Uber and Lyft accidents are different from other auto accidents. In today’s world, when so many people use these rideshare companies as their transportation of choice, it’s important riders and others on and around roads know how to deal with potential injuries.
Whether you ride in an Uber or Lyft, share the road with rideshare drivers, or are a pedestrian on the street, beware and be prepared to properly handle negligence in a rideshare scenario.
Uber and Lyft: Insurance Coverage
Drivers for Uber and Lyft must carry their own auto insurance, but it is important to know that just about all personal auto insurance polices exclude coverage when drivers are using their vehicles for commercial gain (i.e. driving for Uber or Lyft).
Both Uber and Lyft provide insurance coverage for its drivers and passengers. Uber insures its drivers with a policy of $1 million; under that policy, the responsibility lies with Uber to cover damages that may arise between the limit of the drivers’ policy and the $1 million (keeping in mind that the personal auto insurance might provide no coverage at all).
Accident and Personal Injury Scenarios Involving Uber and Lyft
There are many scenarios that can play out in an auto accident, and crashes involving Uber and Lyft are no different. Multiple types of collisions and injuries can occur with an Uber or Lyft driver, including the following scenarios.
- Sometimes, a passenger in an Uber or Lyft is struck by another driver.
- Often, passengers in Uber or Lyft vehicles are in accidents because their own driver hit another car.
- Pedestrians may be hit by Uber or Lyft drivers.
Like any driver on the road, Uber and Lyft drivers must be held responsible for driving safely. This means they’re subject to the same standards and can be liable to other drivers, their passengers, and even pedestrians. If you’ve been in an accident with an Uber or Lyft car, you should first call authorities and medical help if needed. Then, it’s wise to document everything pertaining to the crash and call a lawyer. If the Uber or Lyft driver doesn’t cooperate with providing the proper insurance paperwork, things can get complicated and you need someone experienced with this type of scenario to get you through what is to follow.
A Real Personal Injury Case Involving an Uber Driver
A Dallas woman sought a safe ride in January of 2017, not knowing of course that her Uber driver would run a red light and plow into a Ford F-150 pickup. The Uber car was a Honda Odyssey, and the woman sadly and unfortunately was left a quadriplegic. She will never have a normal life and has to use a catheter just to go to the bathroom.
Millions trust Uber and Lyft with their lives, and sometimes that trust ends in injury. In the Dallas Uber crash, the police charged the driver of the Ford F-150 but not the Uber driver. The victim has sued Uber, Honda and the Uber driver, as well as the owner of the Honda Odyssey. The suit alleges that Uber and Honda failed to provide the crash victim with reasonable and expected safety, which caused catastrophic injury as a result. The lawsuit specifies that the Honda Odyssey owner wasn’t insured and that Uber should have been more careful about who it contracted with.
If you were injured in an accident on our Texas roads, and an Uber or Lyft driver was involved, whether you were in a vehicle or were a pedestrian on a street or sidewalk, contact Patterson Law Group. Our team of attorneys wants to hear your story and help you get the compensation you deserve.
