Edgewood Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers

Uber drivers often spend long hours on the road where they might lose focus, become too comfortable with things like fully stopping at stop signs, and even ignore traffic laws in order to fit in more riders.  When drivers take chances like this, it often results in crashes that can leave people seriously injured.

If you were hit by an Uber or Lyft driver while driving in another car or if you were injured as a rider in an Uber or Lyft, then you could be entitled to substantial compensation from the at-fault driver.  The rideshare companies they work for often disavow any responsibility for the accident, but they still provide insurance that can pay high dollar amounts for your injuries.

Call (410) 694-7291 to speak with Rice, Murtha & Psoras’ Uber and Lyft accident lawyers about your case.

How Uber and Lyft Drivers Cause Crashes in Edgewood, MD

Our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers understand that many rideshare drivers are incredibly safe drivers who take extra care to follow traffic laws and get their riders to their destinations safely.  However, not everyone in this industry has such respect for the law or their riders.  Many accidents are caused by serious deficiencies and mistakes, including the following:

Inattention/Distracted Driving

Driving for long hours can really break a driver’s focus.  Uber and Lyft drivers have to keep their app open for directions or else risk getting lost, and they need to tend to their riders’ needs or else risk a bad review.  With all of this pulling their attention away from the road, they could easily cause a crash because they did not see another car, did not notice a pedestrian, or simply did not see a traffic light turn red.

Tired Driving

Rideshare drivers often spend long hours on the road that even taxi drivers and commercial drivers might get in trouble for.  However, without regulations – and without self-regulation from drivers who know they are too tired to continue on safely – tired driving can lead to falling asleep at the wheel or reduced judgment.  If your driver caused the crash because they were too tired to drive, that can be incredibly reckless and make them at fault for any results of the accident.

Drunk Driving

While it is not common, rideshare drivers are arrested for drunk driving more often than most riders would find comfortable.  If you were in a car with a drunk rideshare driver, they should be personally accountable for any damages they caused you.  If you were in another car when a drunk driver hit you, this should also be grounds for a successful claim against them.

Since drunk driving is illegal and incredibly reckless, it is often enough to deem a driver at fault even in the face of slight negligence on behalf of another driver.  This can help you win your case if you were driving another car and there are questions as to whether you contributed to the crash.

Traffic Violations

Many Uber and Lyft drivers break the law to try to get places faster and clear more rides during their shift.  This could mean speeding, running stop signs, or otherwise hurrying at the expense of safe driving.  When driving for long hours, drivers also have the tendency to become complacent with the laws, perhaps forgetting to use a turn signal or making a “rolling” stop at a stop sign.  Many drivers are lucky that they do not cause a crash like this, and it is only a matter of time before these kinds of mistakes lead to a serious crash.

Getting Payment for Your Uber and Lyft Accident Injuries in Edgewood

If you were hit by a car, you can usually sue the driver who caused the accident.  In many cases, they will have insurance to cover the accident, and rideshare drivers usually have multiple layers of insurance covering them.  However, you have to sue the right driver; sometimes crashes are caused by another driver, and the Uber/Lyft driver you were riding with was also a victim of the crash.

When you file a claim against an Uber/Lyft driver, they will usually have four insurance policies that might cover you.  First, the driver’s individual insurance will cover crashes when they are off duty.  Second, an on-duty driver should have a rideshare or commercial driver’s policy to cover accidents.  Third, if they have this insurance and it is not enough to cover a crash while they are on duty, the rideshare company should have a supplemental policy to help them.  Finally, any time that a rideshare driver has a rider in the car or they are on the way to pick up a rider, both companies provide up to $1 million per accident in coverage through their own insurance.

If the crash was actually caused by another driver, you might have to file a claim against them instead.  However, this would only apply in situations where the rideshare driver had no one in their car.  If you were hurt in a crash while riding in an Uber or Lyft, the rideshare company’s policy should be the primary policy to cover your accident no matter who caused the crash.  If you were involved in a complex situation like a three-way crash involving the at-fault driver, an off-duty Uber driver, and the at-fault driver, then your claim might have to be filed against the third-party driver.

In any case, our attorneys can guide you as to which insurance policies your claims need to be filed with and which drivers should be held responsible for the crash.  In some cases, you might even file a claim against multiple drivers and leave it to the courts to determine each driver’s share of fault.

Call Our Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers in Edgewood Today

If you were hurt while riding in or after being hit by a rideshare car, call the Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at Rice, Murtha & Psoras today at (410) 694-7291.