Picture this: you are headed to the airport for a long-awaited week away. Instead of paying to park your car at the airport, you decide to call a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft to drop you off right at the front doors. When your driver arrives, you load your luggage into your car and are on your way. You are about halfway to the airport when something horrible happens. In a stretch of heavy traffic, someone rear-ends the car you are in. You jerk forward in your seat and your neck snaps back uncomfortably. It is pretty clear that you are suffering whiplash and need medical treatment. So now the question is, who is liable?
Liability can be confusing in Uber/Lyft accidents. For starters, Uber and Lift do offer rideshare liability coverage. When a driver is logged in to the rideshare application, the rideshare company provides that coverage. However, if a driver strikes the Uber/Lyft vehicle (like in our hypothetical above), then the driver that caused the accident can be considered liable. Now you have three or four different insurance companies involved in one injury claim: the Uber/Lyft insurance, the rideshare driver’s insurance, the other driver’s insurance, and sometimes, your own insurance! Clearly, these circumstances can quickly become complicated.
If you are involved in an accident as a rideshare passenger, especially as a passenger who has sustained an injury, it is wise to consult with an attorney. That way, you can focus on healing while an experienced attorney establishes liability and secures your damages.
