By 
Did your friends pester you to take an Uber or Lyft home after a night of drinking? Or do you live in a big city and don’t see the advantage of owning a car? Maybe you do own a car, but parking is a nightmare and you’d rather just take a ride share. Whatever the reason, now you summoned a car and you’ve been injured in a ride share accident.
If the Uber or Lyft driver was at fault for the accident that caused your injuries, how can you get compensation for all your medical bills and lost wages?
Depending on what state you live in, there may be insurance to cover you in the event of an accident that causes, “death, personal injury, or property damage.” This is insurance may cover accidents up to $1 million. The insurance kicks in the moment the passenger steps into the car and throughout the entire duration of the ride. Some have successfully argued that the moment a driver hits to accept a ride, then the insurance kicks in. However, a driver may not automatically receive this compensation, typically they will have to fight the ride share company for it in a court of law. Hiring an attorney to assist you with your case is the first step to getting your life back.
Not all states require Uber or Lyft to have this insurance. This makes cases more challenging. Uber and Lyft typically classify their drivers independent contractors instead of employees to avoid liability. Drivers also typically use their personal vehicles for the job further reducing the protections that drivers and passengers have.
Although not all states have mandatory insurance, this isn’t to say that passengers injured in a ride share accident shouldn’t sue to obtain compensation. In fact, these lawsuits, that challenge Uber and Lyft are helping to change the legal landscape surrounding these ride share apps.
If you were injured in a ride share accident and are interested in learning more about filing a personal injury lawsuit against a ride share company, send us a message.
Comments