Injuries Suffered While Riding a Lyft or Uber Vehicle
Ride sharing has dramatically grown in just a few short years and with this, new professional and financial opportunities for many have also come about. Unfortunately, because of this spontaneous growth, there has also been an increase in many new challenging issues when it comes to public transportation. The rideshare industry has brought forth many complex legal issues that somewhat blur the lines and are difficult to define.
If you have been hurt as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle such as Uber or Lyft, you may be wondering how you will be compensated for your injuries and other damages. Generally, any financial responsibility will come from the insurance company or the driver who caused the accident. This could be the ride sharing driver or other third party that caused the accident.
Determining Whose Insurance Will Apply
The Uber or Lyft driver’s auto insurance will cover your injuries, if the driver has coverage that includes a commercial insurance policy or a personal auto policy that has special provisions that provide converges while the driver is engaged as an Uber or Lyft driver. As a user of these ride-sharing services, however, you should know that not every driver will have either commercial or personal insurance policies that will cover you in the event of an accident. In fact, many personal insurance policies will have exceptions that will bar people from collecting when the injuries have occurred while the driver was driving for the ride sharing company.
You may be wondering, however, can you collect money from the rideshare company itself? Depending on the company, they can sometimes carry third party liability coverage that could pay up to a million dollars for injuries and damages that occur during an accident. These policies, however, will only take effect after the driver’s own personal insurance coverage has been exhausted. For the most part, this will only apply if the driver has insurance that will cover you and only if the company driver was at-fault for the accident.
When the ride sharing company driver is not at-fault for the incident, you could seek restitution from the at-fault driver by filing a claim against their insurance carrier or by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
After an Accident Involving an Uber or Lyft Driver, Seek the Legal Skills of a Professional and Experienced Attorney
When it comes to auto accidents involving Uber, Lyft, or other ride sharing drivers, collecting damages for injuries can be very complex. Ride sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft do not consider drivers to be employees. So seeking restitution from the company can be difficult. Seek the legal support of a professional attorney who has experience in the matter handle your case and represent your best interests.
The attorneys at Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox, LLP., are fully committed to representing the rights and interests of individuals who have suffered grievances because of another’s negligence. When it comes to auto accidents involving ride-sharing companies, seek the right legal support as soon as possible.
Stephen Levine, is a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Defense — an honor achieved by only the top criminal law attorneys in California. Mr. Levine has over 40 years of experience in criminal defense and family law serving Southern California, and is a highly regarded Super Lawyer as well as AV Rated attorney.