Rideshare services like Uber, Lyft, and others have become immensely popular over the last decade. These types of services have helped individuals by offering a safe way to get from point A to point B. However, accidents involving rideshare vehicles do happen, and it is important to understand who could be held liable after an incident does happen.
Rideshare Driver Liability
The first and most obvious place to look for liability after a rideshare accident is the rideshare driver. Drivers for Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies are just like anybody else with a driver’s license. They typically have no enhanced driver training, and they are susceptible to making the same types of mistakes that anyone else is on the roadway.
After a rideshare accident, there will need to be an investigation, just like any other vehicle accident that occurs on Arizona roadways. If the investigation points towards a mistake the rideshare driver made, then they may hold liability for the incident.
In these situations, there are various levels of insurance that kick in depending on the “duty” status of the driver at the time the incident occurred. If a driver was not logged into the app to work, then they are on their own as far as insurance is concerned. Any injury or property damage victims will have to file a claim directly with the driver’s personal auto insurance carrier.
However, if an accident occurs when a driver is logged into their app to work, there are varying levels of insurance provided by the rideshare companies that kick in. We encourage you to talk to a ride your accident attorney to understand the different levels of insurance coverage available.
Other Drivers Could Be Responsible
An investigation into a rideshare accident could very well determine that another driver was responsible for the incident. If another driver was responsible, victims may be able to recover compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier. However, if you were a rideshare passenger when the accident occurred, you will typically recover compensation from the insurance provided by the rideshare company.
Both Uber and Lyft provide $1 million liability insurance policies for everyone involved in an accident, so long as the driver was signed into the app to work and the passenger was sanctioned through the app.
Will the Rideshare Company Hold Liability?
We should take a minute and talk about rideshare company liability. Both Uber and Lyft have worked hard to separate themselves from liability for accidents involving sanctioned rides. Even though rideshare companies are the organizing factor behind these services, each of the drivers, as mentioned above, are independent contractors. This may not seem like a big deal, but it does have implications as far as liability is concerned.
It is much harder to file a lawsuit directly against these rideshare companies to hold them responsible. There are several layers of insulation between the companies and liability, including multiple insurance policies.
Do You Need an Attorney?
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a rideshare accident in Phoenix or any of the surrounding areas, we encourage you to reach out to an attorney today. An Uber or Lyft accident lawyer can examine the evidence gathered thus far in your case and help you determine the next steps moving forward. You deserve compensation for what happened, including coverage of your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage expenses, and even pain and suffering. A specialized Phoenix car accident attorney can help guide you through the process of filing a claim.