Can a Passenger Sue Uber or Lyft after an Accident?
Getting injured in a car accident means that you’ll more than likely have suffered from serious injuries that can severely impact your life for years to come. Unfortunately, in addition to dealing with the pain, treatment, and recovery from your physical injuries, you may also find that you are unable to earn a living, participate in your favorite hobbies, or even maintain relationships with your friends and family.
When this happens, you should be compensated by the person or persons who are responsible for causing the accident. But when you get into a crash with a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, figuring out who to sue can prove to be far more challenging than you thought.
Thankfully, when you get help from a highly trained car accident attorney, you can spend your time recuperating while we work to build your injury case. Continue reading to learn more about how you can go about obtaining the damages you’re entitled to.
How Rideshare Auto Insurance Works
Though Uber and Lyft auto insurance policies are slightly different, the concepts are relatively the same. Both companies extend coverage to injury victims when the driver is waiting for a ride or taking a passenger to or from a destination. Both companies have liability coverage of $1,000,000, which may cover your damages completely if we can establish that the rideshare service should be liable for your damages.
In the event that Uber or Lyft’s auto insurer refuses to pay, we’ll bring a claim against the rideshare service themselves, or bring the insurance company to court, depending on which approach is most likely to result in a favorable outcome in your rideshare injury case.
What to Do When the Insurer Isn’t Obligated to Pay
If the driver of the vehicle isn’t logged into the rideshare service’s app, then they aren’t covered under Lyft or Uber’s auto insurance policy. However, all hope isn’t lost, as both companies require their drivers to carry personal auto insurance on their vehicles, as does the state of Tennessee.
When you’re involved in a collision under these circumstances, the claim you file will be with the Uber or Lyft driver’s auto insurer. One critical piece of information you need to know is that the insurance company is only going to pay out up to the limits that the driver purchased on their policy.
This means that if your damages amount to more than what the driver has purchased, you’ll have to bring a civil lawsuit against the driver in order to recover the additional money that you’re owed.
Get the Money You Deserve with the Help of a Rideshare Crash Lawyer
Bringing claims against large corporations like Lyft and Uber can be intimidating, as they’ll have access to resources that you don’t. But your experienced car accident lawyer at Raybin & Weissman, P.C. is ready to address their defense. We will be prepared to fight for the compensation that you need to cover your losses in their entirety.
Just give our office a call at 615-256-6666 or complete the convenient contact form below and we can schedule a time for you to come in and have your free claim evaluation.