Suitland, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

Cars that are driven by people working for Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies dot streets and highways across the country. These rideshare services have largely taken over the niche once held by yellow taxi cabs. Indeed, these services provide near-instant vehicle transportation at your fingertips, so they are great for getting home after a night out or for a long commute. Unfortunately, Uber and Lyft drivers are not less prone to being involved in car accidents than anyone else. Victims of car accidents often have very serious injuries that require extensive medical care. Depending on the nature of the victim’s injuries, they may never make a full recovery back to where they were before the accident, both physically and mentally.

If you got hurt in an incident involving a driver for Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare service, contact our office. Our attorneys have handled countless car accident cases – including those involving rideshare vehicles – so we know how to make the right decisions for you in your situation to get you the insurance coverage or civil damages you are owed and need after your accident.

Do not hesitate to contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras’s Uber and Lyft accident attorneys for a free case analysis by calling (410) 694-7291.

How Insurance Policies Work in Suitland, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Claims

Our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers generally recommend that you pursue trying to get coverage from a relevant insurance policy before initiating legal proceedings. There are several reasons for this. In short, insurance policies get you the compensation you need faster than lawsuits – especially if the insurance provider wants to be helpful instead of adversarial. It is important that you know where to look to ensure that you are communicating with the correct insurance provider, as there are several different policies that may apply to a rideshare accident claim.

Commercial Driver’s Insurance

The ordinary auto insurance policies that every driver is required to have by law will not cover incidents where the driver is using their vehicle for commercial purposes. Instead, insurance providers offer additional policies that cover those activities. Commercial driver’s insurance policies cater not just to Uber drivers but also to anyone using their vehicle for commercial purposes. For example, a food truck will likely be insured by a commercial driver’s insurance policy since it is used for commercial purposes.

Rideshare Insurance

There is an alternative type of insurance that Uber drivers may have which is called “rideshare insurance.” This is a relatively new type of insurance that caters specifically to rideshare drivers. For our purposes, though, it operates in a similar way to commercial driver’s insurance policies. You just need to be sure to identify the correct policy and have our attorneys negotiate with that company to get you the coverage you need.

For rideshare insurance or commercial driver’s insurance policies to apply, the driver needs to be in certain situations. Of course, these policies will apply if the Uber/Lyft driver is getting someone to their destination at the time of their accident. However, these policies will not apply if, say, the driver is on their way home after their shift is over because that is not related to the commercial use of their vehicle. In those cases, you will need to work with our Uber/Lyft accident lawyers to negotiate with their regular insurance provider, as that would apply under those circumstances.

Rideshare Company Coverage

Additionally, both Uber and Lyft have coverage they provide in instances where their drivers are involved in accidents. For situations where the Uber driver is active in their application and is either on their way to pick someone up or has a passenger in their car, these companies provide coverage of up to $1 million. For situations where the driver is active in the application, but there is no ride queued up or passenger present in their car, the coverage these companies provide is $50,000.

Sue if They Do Not Cooperate

If insurance companies do not want to work with you, or indeed if the motorist who hit you does not have an applicable insurance policy, then you can file a civil action in court to get damages. Note, though, that it is generally inadvisable to sue Uber, Lyft, or the other relevant rideshare company in your claim. In most cases, employers are liable for negligent actions their employees take that are related to their job. Uber and Lyft drivers, however, are independent contractors, not employees. Therefore, no liability carries over to Uber or Lyft. Instead, you should go after the relevant insurance provider or a driver who caused your injuries.

Ways Our Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers Can Help You in Suitland, MD

Most people know what lawyers do at trial, but what is less well-known is all the work that our attorneys can do for you prior to taking a case to court.

Once you retain us as legal counsel, we can get to work compiling evidence from hospitals, police reports, and witness accounts right away. We will ensure that your case is filed in a timely fashion to comply with all statutes of limitations, and we can advise you on the best course of action to take if new developments arise during the course of your lawsuit’s progress.

Finally, if it does come to it, we are more than capable of effectively representing you in a court of law to get you appropriate justice and financial compensation for your injuries.

Contact Our Suitland, MD Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys Right Now

Don’t waste any time waiting to contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 to get a free case review from our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers.