App-based ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have changed the ways we travel. Anyone with a smartphone can now order a car with a few clicks of a button. These services also have created new job opportunities for anyone with a car, a phone, and a willingness to drive.
Many passengers who once would have walked, biked, driven their own vehicle, or taken public transportation, now can easily order a private car. This, combined with ridesharing drivers cruising around between fairs, has ultimately led to more vehicles on the road, an increase in vehicle miles traveled, and an increase in motor vehicle fatalities.
There was a belief the advent of ridesharing may reduce accidents because intoxicated individuals now had an easy and affordable alternative to drunk driving. However, that prediction has not proven true. After reaching its lowest number since 1949, the number of traffic fatalities has begun to climb.
According to the study The Cost of Convenience: Ridesharing and Traffic Fatalities, the number of roadway deaths in the United States increased by 3 percent from 2011 to 2016 with the introduction of ridesharing apps. This amounts to nearly 1,000 more fatalities each year at a cost of $10 billion. This figure does not take into account the number of injuries that happen in ridesharing vehicles, or those additional costs.
If you or a loved one was hurt in an accident involving a Lyft or Uber, whether you were a passenger in the ridesharing vehicle or in a vehicle hit by a Lyft or Uber, you may be entitled to compensation. A Los Angeles ridesharing accident lawyer can help you determine who is financially liable for your injuries and assist you in seeking damages. For more information about how an attorney can help with your case, contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233 for a risk-free consultation.
Ridesharing Insurance
Ridesharing is a relatively new concept, and it may be confusing to understand who is financially responsible in an accident involving a Lyft or Uber driver. Ridesharing drivers use their own vehicle to transport passengers, so they should have their own automobile insurance coverage.
Uber and Lyft also provide additional insurance protection for drivers while they are working. However, the coverage varies depending on the driver’s actions. The coverage for both companies is as follows, according to the Lyft and Uber websites:
Offline or the driver app is off:
- The driver is covered by their personal auto insurance policy
The app is on, and the driver is available for a ride request:
- Coverage is provided by Uber or Lyft in the following amounts:
- $50,000 in bodily injury per person
- $100,000 in bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 in property damage per accident
The driver is en route to pick up passengers or has passengers in the vehicle:
- Uber and Lyft provide:
- $1,000,000 third-party liability
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage
- Contingent comprehensive and collision coverage up to the actual cash value of the car with a $1,000 deductible for Uber and a $2,500 deductible for Lyft
Sometimes, the amount of coverage may not be enough to cover the costs of your injuries or property damage. A personal injury attorney can assist you in understanding who is financially liable for your injuries and help you pursue awards above the amounts provided by insurance. For more information about how a Los Angeles ridesharing accident lawyer may be able to help, contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC today for a free case review.
For a free legal consultation with a ridesharing accidents lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (844) 730-0233
What You Can Recover
If you were in an accident involving an Uber or Lyft, whether as a passenger in the ridesharing vehicle or as another driver on the roadway, an attorney can help you seek awards for:
- Medical expenses. You can seek compensation for any medical costs caused by your injury. This may include emergency department visits, hospital stays, medications, surgeries, physical therapy, follow-up treatments, and more.
- Property damage. You may be able to pursue awards for damaged property. This may be the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle if you were hit by an Uber or Lyft driver. If you were a ridesharing passenger, this may cover damages to any personal property harmed during the accident, such as smartphones, electronics, or any other items of value.
- Lost wages. If injuries from your accident have caused you to miss work, you may be able to seek compensation for lost wages. If you are unable to return to work or to perform the same job as before your accident, you may be entitled to future lost wages or permanent disability payments.
- Pain and suffering. This may include compensation for stress, anxiety, mental anguish, severe physical pain, loss of enjoyment of life, scarring, permanent disfigurement, loss of a limb, and more.
- Wrongful death. If your loved one was killed in a ridesharing accident, you may be able to seek compensation for their medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. You may also sue for your grief, loss of companionship, and loss of your loved one’s financial support.
Even if you are partially to blame for your accident, you still may be able to seek awards. California follows a model of pure comparative negligence, meaning even if you are 99 percent responsible for your accident, you can still seek compensation. Any settlement you receive will be reduced by your amount of fault. If you believe you may want to seek awards in court, you should be aware of the statutes of limitations for personal injury, property damage, and wrongful death, if applicable. These are time limits set by the state to bring legal action.
You have two years to bring action for injury or death, and three years for damaged property. If these time limits expire, you may not be able to seek awards in court. Additionally, you should report the accident. Even if your ridesharing driver does not want to do so, filing a report is legally required. This document can also help prove your claim.
Los Angeles Ridesharing Accident Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC
At Ben Crump Law, PLLC we can investigate your car accident, gather evidence, interview eyewitnesses, and help build a strong case on your behalf. We can help you untangle the specifics of who is liable for damages in a ridesharing accident, and we will not back down from companies like Uber and Lyft.
We never collect a fee unless we win a settlement for you. To learn more about how a Los Angeles ridesharing accident lawyer may be able to help with your case, contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233. The initial consultation is free for car accident victims and their families.
Call or text (844) 730-0233 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
