Bonita Springs Rideshare Accident Lawyers

Your Options After Being Involved in a Rideshare Accident

From Uber to Lyft, rideshare services have become increasingly common. Their growing use, however, also means a higher likelihood of accidents. What does a driver do in the case of a rideshare accident? Does a rideshare passenger collect accident compensation from the rideshare company? Depending on the severity of the car accident and whether you are the driver or a passenger, you have a few actions you may take following a rideshare accident.

Rideshare Companies Insurance Coverage Requirements

 Recall that most rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have generous insurance policies for drivers covering potential accidents. Uber, for example, provides drivers with insurance that complies with Florida law:

• Minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP);
• Minimum $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL).

The company also provides drivers a $1 million insurance policy for liability to any third parties in an accident. This policy applies whenever the driver is performing the duties of their employment (driving the passenger or picking up a passenger).

Regardless of the company, rideshare drivers are nonetheless required to have insurance covering the above Florida minimums, as well as $50,000 in physical injury or death liability coverage that applies whenever the rideshare app is being used. It is the driver’s responsibility to obtain this coverage, whether their rideshare company offers policies covering these requirements or not.

Determine if You Are At-Fault

While rideshare companies cover accident losses, they may not cover personal losses in cases when the rideshare driver is declared at fault for the accident. Check the fine print of your company’s insurance policy to see if they provide coverage in at-fault cases.

If the rideshare company does not provide coverage for at-fault situations, each driver involved must cover their own personal injury losses. The no-fault driver may bring forward a standard car accident claim, and the at-fault driver will cover any relevant property damages for the driver and passengers.

Collecting from the Rideshare Company as a Passenger

If you are a passenger injured in a rideshare accident, you may collect compensation from the at-fault driver. If the rideshare driver is at fault, you may collect from their rideshare insurance policy. If the other driver is at fault but their policy is unable to cover all your losses, the rideshare company should cover what the other driver cannot. Recall that, as mentioned above, passengers can count on the $1 million policy granted by companies like Uber and Lyft that cover losses for passengers using their rideshare services.

Passengers also have the right to bring forward a lawsuit if they believe the driver was operating the vehicle unsafely, such as if you suspect the driver of drunk driving. Rideshare companies are required by law to engage in thorough background checks to employ safe drivers without a history of driving violations like drunk driving, so if you allege that your driver did not meet this safety measure, you can take legal action against the rideshare company for not appropriately checking the safety of their drivers.