What Rights Does an Uber or Lyft Passenger Have in an Auto Accident?
by
Rusty Messer on Jun. 07, 2016
Accident & Injury Car Accident Accident & Injury Personal Injury Accident & Injury Wrongful Death
Summary: What you need to know if you are involved in an accident while travelling in a ride share.
I received a letter from my auto insurance company recently letting me know that my policy does not provide coverage if my vehicle is being used for "public or livery conveyance." At first, I thought it was a mistake because I don't own or operate a taxi service or a limousine company. Then it dawned on me that the company was talking about ride share services like Uber and Lyft. I don't use my automobile as a ride share service either but the letter did get me thinking about what happens when a ride share vehicle is involved in an accident.
As popularity of these services continues to increase there are sure to be auto crashes and passengers who get injured in those crashes. For many of the drivers, driving for a ride share is not their primary job and they may not have a commercial insurance policy or an endorsement to their personal policy that covers passengers who have paid a fee. If you use one of these services regularly there are some steps you should take to make sure you are covered in the event of an accident.
First, check out the ride share service that you are using. Both Uber and Lyft have started providing some insurance for its drivers, currently up to one million dollars. Second, determine who was at fault for the accident. If the ride share driver was not at fault, then you would want to make your claim against the driver of the other car. The ride share service may provide a limited amount of insurance for medical bills regardless of who was at fault, and may also provide insurance in the event that an at-fault drive in another car does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover your injuries. Third, I advise all of my clients to carry UM coverage. UM insurance provides coverage if you are injured in an accident and the person at fault does not have insurance or does not have enough to pay for your injuries. It is usually very inexpensive and applies even if you are not in your own vehicle.
If you've been injured in an auto accident that was caused by a driver for Uber, Lyft, or another ride share service, you need an experienced attorney that can look at all of the parties involved to determine how to get you the most money for your injuries. Call our office today for a no cost consultation.
As popularity of these services continues to increase there are sure to be auto crashes and passengers who get injured in those crashes. For many of the drivers, driving for a ride share is not their primary job and they may not have a commercial insurance policy or an endorsement to their personal policy that covers passengers who have paid a fee. If you use one of these services regularly there are some steps you should take to make sure you are covered in the event of an accident.
First, check out the ride share service that you are using. Both Uber and Lyft have started providing some insurance for its drivers, currently up to one million dollars. Second, determine who was at fault for the accident. If the ride share driver was not at fault, then you would want to make your claim against the driver of the other car. The ride share service may provide a limited amount of insurance for medical bills regardless of who was at fault, and may also provide insurance in the event that an at-fault drive in another car does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance to cover your injuries. Third, I advise all of my clients to carry UM coverage. UM insurance provides coverage if you are injured in an accident and the person at fault does not have insurance or does not have enough to pay for your injuries. It is usually very inexpensive and applies even if you are not in your own vehicle.
If you've been injured in an auto accident that was caused by a driver for Uber, Lyft, or another ride share service, you need an experienced attorney that can look at all of the parties involved to determine how to get you the most money for your injuries. Call our office today for a no cost consultation.
