As ridesharing continues to grow in popularity, your risk of getting into an accident with a rideshare driver rises as well. Since Georgia is not a no-fault state, you will need to submit your claim to the liable party’s insurance to request compensation.
In a rideshare accident case, this can get complicated quickly. More than one party was likely involved in the collision, including rideshare passengers and other drivers. You will also need to determine whether the negligent driver or the rideshare company is liable, which can depend on the driver’s status when the collision occurred.
For that reason, it may be beneficial to seek out an Atlanta ridesharing accident lawyer to take on your case. An accident attorney can help you ensure that your claim identifies the liable party and that you receive the payout you deserve. Whether you were a rideshare passenger or another driver, contact the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC for a free consultation today at (844) 730-0233.
Liability in a Ridesharing Accident
In any personal injury case, you need to provide evidence that shows who is at fault. In a rideshare accident case, you also need to determine whether the driver or the rideshare company is liable for your injuries. Depending on the driver’s status at the time the collision occurred, the rideshare company may assume liability and offer a settlement through its insurance company. In other cases, the rideshare driver may be solely liable, requiring you to request a settlement from his or her insurer.
You can prove liability in a rideshare accident much the same way you would in another type of collision. Mainly, this means providing evidence of the driver’s negligence or recklessness behind the wheel. Examples of relevant evidence can include:
- Rider testimony: The rideshare passenger at the time of the accident may have insight into the driver’s actions and behavior. This testimony can also come from you if you were a passenger in the rideshare vehicle during the collision.
- Video or photo evidence: If the collision occurred near an intersection with traffic cameras or by a business with CCTV, these devices might have captured relevant footage.
- The police report: The police may take down additional information and evidence that you can use to support your case, regarding factors like the rideshare driver’s speed before the collision and his or her state of mind at the scene.
When a rideshare driver causes an accident, whether or not they are legally liable depends on if they were on duty at the time. If the driver was actively searching for a passenger or completing a trip, then the rideshare company may be liable. This would activate the company’s accident insurance coverage.
For a free legal consultation with a ridesharing accidents lawyer serving Atlanta, call (844) 730-0233
Rideshare Accident Insurance
Rideshare companies offer their drivers access to a significant level of auto insurance in the event of an accident. This is in addition to the personal coverage these drivers must have in order to become rideshare contractors.
As with liability, the level of coverage for your accident and when it applies may depend on the rideshare driver’s status at the time of the collision. A rideshare driver can have one of three statuses at any given time:
- Inactive, meaning the driver mode is off and he or she is not accepting passengers
- Active but no ride, meaning that driver mode is on, but the driver has not yet initiated a ride
- Active with passengers, meaning that a ride is in progress
Levels of Coverage
Much like personal auto insurance, the coverage that rideshare companies offer their drivers can include a variety of damages, from bodily injury to property damage. Uber AND Lyft currently offer the same level of coverage to its contracted drivers, but this coverage may fluctuate depending on whether or not the driver is engaged in a trip when the accident occurs. Based on this, rideshare insurance may apply in your accident case as follows:
- Bodily injury per person: $50,000
- Bodily injury per accident: $100,000
- Property damage: $25,000
During an active rideshare trip, this goes up to $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage per accident. Note that each of these policies may differ depending on the state in which the accident occurs.
When Rideshare Insurance May and May Not Apply
When a rideshare driver has driver mode turned off, and he or she is not looking for passengers, the rideshare company’s insurance coverage does not apply. Instead, you would submit your personal injury claim to the driver’s private insurance.
Rideshare insurance can start to take effect the moment that driver mode turns on, though a lower level of coverage applies if the driver has not yet accepted any passengers. With both Uber and Lyft, rideshare coverage only acts as a secondary policy when no ride is in progress. This means it only takes effect if the driver’s personal insurance rejects the claim or does not apply.
The moment that the driver accepts a ride, he or she falls under the rideshare company’s full level of coverage. This remains in effect for the entire duration of the ride.
The idea of juggling all these factors to initiate a personal injury claim or lawsuit can be overwhelming. If you are not sure how to proceed, an Atlanta ridesharing accident lawyer may be able to simplify this process for you. Ben Crump Law, PLLC seeks to do just that for our clients, and we may be able to help you as well.
Atlanta Ridesharing Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Tell Us About Your Ridesharing Accident Case
Whether you were a passenger or another driver involved in a rideshare accident, you deserve to recover compensation if the rideshare driver caused your collision. While the process to do so may be complicated due to the involvement of multiple parties—including the rideshare company—you do not have to handle your personal injury case alone.
An Atlanta ridesharing accident lawyer with Ben Crump Law, PLLC can help you demand compensation for your injuries, even from the biggest ridesharing companies. We do not back down when we believe we can help our clients get the awards they deserve. We also offer our services on contingency, so you will owe us nothing unless we secure your award.
To find out if we can help with your rideshare accident case, call (844) 730-0233 today for your complimentary case review.
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