Uber & Lyft Accidents

Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft have become a common form of transportation for many residents of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Kern and other California counties.

Common Carriers such as Uber & Lyft , as well as taxi cabs and limousine drivers, owe a special duty toward their passengers. Rideshare accident victims who may be able to bring  a claim against rideshare companies include not only a motorist or passenger who is injured in a car accident where a ridesharing driver is at fault, but also a passenger in an Uber or Lyft who is injured in an accident where another driver is at fault.

 

In California, the fairly recent AB5 bill forces rideshare companies, such as Uber & Lyft to enlist their drivers as employees, giving riders the right to sue these companies directly. If you were injured in an accident while being a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, you may get compensation for your injuries and any damages that resulted from them. Uber and Lyft each have a $1 million commercial insurance policy to offer compensation to passengers and drivers in the case of an accident.

 

Because ridesharing laws & policies are dynamic & constantly evolving, it’s important to understand your rights if you were injured or suffered property loss in an Uber or Lyft related accident. For example, if the Uber/Lyft driver had the app turned “on” and had accepted a ride at the time of the accident, both Uber and Lyft offer up to $1 million in bodily injury coverage. However, if at the time of the accident, the Uber or Lyft driver had the app turned “on” but had not yet accepted a ride, both Uber and Lyft offer up to $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per person or up to $100,000 in bodily injury coverage total per accident, as well as up to $25,000 in property damages. On the other hand, If the Uber or Lyft driver did not have the app turned “on” at the time of the accident, neither Uber nor Lyft will typically accept liability for damages.