If you’ve been injured in a ride-sharing vehicle, you know how confusing and overwhelming the legal process can be. Who is responsible for covering your medical bills or other financial losses due to the accident? The driver of the ride-sharing vehicle may not have sufficient insurance policy coverage or assets to pay for all your losses, but don’t worry, there may be additional compensation available with assistance from an experienced injury attorney. The following parties may be held responsible in these types of cases.
The Driver
In many cases, the driver of the ride-sharing vehicle is often the primary defendant in an injury case. This is because they are deemed to be at fault for causing the accident and are held liable for any resulting damages.
However, if their personal insurance policy does not provide sufficient coverage for all your losses (which can include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering), then you may have to pursue compensation from other sources.
Ride-Sharing Services: Additional Liability Coverage
Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft can also be named as defendants in these cases, as they have liability coverage that supplements that of their drivers’ personal policies. Uber provides up to $1 million in liability coverage for drivers when carrying passengers or on their way to pick up a passenger.
Another Driver
There may be situations where another driver may also be held liable for a ride-sharing accident. For instance, if a third party’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident—such as running a red light or failing to yield right of way—that person could be responsible for damages resulting from the crash.
Additionally, if it can be proven that both drivers were negligent in some manner—for example, if both drivers were distracted at the time of the crash—then each party may be found partially responsible for damages incurred by injured passengers.
Comparative Negligence in Rideshare Accidents
In situations where more than one driver is at fault for an accident – or if the passenger is partially responsible for the accident – Arizona employs a rule called comparative negligence. Under this rule, each responsible party will be assigned a percentage of blame for the accident and will be responsible for paying that percentage of the damages.
What to Do After a Rideshare Accident
Knowing how to handle the aftermath of an accident is essential for protecting your rights and ensuring that you obtain fair compensation for any injuries or losses. If you’ve been involved in an accident while in a rideshare, take the following steps:
Seek medical attention: If you or anyone else involved in the accident is injured, call 911 or seek medical attention immediately. Even if you don’t feel injured, it’s a good idea to see a doctor to be evaluated, as some injuries may not be immediately apparent.
Report the accident to the ride-sharing company: Most ride-sharing companies have a dedicated phone number or email address for reporting accidents. They will also require a police report.
Gather information: Get the contact information for the driver and any passengers involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses. Take photos of the damage to the vehicles, the license plate numbers and the accident scene.
Contact the police: Call the police to report the accident and request that they come to the scene. Get a copy of the police report.
Contact your insurance company: Notify your insurance company of the accident as soon as possible and provide them with the information you’ve gathered.
Keep records: Keep all records of medical bills, repair estimates, and any other expenses related to the accident.
Contact an attorney: When dealing with a rideshare company after an accident, it is important to have legal representation. Insurance companies are often willing to settle quickly but their initial offers tend to be lower than what is fair considering the costs associated with medical treatments and lost wages from time off work due to injury or recovery time.
A car accident lawyer in Phoenix are familiar with personal injury law and will fight for maximum compensation on your behalf by negotiating with insurance companies or taking them to court if necessary.
Rideshare accidents can be complicated cases due to competing policies from different insurance companies and varying levels of coverage depending on when exactly an accident occurred. If you were involved in an accident while in a rideshare vehicle, contact us to schedule a free consultation.