Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have grown tremendously across America. Lyft and Uber are the two most popular rideshare apps in America, with over 30 million trips per day across the two apps. As the number of trips per day increases, so do the number of accidents. The good thing is, Uber and Lyft offer great coverage for passengers and drivers in the event of a car accident.
Uber and Lyft provide up to $1 million dollars for property damage and injuries, as well as $1,000,000 in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. The coverage for property damage and injuries is in the case where your Uber or Lyft driver hits another vehicle. The uninsured/underinsured policy is there in case a vehicle with insufficient coverage crashes into your vehicle during your ride-share trip. The $1,000,000 dollars of coverage looks great, but there is some criteria that must be met so the million dollar policy could be in effect. We’ll go over what policies Uber and Lyft drivers must have to be covered and the most frequent types of rideshare accidents.
What To Do As A Passenger In An Uber or Lyft Accident
If you’ve been in a car accident while inside of an Uber, the steps you take after the crash will have a big role in determining how much your settlement could be. If you’re a passenger riding in an Uber that’s been in an accident, you’re entitled to compensation for your injuries. If you’ve been involved in an Uber accident in the Los Angeles area, it’s important to get in contact with a Los Angeles Uber accident attorney so they can review your situation and let you know what your case is worth.
Having an Uber or Lyft accident attorney handling your case can make a world of difference in the end result. If you’ve been the victim of an accident while in an Uber or Lyft, don’t let Uber, Lyft, and their insurance companies off the hook with a lowball settlement. If you’ve been involved in a ride-share accident, it’s best to speak with a personal injury attorney before giving away any important information to anyone from Uber, Lyft, or the involved insurance companies. Here is what you can do if you’ve been involved in a car accident while inside of an Uber or Lyft:
- Check for injuries. Check yourself and the other passengers for injuries.
- Call 911. If there were any injuries, damages to property of more than $1,000.00, or fatalities, you must call 911. Having a police report explaining the accident scene and who was at fault will help your claim.
- Take photos of your injuries. It’s important to have documentation of the injuries you’ve sustained as a result of the accident.
- Screenshot photos of the ride inside the app. Get documentation to prove that the ride was ongoing at the time of the accident.
- Take photos of the accident scene. Having pictures of the accident scene will help insurance adjusters determine who was at fault. Take as many photos as you can of the accident scene.
- Get witness information as well as passenger information. Get the Uber/Lyft driver’s information, as well as the information of any passengers in the car with you. If there were any witnesses that saw the accident take place, get their contact information and ask them if they’d be willing to potentially help you with a statement later on.
- Get the other party's information. You should get a photo of their driver’s license and insurance card. Don’t leave the scene without getting the information of the other driver.
- Be mindful of what you say on the scene. Anything you say at the accident scene will likely be written down and can be used against you at a later time during your claim. Be mindful of what you say after the accident, as you don’t want to say anything that would jeopardize your claim.
- Get medical attention. If you were injured, go to the hospital right away. Even if you don’t feel any pain right after the accident, going to the hospital can be good for your settlement as Uber and Lyft like to see that you received medical attention for your injuries after an accident.
- Contact an Uber and Lyft accident attorney. It’s always a good idea to contact an experienced Uber accident attorney to handle your case before giving up a lot of information to the insurance companies.
If you’ve been involved in an Uber accident in Los Angeles, contact the team at Sogomonyan Law Group so we can review your case and let you know the best possible options. We don’t charge any out of pocket fees, and we only get paid when we win your case. If you’re involved in an accident while riding in an Uber, you’re entitled to compensation for lost wages, medical bills, injuries, & a lot more. Uber’s insurance company hates having to deal with an experienced personal injury attorney like Sogomonyan Law Group, because we’ve dealt with their tricks and know how to get the maximum value for our clients.
What Should I Do If I Was Hit By An Uber or Lyft Driver?
If you were hit by a Uber or Lyft driver, you should take some immediate steps to ensure you get the highest settlement possible.
- Check for injuries and call 911. If there is any property damage of over $1,000.00, the police must be called to the scene.
- Observe the accident scene to see if there were any passengers being transported. Only when passengers are being transported is the $1,000,000 policy coverage in effect.
- Take pictures of your injuries & the accident scene.
- Get the other party's information. It’s important to have the driver’s license and insurance information, even if you’ll be going through Uber or Lyft.
- Get any witness information. It’s a huge help if someone saw the accident and is willing to help with a statement.
- Get any Uber or Lyft passenger information. Get the information of any driver’s of the Uber or Lyft vehicle that hit you.
- Be mindful of what you say. Anything you say can and will be used against you, so it’s better to keep quiet and retain an attorney.
- Get medical attention. Seeking medical attention after a motor vehicle accident is a good idea, as it’s good for your settlement. Insurance companies like to see that you received treatment for the injuries sustained during the accident.
- Contact a ride-share accident attorney. Having an experienced attorney on your side will help you get the highest settlement possible.
Following these steps will ensure you get the highest possible payout. It’s never advised to take on the fight against Uber or Lyft alone. If you were hit by an Uber or Lyft driver, get in touch with a ride-share accident attorney to help you with your claim. Personal injury attorneys have years of experience dealing with insurance companies.
