If you were injured in an Uber or Lyft accident, there may be as much as $1 million of insurance coverage available through Uber/Lyft to cover your injuries. This is true whether you were injured as a passenger of a rideshare vehicle, a driver or passenger in another vehicle, or as a pedestrian.
However, the actual amount of compensation available to you under an Uber or Lyft insurance policy will vary. This is dependent on which stage of the rideshare process the Uber or Lyft driver was engaged in at the time of the accident.
This is why it is extremely important that if you are involved in an accident involving a rideshare driver, you should seek the services of an experienced attorney. A qualified attorney can help you gather and preserve the evidence needed in order to recover fair and full compensation.
Golden State Accident Lawyers
At Golden State Accident Lawyers, we firmly believe that every accident victim that comes to us deserves to have their case thoroughly evaluated.
Our San Francisco rideshare accident lawyers empathize with our clients. This is why we try to provide them with the same level of service that we would want under similar circumstances.
We not only understand the complexities involved with pursuing a rideshare accident claim in California, but we also understand the importance of being articulate advocates. We will work hard to convince the rideshare company and their insurance company, or a judge and jury, why you are entitled to maximum compensation.
If you or someone you care about were recently injured in an accident involving an Uber/Lyft driver in San Francisco, our experienced personal injury attorneys can help.
We handle personal injury cases on a contingency basis, which means we only accept payment if we successfully obtain compensation for you and your family. To learn more, call us today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced rideshare accident lawyer.
Why Hire a San Francisco Lyft and Uber Accident Attorney?
Car accident victims often discover that obtaining the compensation they are rightfully entitled to receive can be very difficult. Often, those with legitimate injury claims are forced to fight it out with well-resourced insurance companies that are experienced in reducing the value of personal injury claims.
Uber and Lyft accident claims can be complex, which is why part of the job of our San Francisco Uber and Lyft accident lawyer is to put your mind at ease and help you recover fair compensation for the injuries and losses you sustained in an accident involving an Uber/Lyft driver. From the moment you invite us to work on your case, we will diligently investigate your claim, seeking to uncover all potentially liable parties and theories of liability.
An important point to note is that not all rideshare accidents involve injured rideshare passengers. Many rideshare accidents occur in between rides while the driver is waiting for a passenger request to come through the application. During this period, car accidents involving pedestrians, bicyclists, or other motorists can occur.
But, regardless of how your Uber/Lyft accident occurred, we will make sure that the scope and severity of your injuries are fully evaluated and understood before we proceed to negotiate a settlement on your behalf. We will then work with the liable insurance companies on your behalf to recover the compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Uber/Lyft Accidents in San Francisco
A rideshare driver can be as careful as possible when transporting a passenger to their destination. However, there are many things, both within and beyond the driver’s control, that can result in an accident.Common causes of Uber/Lyft accidents include:
- Inexperience – Bad road conditions caused by things such as fog, rain, snow, sleet, and ice often cause less experienced drivers to have accidents.
- Speeding – Speeding is a factor in nearly a quarter of all motor vehicle accidents. Rideshare drivers get paid by the ride and may feel pressure to speed to take in as many passengers as possible in order to maximize profits.
- Driver Fatigue – Rideshare drivers who get behind the wheel when they are tired are more at risk for fatigued driving. Fatigued driving occurs when a driver experiences brief moments of drowsiness or fatigue while operating a vehicle. Fatigue can reduce a driver’s decision-making ability and make them slow to react when needed to avoid an accident.
- Distractions – Rideshare drivers use mobile phones to engage with the rideshare service, as well as, Google Maps and other mobile applications to find the best route to a passenger’s destination. However, these devices and navigation apps can also distract the driver’s attention away from the road ahead of them, and lead to catastrophic accidents.
What Happens if I Am Injured in an Accident Involving an Uber And Lyft Driver?
If you are injured while riding in an Uber/Lyft vehicle, or if you were hurt as another motorist or pedestrian, you may be wondering who is liable for the accident. Because California is a fault-based state when it comes to personal injury, the party who caused the accident is responsible for paying for your losses.
Normally, if the rideshare driver was at fault, you would first make your claim against the driver’s own auto insurance. Then, when that coverage has been exhausted, Uber/Lyft’s insurance policies will then kick in to cover your losses.
However, receiving the compensation you deserve after a rideshare accident is rarely as straightforward as this. It is not uncommon for Uber/Lyft accident victims to encounter complications with the rideshare driver’s personal and/or commercial auto insurance policies.
Note that rideshare companies require their drivers to also carry their own auto insurance, but an insurance coverage gap can still exist. An insurance coverage gap is a situation when neither the driver’s own auto insurance nor the rideshare company’s insurance is applicable.
Rideshare companies traditionally only cover the driver during the time they have accepted a ride request on the app, or are already carrying a passenger. The good news, however, is that companies like Uber and Lyft have now started providing insurance for insurance coverage gap situations as well.
Insurance Coverage for Uber/Lyft Drivers in San Francisco
Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have insurance policies that supplement their driver’s personal auto insurance coverage. But for these insurance policies to kick in, the driver must be logged in to the rideshare app as a driver.
This means that if you are in an accident with an Uber/Lyft driver, and they are not logged into the app at the time, Uber/Lyft’s insurance coverage will not apply. The only insurance available to cover injuries and losses caused by the driver’s negligence may be his or her own personal auto insurance policy.
On the other hand, if that same driver had actually logged into the rideshare app, but had not yet accepted a passenger request, Uber/Lyft would provide liability insurance coverage in the amount of $50,000 (per person)/ $100,000 (total) for death or bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.
However, if the driver had actually accepted a passenger, there would be $1 million of coverage from Uber/Lyft’s liability insurance available to cover injuries and losses resulting from that accident, as well as another $1 million in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
For help navigating Uber/Lyft’s complex insurance coverage, consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer in San Francisco who has experience handling these types of car accident claims.
Steps to Take After an Uber/Lyft Accident in San Francisco
Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are more popular than ever. Unfortunately, accidents still happen.Recovering compensation for injuries sustained in a rideshare accident is different from after a traditional car accident.
After being involved in a rideshare accident in San Francisco, follow these steps to protect your rights and preserve your eligibility for compensation:
- Call the Police – Make sure the police are called to properly investigate the accident.
- See a doctor – Seek medical treatment for any injuries you sustained.
- Document the Accident – Document the scene of the accident, and get the names and contact information for everyone involved and any witnesses.
- Hire a Qualified Attorney – Hire an attorney with experience handling Uber/Lyft accident cases. Make sure that the lawyer you hire has both the skill and the resources to get you the compensation you deserve.