Thousands of people rely on rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft to get them where they need to go. Some people use these services regularly to get to and from work ,while others like using the services after spending the night out with friends and having a few drinks. Rideshare companies offer the convenience of affordable and dependable transportation with the use of advanced technology and it is certainly convenient for people of all ages. However, an accident can happen in these vehicles just as they do with any other vehicle on the road.
There is no way to predict if an accident will occur. Drivers for Uber and Lyft are expected to drive safely,
follow the rules, and pay attention to other drivers on the road in order to
provide a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Unfortunately,
there are times when accidents occur when people are riding around as
passengers in these vehicles. It is important to know if coverage is provided
by these companies if an accident does occur and passengers are injured.
Insurance From the Driver
If you are riding in an Uber or Lyft and get into an accident, you will likely receive coverage in one of several ways. It all starts with the driver who is at fault. If another driver on the road is the one who caused the accident to occur, that driver’s insurance company would be expected to cover the cost of vehicle damage expenses and personal injuries that the passengers sustained because of the accident.
Sometimes the at-fault driver will try to claim that he or she was not in the wrong when the accident occurred. If the at-fault driver tries to avoid taking any responsibility for causing the accident, then rideshare car accident lawyers will likely need to get involved and a crash investigation would need to take place. Statements from passengers in the Uber and Lyft would be taken, along with statements from anyone else who witness the event. Sometimes there is even camera footage of the accident to help clarify who was at fault.
The person who is driving for Uber or Lyft should have liability insurance. If he or she is the one who caused the accident, the insurance company should compensate the passengers for their injuries. While you would expect people to follow the rules, this is not always the case. Some people are currently driving for these rideshare services without the proper level of insurance coverage, and that is why you need to be careful.
Insurance from the Rideshare Companies
When the driver of the Uber or Lyft vehicle does not have the right type of coverage or when the coverage is not enough to meet he expenses from the injuries that several passengers inside the vehicle sustained, companies like Uber and Lyft do have insurance coverage. They will attempt to get the funds from the driver’s insurance company first, but will then need to use their own insurance to cover the expenses for the passengers who were riding in vehicles using their services. The liability coverage that is offered by both Uber and Lyft will cover a total of $1 million in accident-related expenses involving personal injuries.
Although Uber and Lyft both reassure their customers that they are fully covered in the event of an emergency, things can quickly get complicated. The situation often gets out of hand when the driver for the rideshare company refuses to take the blame for the accident, but the other driver is not accepting blame for the accident, either. There can be a lot of back and forth that takes place and it can turn into a drawn-out process that leaves the injured people feeling even more frustrated and upset and without the compensation they desperately need to recover.
It is quite common to hear of people taking an Uber or Lyft to get from one destination to the next. These rideshare services are convenient because people can request a vehicle at a time and date that works for them and they can get where they want to go without paying a fortune. Although these services are convenient, things can quickly get out of hand when an accident occurs. If you were involved in an accident while riding in an Uber or Lyft, you should speak to an attorney as soon as you can. Hornsby Watson & Hornsby are leading personal injury and rideshare accident attorneys in the Alabama area. Contact us today at 855-766-2943.