Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have transformed the transportation business, but they have also produced many controversies regarding driver-related incidents. According to a Forbes article published in 2018, the advent of ridesharing businesses may have increased automobile accidents across the United States. This research seems to counter some people’s beliefs that using a ridesharing service is safer than driving one’s car.
A Houston Uber and Lyft ridesharing accident lawyer from Loncar Lyon Jenkins can assist you with filing a claim if you were involved in an Uber or Lyft accident or were hit by a rideshare vehicle.
Available Compensation in Ridesharing Accidents
If you or a loved one sustained any harm while riding in a ridesharing car or driving near a rideshare vehicle, you might be eligible for compensation for the following losses:
- Wages lost, including income lost due to not being able to return to work while healing and when your injuries prohibit you from earning the same amount of money as before the accident
- Medical costs, such as hospital stays, surgery, medication, therapies, medical visits, assistive devices
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life
- Disability or disfigurement
- Loss of consortium or companionship should the accident lead to wrongful death.
For a free legal consultation with a uber and lyft rideshare accidents lawyer serving Houston, call 877-239-4878
Uber and Lyft Insure Both Drivers and Passengers
Uber and Lyft provide insurance for all drivers, passengers, and third parties as part of their ridesharing services. Both ridesharing firms offer varying degrees of coverage depending on whether a driver is awaiting a fare, on the way to pick up a ride, or carrying a paying customer. Here is the breakdown:
- Condition 1: The driver turned off the ridesharing app. Because the driver is personally accountable, they must have their own vehicle insurance.
- Condition 2: The driver has turned on the ridesharing app and is awaiting passengers. Uber and Lyft both have a 50/100/25 liability policy. It implies that each person’s bodily injury responsibility is limited to $50,000, with each accident’s bodily injury liability limited to $100,000. There is also a $25,000 limit on property damage. If mandated by state law, specific policies may be more expensive.
- Condition 3: The ridesharing app is activated, and the driver is on their way to pick up or carry a passenger. Both firms provide a $1 million liability insurance coverage that anyone involved in an accident may use.
Keep in mind that the numbers above apply to Uber and Lyft since both ridesharing apps use the same system. For further information, consult the insurance policies of Uber and Lyft.
What happens if your damages surpass the insurance limits? In such an event, you and other victims (whether drivers or passengers) may have to seek compensation from sources other than the ridesharing and at-fault driver’s insurance policy. Consult a Houston Uber and Lyft ridesharing accident attorney to learn more about your options.
Houston Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-239-4878
Ridesharing Vehicles Are Not Commercial Based
Over the past several years, governments have enacted laws to control the operation and insurance of app-based ridesharing firms such as Uber and Lyft. Commercial vehicles, such as taxis, must be insured by state-mandated policies. However, Uber and Lyft are exempt from the same regulations and monitoring since they do not qualify as commercial taxi businesses.
When people first developed the rideshare app concept, it essentially skirted taxi rules by acting as nothing more than a smartphone app connecting individuals eager to give them a ride. With pressure building due to several incidents around the United States, Uber and Lyft introduced driver insurance that kicks in when drivers accept and pick up passengers.
Contact our Houston Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accident Attorneys today
Identifying Liability in Uber and Lyft Accidents
When a rideshare driver collides with another motorist, the process for assessing responsibility is the same as it is for any other automobile accident. Suppose you are a passenger in a ridesharing car. In that case, you can rest easy knowing that you do not hold liability for the accident (you are not the driver). The rideshare driver, another motorist, or other third parties may be responsible, depending on the collision.
The following are common causes of Lyft and Uber accidents:
- Speeding or reckless driving
- Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Bad weather
- Failure to stop at a stop sign or red light
- Faulty automobile designs or equipment
- Distracted driving
As a passenger, you have the right to obtain compensation from Uber or Lyft’s liability coverage. That said, dealing with insurance providers is rarely straightforward. Insurance firms like to find every excuse to deny or minimize a claim settlement in most circumstances. When you hire an Uber or Lyft accident lawyer to defend you, your odds of winning an insurance claim improve considerably.
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How a Rideshare Accident Attorney Can Help You
When you hire the help of a lawyer from our law firm, you can relax while we do all of the meticulous work on your behalf. Some of the steps include:
- Build a compelling case and negotiate on your behalf with insurance and ridesharing companies to get compensation for your injuries and other damages
- If required, assist you in filing a lawsuit and presenting your case to a judge and jury to get a favorable judgment
- Help you know your rights and the amount of compensation you deserve based on the status of the rideshare driver at the time of the accident.
It would be best to act fast before the statute of limitations, which is two years from the accident’s date, runs out. Furthermore, the longer you wait to file a claim, the more difficult locating credible evidence and witnesses will be.
Discuss Your Claim with an Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accident Lawyer In Houston Today
For a free consultation, contact Loncar Lyon Jenkins. Putting together a winning vehicle accident claim may be challenging; getting every detail right from the start is critical. Our Houston Uber and Lyft rideshare accident lawyers will handle every part of your claim; we also work on a contingency basis allowing you to pay us only if we win or settle your case.
Call or text 877-239-4878 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
