with a valid driver’s license, a 4 door car, and 1 year of driving experience (3 years for drivers under 23) can become an Uber driver. Likewise, Lyft requires drivers to be 21 years old, have a valid driver’s license, and 1 year of driving experience. A DMV check is done to see if the driver has a bad driving history, and a digital background check looks for criminal activity. Due to safety concerns, both companies now run continuous background checks on drivers. However, these background checks are run by a third party company, do not involve fingerprinting, and can miss things. All of these factors can result in poorly trained, poorly vetted, and poorly supervised drivers being responsible for your well-being!
Both Uber and Lyft have liability insurance for their drivers, however, the amount changes depending on the timing involved. From the time a driver turns on his app to the time he or she accepts a ride, there is insurance coverage up to $50,000 for bodily injury, $25,000 for damaged property, and $100,000 per accident. Between the time of accepting a ride match and dropping off the passenger, there is primary liability coverage of $1,000,000 per accident and $1,000,000 for uninsured and underinsured motorists.
The company’s insurance policy should cover any damages and costs for your injuries if their driver was responsible for the accident. The total insurance carried by Uber and Lyft drivers is $1,000,000. This covers rideshare passengers, and any other motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and bystanders who were injured in the accident.
If another driver was responsible for hitting your Uber or Lyft and injuring you, their insurance should pay for any damages. However, if the responsible party has no insurance or inadequate insurance, Uber and Lyft’s uninsured and underinsured protection will go into effect.
If a rideshare driver hits you while he or she is driving around waiting for a fare, you can only recover up to $50,000 for your injuries and $100,000 per accident from Uber or Lyft. Any additional compensation must come from the driver’s personal insurance. The result is that you may have trouble getting fair compensation if you are seriously hurt by a rideshare driver during this period of time.
Unfortunately, sexual assault by rideshare drivers is not unheard of. Over 200 women have reported sexual harassment, assault, rape and kidnapping by Uber or Lyft drivers. In fact, Uber has allegedly paid multiple confidential settlements to women who were raped or assaulted by their drivers. Additionally, Uber was found to have hired dozens of drivers with criminal records for murder, assault and child abuse. Uber and Lyft have a duty to provide customers with a safe experience. If you have been assaulted or attacked by a rideshare driver, the company should be held accountable.
You may well have a rideshare lawsuit if:
Our experienced Uber and Lyft accident attorneys can collect the evidence necessary to prove who was responsible for your injuries. In addition, we can navigate these sometimes confusing cases and determine which insurance coverage comes into play. Finally, we can negotiate for you to get the best possible settlement for your:
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in an Uber or Lyft accident--or if you have been assaulted by a rideshare driver--you may be entitled to compensation. Do not wait, as any delay can be costly to your case. Call us at (630) 527-1595 for a FREE EVALUATION of your case, or use our intake form to contact one of our rideshare accident lawyers as soon as possible. We can help you get the justice you deserve.
"*" indicates required fields
"*" indicates required fields
