Our ride share accident lawyers are here to help if you were injured by a negligent ride share driver (specifically, a Lyft driver or an Uber driver). The unfortunate reality is that people get injured in ride share accidents all the time throughout the U.S., and some of these accidents are even fatal. If you were the victim of an Uber or Lyft car accident, you deserve fair compensation for your injuries.
It is possible for you to suffer injuries in these accident cases by getting hit by a ride share vehicle or by serving as a ride share passenger.
If you were in fact injured, our Lyft accident lawyers and Uber accident attorneys can file a lawsuit on your behalf. We typically file these suits against:
- the negligent driver of the ride share vehicle, and
- ride share companies.
A successful outcome will result in compensation for such losses as:
Our ride share accident attorneys also help by:
- getting you emergency medical attention and managing your ongoing medical treatment,
- filing an accident claim with all applicable insurance companies, and
- maximizing your final payout.
The Shouse Law Group is a California-based personal injury law firm that represents people injured in Uber and Lyft accidents. We work tirelessly for all our clients and seek to get you the biggest settlement possible.
What are common types of ride share injuries and accidents?
Ride share services unfortunately produce a high rate of traffic collisions across the U.S. Some of these accidents even result in motorists suffering fatal injuries.
One recent study illustrates this fact. The study, conducted by professors at the University of Chicago and Rice University, shows that in 2010, just before ride sharing services began to expand, the total number of traffic fatalities sank to 32,885 nationwide (the lowest number since 1949).1
But as Uber and Lyft began to spread, there was a 2-3% increase in the total number of fatal accidents and motor vehicle fatalities in the U.S. The study translates this percentage to about an extra 1,000 fatalities per year.2
As to non-fatal auto accidents, common injuries in these cases include:
- head or brain injuries,
- neck injuries,
- concussions,
- broken bones,
- back injuries, and
- lacerations.
Ride share drivers typically cause these injuries after they:
- collide with pedestrians or bicyclists,
- crash into another motor vehicle, and/or
- get into a motor vehicle accident and injure their passengers.
Who are common defendants in these personal injury cases?
If you were injured in a ride share accident, our Uber accident lawyers and Lyft accident attorneys can file a lawsuit on your behalf. They usually file these suits against:
- negligent ride share drivers, and/or
- the ride share company that employed the negligent driver.
As to the latter, note that Lyft and Uber traditionally tried to avoid liability in these cases with the disclaimer that their drivers were independent contractors as opposed to employees.
But many states responded with laws that require rideshare companies to reclassify their drivers as official employees of their business. As a result, people hurt in ride share accidents can now attempt to include Uber and Lyft in personal injury cases.3
It is important to note that rideshare companies typically require their drivers to carry an insurance policy with higher levels of coverage when compared to a policy of a non-rideshare driver.
For example, under California law, the minimum amount of liability coverage for a non-rideshare driver is:
- $15,000 in bodily injury liability per person,
- $30,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, and
- $5,000 for property damage.4
But Uber drivers are required to carry a personal auto insurance policy that covers:
- $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person,
- $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident, and
- $25,000 in property damage liability insurance.5
Further, Uber and Lyft maintain a driver’s insurance policy of $1,000,000 that is available in some cases.6
If you are successful in bringing a lawsuit, or in filing a personal injury claim, you can receive compensation for:
- medical bills and medical expenses,
- lost wages,
- lost earning capacity,
- property damage, and
- pain and suffering.
Further, if a motorist or passenger was killed in a ride share accident, the decedent’s remaining family members can bring a wrongful death suit to try and recover:
- burial and funeral expenses,
- amounts the deceased would have earned as income, and
- compensation for the loss of the deceased’s companionship and support.
How does compensation work in these cases?
Many victims hurt in rideshare accidents receive compensation by filing an accident claim with an insurance company.
So, for instance, if an Uber car was in an accident, and either the passenger in the car or the driver of another car was injured, then the victim can file an insurance claim with either:
- Uber’s insurer, or
- the insurer of the Uber driver.
Often, the time of the accident will determine the particular insurer with which you will file a claim. This is true no matter if you get injured in an accident with an Uber or Lyft driver.
To help illustrate this, let us assume you are in an accident with an Uber car. If the Uber driver’s ride share app is off at the time of the accident, the driver’s personal liability insurance applies.
When a driver’s app is on, but the driver is waiting for a ride request, Uber’s insurance policy of $50,000/$100,000/$25,000 coverage applies.7
When a driver’s app is on, and the driver is picking up passengers or driving passengers, then Uber’s $1,000,000 third-party auto liability coverage applies.8
What is the role of a personal injury attorney in ride share cases?
Rideshare accident attorneys play a critical role when it comes to rideshare accident cases.
Personal injury lawyers will interview you to assess your medical needs and to learn the facts of your case. If you suffered serious injuries, a lawyer could help manage your ongoing medical care.
During an initial interview, a personal injury attorney or ride share lawyer will explain your legal rights and legal options.
After learning the facts of a case, an injury lawyer will help you gather pertinent insurance information and assist in filing an accident claim with the correct insurance company.
A personal injury attorney can even negotiate a claim on your behalf with insurance adjusters.
If an injury claim proves unsuccessful, a ride share attorney can file a lawsuit on your behalf and represent you in court.
With either an injury claim or a lawsuit, lawyers help investigate the cause and circumstances of an accident and help gather critical evidence regarding a rideshare driver’s negligence (for example, by obtaining a police report).
If necessary, an attorney can appoint an expert to help in interpreting this evidence.
What are the benefits of a rideshare accident attorney?
Rideshare accident lawyers provide a host of benefits in these cases. In general, they help you recover the maximum compensation for your injuries.
Injury lawyers will know what insurance coverage applies to a given case, and they know the tactics that adjusters use to try and secure a lowball settlement. A lawyer, then, can help you settle a claim faster and for more money.
Lawyers also understand the fair value of a claim or lawsuit. This means they know what a case is worth and will hold liable parties to pay their fair share of your losses.
A ride share attorney can also find hidden value in a case (for example, by visiting the accident scene and discovering hidden details in a case). This means a lawyer can help maximize your final payout.
Law firms and attorneys also handle the complexities of a case so that you can focus on healing from your injuries.
Please keep in mind that most injury attorneys provide a free consultation. A free case evaluation means that you will pay no upfront fees for legal advice.
For additional help…
Call us for help!
If you or a loved one was injured in a ride share accident, we invite you to contact our law offices at the Shouse Law Group. Our California auto accident lawyers provide both free consultations and legal advice you can trust.
We work tirelessly to get you the maximum compensation available for your case.
Legal References:
- Graham Rapier, “The meteoric rise of Uber and Lyft may have spurred a deadly outcome, according to new research.”
- See same.
- See California law for example: Assembly Bill No. 5.
- California Insurance Code 11580.1b.
- See Uber’s website, “Auto insurance to protect you.”
- See same. See also Lyft’s website, “All things insurance, all in one place.”
- See, for example, Uber’s website, “Auto insurance to protect you.”
- See same.