Making Our Community Safer.

Ridesharing companies provide an insurance policy for their drivers in order to cover some accident-related costs in certain situations. Uber, for example, insures its drivers on a $1 million policy and can cash out as much as $970,000 if need be. However, due to Uber’s relationship with its drivers, who are technically independent contractors, drivers’ personal insurance policies are the first line of defense when you are seeking to recover damages after an accident.

However, not every accident involving a ridesharing service is the same. The approach you take and the party that should be held accountable will vary based on the nature of the accident and the relative fault of all parties involved.

In a contest between a multi-ton automobile and the human body, the car always prevails. If you were hit by an Uber of Lyft driver while walking along the sidewalk or crossing the street, you have likely experienced very serious physical consequences. All medical bills, lost wages, and other costs or losses resulting from your accident are the responsibility of the driver who hit you.

It is critical that you collect the driver’s insurance information, but hold off on accepting any offers from their auto insurance company until you have consulted with an attorney. Otherwise, you may end up settling for a much smaller amount of money than you will need in the long run. Serious injuries can keep you out of work for years and result in hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of rehabilitation services, medications, visits with medical specialists, and more, and it is important to pursue a settlement that will keep you from unfairly bearing any of the financial burden on your own.

If you were driving your own car and were in a collision with a car being driven by an Uber or Lyft driver, you should treat it as you would an accident with a driver who is not a ride-sharing chauffer. After your collision, get the driver’s personal, contact, and insurance information. If the other driver was at fault, their personal auto insurance policy may cover your accident-related expenses. However, if the driver’s insurance policy is insufficient, you may need to dig into Uber’s driver insurance policy.

In either case, you should always secure legal representation ASAP, whether you already are pursuing compensation from the driver’s insurance company or not. In many cases, it is difficult to know early on whether an insurance policy will be sufficient to cover your total accident-related costs or not, and a personal injury lawyer can advise you every step of the way.

If you were an Uber of Lyft passenger and were in an accident, your injuries may have been caused by your driver or another motorist. In either case, it is always important to gather both drivers’ names, contact information, and insurance policy information, just to be safe.

If the Uber or Lyft driver was responsible for the preventable accident that caused your injuries, damages, and losses, you may need to take action against their employer in the event their personal insurance policy doesn’t cover your costs. If the other driver was responsible and their policy is also not enough to pay the cost of your injuries, you may need to file a personal injury lawsuit against that person.

When companies such as Uber are threatened with lawsuits, they do everything in their power to displace blame and liability in order to avoid paying for the costs of your injuries. If Uber or Lyft refuse to pay up, we are prepared to roll up our sleeves and do everything we can to get you the compensation you need.

Our team at Sanders.Law can offer you legal counsel every step of the way and is committed to ensuring you are taken care of every step of the way. Regardless of which party you think may have caused your accident, get in touch with a personal injury attorney immediately by calling (816) 844-6938.