It can be hard to imagine life before ridesharing apps. When you need a ride to the airport at 5 a.m., you place a ride with Uber. If you want to avoid parking at a crowded event, just hit up Lyft.
With just a couple of taps, a car pulls up and whisks you away. This is a convenient option.
But along with that, there is an unexpected side effect: a steady rise in rideshare-related accidents. And when they happen, the question of who’s responsible isn’t always clear-cut. Let’s look at the rise of rideshare accidents, including Uber and Lyft’s liability.
Rideshare Accidents Are on the Rise
The popularity of ridesharing has skyrocketed. That means more drivers are on the road at all hours. Many part-time workers try to squeeze in trips around other jobs, school, or family obligations.
They may experience long shifts, late nights, and fatigue behind the wheel. Plus, add in the constant reliance on navigation apps and the pressure to accept the next ride request quickly, and that is a recipe for distraction.
Also, it does not help that rideshare drivers spend a lot of time in high-traffic areas, such as downtown streets, stadiums, and airports, where accidents are already more common. While Uber and Lyft have revolutionized transportation, they have also contributed to new challenges on the road.
Who’s Liable When an Accident Happens?
In an accident, things can get complicated. Unlike traditional taxi companies, Uber and Lyft classify their drivers as independent contractors instead of employees.
This means the companies are not automatically responsible when a driver causes a crash.
With that, liability depends on what the driver was doing at the time:
● Not logged into the app: The driver is just another motorist. In these cases, only their personal insurance applies.
● Logged in but waiting for a ride request: Uber and Lyft have limited liability coverage during this “waiting period.”
● On the way to pick up a passenger or during a trip: This is when the big coverage may be applicable, up to $1 million in liability protection.
Rideshare companies offer insurance, but untangling which coverage applies and how to get it is not always easy.
What About Passengers?
If you ride as a passenger and an accident happens, you are better protected. Uber and Lyft’s $1 million liability policies will apply, whether the rideshare driver was at fault, or another motorist caused the crash.
But that does not mean the claims process is smooth. Multiple insurance companies may be involved. As you can imagine, each will try to shift blame to minimize payouts. That can leave injured passengers stuck in the middle of a bureaucratic tug-of-war when they should be focused on recovery.
Why Legal Help Makes a Difference
Remember that Uber and Lyft have large legal teams and insurance adjusters working to protect their bottom line. Passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers often find themselves processing through confusing policies and endless back-and-forth with insurers.
When you have an experienced personal injury attorney on your side, that can help level the playing field. They know which policies apply, how to push back when insurers try to dodge responsibility, and how to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Rideshare Crashes Are on the Rise, But You Still Have Legal Options
Ridesharing has made our lives easier in many ways, but accidents are an unfortunate reality. If you find yourself injured in a rideshare crash, you don’t want to assume the process will be easy or that the companies will automatically do right by you.
When you have someone in your corner to advocate for you and hold the liable parties accountable, that can make all the difference.