Different Types of Uber and Lyft Accidents
Uber and Lyft have similar policies on when their insurance policies do come into effect. Whether Uber and Lyft will pay out on an accident depends on what the driver’s status was at the time of the accident. If you get into an accident with an Uber or Lyft, you should observe the scene to determine if the driver was carrying passengers, was on the way to pick them up, or was not even accepting fares. The status of the Uber or Lyft driver will affect the type of insurance coverage the ride-share company will offer.
Accident With An Uber Driver Not Accepting Fares
In this scenario when the Uber driver does not have their app set to accepting fares, Uber provides no coverage. The driver would be covered by their own personal insurance.
Accident With An Uber Driver Looking For Fares
When an Uber driver is driving around looking for fares, they are still primarily covered by their own insurance policy. Uber does over an additional liability coverage of $50,000 per injury, all the way up to $100,000, as well as $25,000 of property damage coverage.
Accident With an Uber Driver Transporting Passengers
When an Uber driver is carrying passenger(s), the $1,000,000 of coverage kicks in. Both the driver and any passengers are covered, as Uber has both ends covered with property damage coverage as well as underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage.
Accident With a Lyft Driver That Was Not Accepting Rides
When a Lyft driver does not have their app set to accepting rides, Lyft provides no coverage for the driver. The driver would be covered by their own personal insurance.
Accident With a Lyft Driver Looking For Fares
When a Lyft driver is driving around looking for rides, they’re covered by Lyft if their personal insurance doesn’t cover the accident. Lyft offers coverage of $50,000 per injury, with limits of $100,000 per accident. Lyft also offers $25,000 of property damage coverage.
Accident With a Lyft Driver That Is Carrying Passengers
When a Lyft driver is carrying passenger(s), the $1,000,000 of coverage kicks in. Both the driver and any passengers are covered with great policies, as Lyft has coverage for property damage coverage as well as in the event of an underinsured/uninsured motorist accident.
Can You Sue Uber or Lyft For A Rideshare Accident?
Yes, you can sue Uber or Lyft for a ride-share accident that you were involved in. Depending on how the accident took place, you may be better off suing the driver of the vehicle instead of the ride-share company, as the driver is the one who caused the accident. Since the rides-hare company wasn’t the one that caused the accident directly, you wouldn’t be suing them for the accident, but for negligence. It’s a much better case to sue the driver of the vehicle, as Uber and Lyft offer $1,000,000 of coverage to victims of rideshare accidents on those apps.
What Compensation Can I Get For A Rideshare Accident That Happened In an Uber or Lyft?
If you’ve been the victim of a motor vehicle accident while inside of an Uber or Lyft, there is compensation that you’re entitled to. As we mentioned before, Uber and Lyft offer $1,000,000 of coverage in the event of a motor vehicle accident during a ride. Your settlement amount will vary depending on the extent of the injuries you suffered. In California, here are all the types of damages that accident victims are eligible to recover:
- Medical bills
- Property damage
- Loss of income
- Loss of future income
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
How Can a Los Angeles Rideshare Accident Attorney Help Me?
Having an experienced Los Angeles ride-share accident attorney on your side is a huge help when facing the legal team of Uber or Lyft. If you’ve been in an Uber or Lyft accident, you can sue the driver, the responsible party, or the ride-share company itself. A ride-share attorney can help by contacting the responsible parties to let them know they need to provide compensation for your injuries. In an accident case, the victim is able to recover damages for medical expenses, property damages, lost wages, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and much more.
Will My Personal Insurance Cover A Rideshare Accident I Was The Passenger In?
No, your personal insurance will not cover a ride-share accident that you were the passenger in. Coverage would be provided through the party that hit you, or if they don’t have sufficient coverage, by Uber or Lyft’s uninsured/underinsured motorist policy.
What Type Of Insurance Do I Need As An Uber or Lyft Driver?
If you’re driving for Uber or Lyft, there are some specific rules you should keep in mind to ensure you are covered by the $1,000,000 policy in the event of an accident. Both Uber and Lyft require drivers to maintain insurance policies that meet the state minimum requirements. In California, that would be:
- $15,000 of bodily injury coverage per person injured in an accident
- $30,000 of bodily injury coverage total per accident
- $5,000 of property damage coverage per accident
It’s usually a good idea to have higher insurance limits than the state minimums. Adding coverage for things like medical payments, comprehensive, and collision can be a huge help in the event of an accident that takes place while you’re not active on a ride-share app.
How Long Do Uber and Lyft Accident Cases Take To Settle?
Motor vehicle personal injury accident cases usually take several months to resolve. Insurance companies usually throw out lowball offers, hoping people will bite. There are many factors that impact the time a case can take, such as the extent of the victims injuries, required medical treatments, as well as the desired offer amount. If Uber or Lyft doesn’t want to negotiate, your attorney can file a lawsuit against them.
Sogomonyan Law Group Can Help With Your Rideshare Accident Case
If you’ve been in a Lyft or Uber accident, it’s important to have an experienced rideshare attorney on your side, helping you with your claim. Uber and Lyft don’t like to pay out on insurance claims, so they’ll do their best to deny coverage or pay out the least amount of money possible. At Sogomonyan Law Group, we’ve dealt with Uber and Lyft plenty of times and have learned how to extract the maximum value out of them for our clients.