If a person is hurt by an Uber driver or a Lyft driver remember that there are things to do to increase your recovery.
There are two ways a person can be injured by a rideshare driver. First, another motorist on the road can get hit by a person who is driving for Uber or Lyft at the time of the accident. The other way a person can be hurt by a rideshare driver is as a passenger. If a rideshare driver causes an accident, the passenger has the right to sue the driver and Uber or Lyft. In those cases, there’s plenty of coverage and there’s lots of information to obtain.
There are three different periods of coverage for Uber and Lyft drivers. The first is when they are waiting for a match and in those cases, their coverage is supposedly limited, however, there probably are layers of coverage and both companies have assets, so I wouldn’t take someone’s word for a limitation of coverage. The second period is when a rideshare driver has accepted a match and is on the way to pick up a passenger and the third period is when the passenger is actually in the car.
We know that there is $1,000,000 in coverage in periods two and three.
Remember that Uber and Lyft will videotape inside the car and quite often outside of the car. There is GPS data available. You can always request warnings, complaints, and citations about the driver to show that the rideshare should have known that this driver was not an appropriate hire. Ratings and comments are publicly available about the driver. Your rideshare companies typically require an arbitration agreement to be in the contract that you agree to in order to use the service. Different states enforce that arbitration provision differently.
If a person is in a rideshare that is hit by another driver who is at fault, the at-fault driver is the primary coverage. There is likely uninsured motorist coverage on the rideshare car and if the passenger has or is a resident relative of someone who has uninsured motorist, that coverage can come into play.
Buckle up, drive safely, and as always, your referrals are appreciated!
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