What You Should Know About Auto Accidents and Uber / Lyft
Rise in Popularity of Lyft / Uber
Ride sharing companies are growing daily to be the most reliable car transportation of passengers in the country. Its accessibility and reliability is spreading to a city near you. The convenience, quality and efficiency of the experience represents an excellent option to a taxi. Client reviews show Uber appears to be a great experience featuring clean vehicles and great drivers.
Will I need a Greenville Uber Accident Lawyer?
As more people travel with ride-sharing services like Lyft/Uber, there will be more accidents involving Uber/ Lyft drivers. Those injured should contact a Greenville Uber Accident Lawyer to learn their rights.
Given the growth of this phenomena and the expansion of use by so many people in cities all over the US, it becomes important to know if your protections if injured by an Lyft or Uber driver. is there enough insurance coverage to protect you for any injuries suffered?
Insurance and Lyft / Uber
There are two most common scenarios that you may be injured while utilizing ride sharing services.
1. You are a passenger and another driver hits the vehicle you are occupying. If the vehicle that hits you does not have adequate insurance to cover your loss, you should look at the Uber driver’s vehicle for what’s called Uninsured (or Underinsured) Motorist Coverage, commonly referred to as UIM.
2. You get hit by a car, your damages amount to 50,000 (see What is my case worth) and that vehicle only has state minimum bodily injury insurance of $25,000. That means there is only $25,000 available to cover your damages. In short, the driver of the car that hurt you is underinsured.
However, if the vehicle you are riding in has $100,000 of UIM, you could receive an additional $75,000 available to cover your losses. The important question is whether a Lyft / Uber driver must have uninsured motorist coverage. Which unlike Bodily Injury (BI) coverage, can be declined dependent on state insurance requirements. Ride share companies like Uber carry $1 million on every driver. Speak to David Price for more details on the breakdown of that coverage.
Questions for your Uber Accident Lawyer in Greenville, SC
What About Injury Caused by a Uber / Lyft driver?
The next scenario is one where you are a passenger in an Lyft / Uber vehicle and the ride share driver causes the incident that injures you. Since you are not at fault for the injury, we would look to the driver of the Uber / Lyft vehicle to cover your loss. You would seek to recover under the Lyft / Uber driver’s insurance. Ride share companies like Uber carry $1 million on every driver. Speak to an Uber Accident Lawyer in Greenville for more details on the breakdown of that coverage.
What happens when the injury is caused by the driver working for Lyft / Uber?
So now comes the question of how Uber drivers are insured, by whom and for how much. Because this business models are so new, there are changing regulations associated with them. Â You need an attorney who understands and stays up to date on these changing laws.
Fortunately, companies like Uber is in many ways are progressive. They currently provide commercial insurance for their drivers and passengers. When in an Uber vehicle, and on a trip, Uber covers the passengers/drivers of the car for 1 million dollars of damage. This is very good coverage and will protect people from all but the most severe of injuries.
However, the same does not apply when one is not en route or on the way to a fare. Uber provides their drivers who are “online” or working but not on a “trip” with coverage of only $50,000. This means if you are injured by an Uber driver on his way to a fare, there is only that coverage/damage amount available to cover your losses.
Even worse is the situation where an Uber driver is “off the clock.” or not working. In this situation, most ride share companies like Uber provides no insurance. Uber feels justified because their drivers maintain personal insurance. These personal policies are basic state required minimum limits only for most.
How a Greenville, SC Uber Accident Lawyer can help
Complications from the Insurance Companies
Be aware most insurance companies will not honor policies once they find their insured is an Uber driver. This usually is excluded their policy. Most ride share drivers do not know they are uninsured or underinsured.
Accidents Involving Ride Share Drivers Are More Complex
The growing popularity of Lyft / Uber nationwide has surpassed their changing regulations and standards involving insurance and covering their seemingly contractor drivers. Therefore if you are in an accident associated with an Uber vehicle, there are probably going to be unique problems with collectability of your claim.
Unless and until such time as the proper requirements are put in place, it would be wise to contact a lawyer if you are involved in such a situation. While Lyft and Uber are part of a rapidly growing and very popular industry, there are still growing pains associated with it. Insurance coverage issues are going to be issues that will continue to plaque the industry and their drivers / clients.
Speak to Uber Accident Attorney David Price to discuss your case at 864-271-2636.
David Price is a Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Collections, and Criminal Defense Attorney who practices in Greenville, SC. He graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law, and has been practicing law for 12 years. David Price believes in helping those who have been injured. Learn more about his experience by clicking here.
