Rideshare drivers are not employees of companies such as Lyft and Uber. This can complicate matters when there is a collision between a rideshare driver and a layperson. Car collisions result in physical, emotional and mental injuries, and you deserve to be compensated monetarily when this occurs in a vehicle driven for a rideshare company. You are entitled to file a claim after a rideshare accident, but there are a few things that you should know about this process before you do.
How Rideshare Insurance Works
Rideshare insurance works a little bit differently from the auto insurance you have for the vehicle you drive. For example, Uber or Lyft provides auto insurance coverage for their drivers, but when they are offline, this insurance does not apply. When a driver is not engaging in their duties for a ridesharing company, their personal auto insurance coverage applies if they get into an accident. In California, the driver would be required to have a minimum of $15,000 worth of injury liability coverage.
Waiting for a Customer
If you are waiting for a customer to request a ride, Uber or Lyft’s insurance coverage applies. In most cases, rideshare companies provide the following coverage:
Collision Coverage
Collision coverage pays to repair your vehicle or replace it after a collision with another vehicle or object.
Comprehensive Coverage
Comprehensive coverage pays to repair or replace your vehicle after a collision with an animal or damage by vandals, fire or theft.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Uninsured motorist coverage pays your medical expenses and property damages if you are hit by an uninsured driver. Underinsured motorist coverage pays these expenses if you are hit by a motorist with insurance but not enough to cover all of the medical and property repair bills.
Roadside Assistance
This covers typical expenses related to roadside services, such as tire changes, jump-starts and towing.
Rental Car Reimbursement
This coverage pays for your rental car while your vehicle is being repaired.
After Accepting a Ride Request
If you get into a collision after you pick up a passenger, bodily injury liability, property damage liability, comprehensive coverage for your vehicle, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement apply.
Filing a Claim for a Rideshare Accident
To file a claim for a rideshare accident, you will need to do the same things that you would do for any other type of accident. The first thing your attorney will need to do is determine liability. That means that your attorney will need to determine who is responsible for causing the collision.
To determine liability, your car accident attorney will investigate the accident. California operates under a pure comparative negligence system, so liability may partially fall on either party involved. After gathering evidence, reading the police reports, examining the witness statements and viewing still photographs and video evidence, the attorney will determine which motorist is responsible for causing the collision.
Many people refuse to hire an attorney because of the expense, but an attorney is very beneficial to you. For example, your attorney will be the one to negotiate with the insurance companies and their adjusters. This one activity alone can be a major headache for you, especially if you were injured in the collision. Your attorney will fight to ensure that you receive maximum compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, medical expenses and the damage to your vehicle.
Most car collision claims end after the negotiation process, but sometimes, the two sides cannot agree. If the at-fault driver’s insurance company refuses to come to a fair agreement, you will need to take the case to court. Then, your attorney will be your representative throughout the entire court case.
If you have been injured in a collision while you were a passenger of a Lyft or Uber driver, contact an attorney right away.