While rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft have become significantly more popular than traditional taxi services over the past several years, taking a ride in a rideshare is not necessarily safer than riding in a cab. Unfortunately, rideshare companies are not always as diligent as they should be about ensuring they only allow qualified and responsible drivers to contract with them, and that sometimes leads to traffic accidents, resulting in severe and even life-threatening injuries.
Taking legal action over an Uber/Lyft/rideshare accident in Bala Cynwyd can be a stressful experience under any circumstances, especially if there are questions about who is to blame for the immense physical, financial, and personal losses you have sustained. Fortunately, there is help available in scenarios like these from a dedicated auto accident attorney at Lowenthal & Abrams, who is experienced with these types of cases.
While it is generally not possible to sue Uber or Lyft directly over a traffic accident caused by one of their drivers, both companies maintain extensive liability insurance policies that both rideshare passengers and other people involved in a rideshare accident can file claims against. More specifically, up to $1 million of coverage should be available after any wreck involving a rideshare driver actively carrying a passenger or traveling to pick up a rider. Coverage roughly equal to the mandatory minimums prescribed by state law are available for wrecks involving rideshare drivers who are signed into their app but have not accepted a ride request yet.
If a crash involves someone who works for Uber or Lyft but is not logged into their respective app at the time of the incident, that individual driver’s insurance would be what any injured person would need to file a claim against. In both situations, though, it may be possible to hold more than one person at fault for a rideshare crash in Bala Cynwyd through insurance, a third-party lawsuit, or both.
With rare exceptions, rideshare passengers who get hurt in Uber or Lyft car wrecks in Bala Cynwyd are never considered at fault for their crash-related injuries, which means they will virtually never have to worry about comparative fault, reducing the amount of compensation available to them. If someone is injured in a wreck like this while driving their car, though, things may be different.
As per 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes §7102, any percentage share of the blame for a car crash that a person injured in the crash holds for causing it in the first place will be held against them as a proportional reduction from their final damage award or even as a reason to deny them compensation altogether. This is one of many legal obstacles a skilled lawyer can help navigate around during recovery efforts.
Whenever you hitch a ride with a paid transportation service, you have a right to expect that you will reach your destination without being in harm’s way at any point during the journey. That right is just as applicable—and as legally enforceable—with rideshare apps as it is with taxis, buses, and all other vehicles meant to get paying customers from one place to another.
However, getting a favorable result from a civil claim based on an Uber/Lyft/rideshare accident in Bala Cynwyd can be more complicated in practice than you may expect, especially if you try to do it on your own. Call today to learn how a skilled lawyer will improve your chances of obtaining the restitution you deserve.