Ridesharing Accident: What Happens If You Crash With A Ridesharing Driver

If you have been involved in a ridesharing accident, you should be able to get compensation and have your car repaired if you’re not liable. Here is what you need to know about these types of accidents.
 

Understanding the Risks of an Ridesharing Accident

 
While the convenience of ridesharing has made apps like Uber, Lyft, Juno, and Curb take off, you need to know the risks in advance. You have enough risks just being on the road as it is, without the added distractions and risks of ridesharing cars.
 
Ridesharing drivers don’t usually have any more training than the average licensed driver. You’re at the mercy of the driver when you get into the passenger seat. While ratings can tell you something, they’re not the whole story.
 
Many drivers are required to be on their distracting smartphones while they’re driving. That means that they’re not paying attention to the road and might be running multiple devices at once.
 
Whenever you get into a car, you’re getting into a car with a stranger, despite decades of parents telling their kids otherwise. When you’re riding in a car together, you need to trust the person picking you up, even though there’s not much that could be building that trust.
 
Ridesharing companies don’t always meet with their drivers before they start driving, so they’re missing a crucial step in the interview process. If you’ve been in an accident in a ridesharing car, you have to take action quickly, as the contractor needs to be held responsible.
 

What Happens If You’re Hit By A Ridesharing Car

 
Just like any other car accident case, the person who is claiming to have been hit needs to be able to prove they were struck. They need to show proof that someone was liable and that there was significant damage done. While it’s problematic that the onus is on the person who was struck to prove this, it’s vital to ensuring the right people are held responsible.
 
If you were hit by a driver, you need to prove negligence to have a claim. The most straightforward version of this is going to be against the person who was driving. It could proceed just like any other type of accident claim in this case.
 
The major difference is that you need to figure out whether the insurance for the rideshare company or for the driver will pay for your damages.
 
When you’re trying to hold the companies responsible for an accident, you’re fighting an uphill battle. They often have liability car insurance for each of their drivers.
 
If you were struck, you could be holding the companies financially responsible if you’re fully free of negligence. In these types of car accidents, you can trust that your insurance company should be able to get damages from the company’s insurance without hassle.
 

How Insurance Works With Ridesharing Companies

 
All of the major ridesharing companies now require that all drivers have personal insurance to meet state requirements for liability coverage. While the personal policy might not provide any coverage when driving for these companies, the extra coverage ensures that they’re covered off the clock. It also keeps them from hiring anyone who has been in accidents that stay off the record.
 
The coverage that’s provided to drivers of these companies varies depending on when the accident happens. With so much of our behavior timestamped and logged, we can be sure to have a clue as to when each thing happens, down to the minute.
 
If a driver is logged into the driving apps, they’re going to be considered to be driving for hire, using their car for commercial purposes. Normal insurance doesn’t cover commercial use of vehicles. During this time, the ridesharing companies are going to provide coverage.
 
If the driver is logged in but has yet to accept a ride request, the companies provide liability coverage for accidents that are their driver’s fault. They go up to $50,000 per person injured and $100,000 total per accident. If property, like your vehicle, is damaged, you get up to $25,000 in coverage for that.
 
If the driver is in the middle of a trip, liability goes way up, reaching the figure of $1 million if things are that serious.
 
These drivers sometimes have their own liability insurance covering their commercial business. If they have that or personal car insurance that extends to ridesharing, then the app company is going to make up the difference. The driver’s personal insurance can usually cover a third-party claim, however.
 

What Do You Do Now?

 
If you’ve just been in a ridesharing accident, you need to act as you would for any other accident. Get the names, contact, information, and insurance info of everyone involved. Takes lots of photos and get names of witnesses or passengers.
 
Get lots of photos from every angle before you leave the scene of the accident. It can pay off big time later on.
 
In most states, you need to call the police to let them know of any car accident that causes more than minor property damage or any physical harm at all. However, with ridesharing, you want to act as soon as possible to get the report you’re looking for generated.
 

A Ridesharing Accident Can Be A Dangerous Thing

 
With the lack of vetting that many ridesharing companies have in place, the likelihood and results of an Uber or Lyft accident can be devastating. You need to know the risks not only when you’re riding in them but also if you’re sharing the road with them.
 
If your airbag fails to deploy in an accident, check out our guide to understanding what you can do next.
 
Let our experienced and skilled attorneys lead the way. You will greatly improve your chances of receiving the justice and compensation you deserve for your ridesharing accident lawsuit.
 
Let us guide you through the difficult legal process so you can be with loved ones and family. Call our offices today for a free, no-obligation consultation at (800) 674-7854.