Can I Sue if I’m in an Uber Accident?

One of the most popular options for transportation in Los Angeles today is Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies. These companies hire drivers to use their own vehicles to take passengers where they need to go. However, with this complicated business structure comes serious questions about liability when a car operating on behalf of Uber or Lyft gets involved in an automobile accident. As a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, do you know your rights if you become a victim in an Uber or Lyft accident? At the GP Law Group in Los Angeles, our team of experienced Uber accident and Lyft accident attorneys is here to help. If you or someone you know has been injured in a rideshare accident, call or contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.

Who is Liable in an Uber or Lyft Accident

In the majority of all Uber or Lyft accidents, the crash is either caused by the rideshare driver or the driver of another vehicle. In other words, the passenger has no fault in these accidents and is an innocent victim. If the accident is caused by the driver of another vehicle, i.e. not the rideshare driver, you can seek compensation from their automobile insurance policy like you would in any other automobile accident that occurs on a California roadway. For uninsured or underinsured drivers, your attorney may recommend other options for securing compensation for your injuries, such as making an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim through the client’s own policy. In such a scenario, it should also be noted that if the victim’s uninsured or underinsured motorist policy has a limits issue, i.e. the limits are not enough, then your attorney can make a claim against Uber or Lyft’s underinsured motorist coverage, which has a policy limit of $1,000,000.00.

Additionally, if the automobile accident was caused by the Uber or Lyft driver, the liability for your injuries may rest with the driver, as well as the rideshare company itself. Uber requires that all drivers for their company carry the minimum required automobile insurance for California, which is $15,000.00 per person and $30,000.00 per accident in bodily injury coverage, as well as $5,000.00 in property damage coverage. These are extremely low figures. However, if the extent of your injuries goes beyond the limits of the rideshare driver’s insurance coverage, you may be able to seek compensation from the rideshare company. Typically, rideshare companies such as Uber or Lyft carry a commercial general liability policy with limits of $1,000,000.00 per accident. 

Rideshare Insurance Policies

Uber, Lyft, and similar rideshare companies all carry their own insurance policies if the insurance coverage of their drivers (or the other driver) is not enough to cover the cost of injuries in an accident. Uber has uninsured and underinsured insurance policies of $1,000,000.00 to cover any overages in damages due to the negligence of their drivers. However, the company does require that a victim seek compensation from the driver before seeking damages from the company to cover the difference.

It is critical that you hire an attorney with experience handling rideshare company cases if you decide to seek compensation from Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare business. These companies have teams of lawyers and insurance adjusters ready to make the case against you. Your attorney will protect your rights and defend your claim to compensation.

Compensation in an Uber Accident

Compensation for injuries sustained in an automobile accident with an Uber or other rideshare vehicle includes payment for both special and general damages. Special damages, also known as “economic damages,” compensate the victim for all out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the accident. This includes all medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and loss of future income and benefits. The cost of medical procedures, medication, rehabilitation, and transportation to and from doctor’s visits are all included as part of special damages.

General damages are also referred to as “noneconomic damages” and compensate the victim of an Uber or Lyft automobile accident for all of the other harm caused by the crash. This includes payment for pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, disability, and the loss of enjoyment of life. Currently, there is no cap on general damages for automobile accidents in California. 

In the worst automobile accidents involving a rideshare vehicle, victims may ultimately lose their lives as a result of the crash. The family of a victim in a fatal rideshare accident may go after the driver of the vehicle, as well as the rideshare company for wrongful death – this is regardless of which driver is at fault. Compensation for wrongful death includes all final medical expenses related to the accident, funeral and burial costs, and compensation for the loss of love, security, guidance, and companionship. Talk to an expert in California automobile accidents today to learn more about what your case may be worth.

Call or Contact an Uber Accident Attorney 

Ascertaining liability and receiving compensation for injuries in an automobile accident with an Uber or Lyft vehicle can get complicated quickly. If you or a loved one has been injured in an automobile accident with a rideshare vehicle, you need an experienced California Uber accident attorney by your side to help you through the case. Call the office or contact us today at the GP Law Group to schedule a free evaluation of your case now.