When a Lyft or Uber driver picks you up so you can visit family and friends, attend various events, go grocery shopping, or do anything else requiring car service, you expect the individual to drive safely and follow the rules of the road. Yet accidents can still happen with other vehicles and pedestrians.
The shock of an accident while sitting in the back of an Uber or Lyft can take days if not longer to recover from, and that is in addition to injuries you sustained. Discussing the incident with a Rialto car accident attorney helps you understand the complexities of the case and what you can expect moving forward, including what monetary compensation you might be entitled to. Consult a Rialto Uber/Lyft car accident lawyer today to get started on your case.
Determining liability against a ridesharing vehicle is not different from establishing fault in other car accident cases. Accidents are typically caused by someone else’s negligence, such as a driver who:
To prove liability in an Uber or Lyft vehicle collision case, the plaintiff must show that the defendant did not provide a duty of care by engaging in one if not several of the issues listed above. By breaching this duty of care, the driver would be endangering the life and safety of their passenger(s).
Both car services use three separate time periods to distinguish insurance coverage for drivers. The amount of liability coverage applicable to the accident depends on which period the driver falls into, something a legal professional who works on ride-sharing cases can help establish. Period One begins when a driver is active on their ridesharing app and waiting for a customer. If an accident occurs during this waiting period, Uber and Lyft use 50/100/25 liability coverage. The numbers refer to $50,000 per injured party, $100,000 for an accident involving bodily harm, and $25,000 for property damage.
Period two starts when the driver accepts a fare and is in route to pick up a passenger. Should an accident happen during this time, the car services provide $1 million in liability, uninsured, and underinsured coverage. In terms of collision coverage, it depends on whether the driver has personal collision insurance. Period three concerns a driver who has picked up a customer and is on the way to the specified destination. Uber and Lyft provide $1 million in liability, uninsured, and underinsured coverage in these circumstances as well, with the collision insurance factor also applying.
Uber and Lyft commercial coverage subsequently provides compensation for riders injured in accidents. The ride-sharing services also established a No Period time frame when the driver is not logged into the app and is therefore considered off duty. Any accident claims that result are therefore the driver’s responsibility using their personal car insurance.
If your recent car service experience resulted in driver negligence injuries, contact a Rialto Uber/Lyft car accident lawyer. The professional will determine whether your case has legal grounds and what type of damages you could recover, such as those for medical expenses and lost income.
Call our law firm today to schedule a consultation and learn more about car accident laws in California. It is our duty and our privilege to assist you.
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