It is easy to find an Uber or Lyft in almost any city or town in the United States. With technology advancing, the ability to call a ride is becoming easier.
Uber and Lyft are similar to taxi services, except a ride can not be called by waving an arm in the air on a busy street.
You may not feel comfortable driving due to weather, intoxication, the time of night, or other factors. Therefore, many people choose to call a driving service to safely transport them to their desired destination.
Uber and Lyft were designed to make transportation and driving safer and easier, but that may not always be true. Thousands of accidents occur each year, and many involve drivers for Uber and/or Lyft.
With the addition of driving services, people wonder what to do if they are injured by a driver who works for Uber or Lyft. Your priority should be to tend to injuries and health after an accident, not scout out the scene and determine fault.
There is nothing to defend you from the impact of an accident when walking on sidewalks or a dirt path near a road. Uber and Lyft drivers are always on the road at all times throughout the day. Reach out to a professional to receive assistance after being injured in or by an Uber or Lyft driver.
How Will Insurance Cover the Costs if You Are Hit by an Uber/Lyft Driver?
Uber and Lyft are driving services that are considered to be ride-sharing services. The Uber or Lyft driver is put into a complicated and stressful situation after hitting a pedestrian due to the salary they make from the driving service. If a driver is being paid for their services, things can become complex.
Some Uber and Lyft drivers purchase a commercial policy or a ride-sharing endorsement. If either of these were bought, their insurance company will not cover the costs of the accident.
Most insurance companies do not provide insurance for people who work for driving services or are involved in ride-sharing. Insurance companies may insure the driver, but they do not guarantee provided coverage for an accident that involves transporting customers.
The driver’s insurance will not cover the costs because the insurance contract explains that the driver intends on using the vehicle for personal use only. This becomes a financial problem for the Uber or Lyft driver after hitting a pedestrian. Ridesharing does not qualify as personal use.
If an accident occurred while the driver was using a ride-sharing app on their smartphone or was transporting a customer to their desired location, the insurance company would most likely deny the driver of any accident claim made under the personal policy. To make sure you get what you are earned contact an experienced Ocean City car accident lawyer today.
What Happens to the Driver After Hitting a Pedestrian?
Each year, pedestrians are hit by Uber or Lyft drivers. Accidents happen! Uber and Lyft drivers have made an effort to save their drivers from financial crises after hitting a pedestrian.
Uber and Lyft now offer their drivers’ liability insurance, which will come into play when the driver’s insurance company denies the claim.
The driver’s first step is to submit a claim for the accident, and then the driving service will step in to help cover the costs of damages and injuries.
Just like any other at-fault driver, Uber and Lyft drivers can be held financially responsible for any injuries sustained from an accident.
Uber and Lyft Driver’s Insurance
After being hit by an Uber or Lyft driver, you may wonder how insurance will cover the costs.
For an Uber or Lyft driver to receive insurance coverage after an accident, he or she must have had the app turned on their phone during the time of the collision.
The status of the driver’s app is also taken into consideration as insurance coverage differs depending on if the driver was in route with a passenger in the vehicle or if they were waiting for a trip to be requested.
There are different periods in which insurance varies for the Uber or Lyft driver after a collision.
Period 0: the driving company will not provide any coverage when the Uber or Lyft driver is not logged into the app and was not in route to pick up a passenger.
Period 1: The driving company will provide liability coverage for the driver if he or she was logged into the app but has not yet accepted a ride from a customer. This coverage is about $50,000 per person who is injured in the accidents and a total injury liability of $100,000 per accident. There is also a $25,000 property damage liability.
Period 2: If the Uber/Lyft driver has accepted a trip requested by a customer and is en route, liability coverage increases to about $1,000,000.
Period 3: Liability coverage can reach about $1,000,000 or more if the Uber/Lyft driver is at the drop-off location with passengers still in the vehicle. There may also be limited coverage for damage to the driver’s vehicle.
Uber/Lyft drivers will receive coverage in each of these circumstances. Sometimes, the driver will cancel the ride on the app after striking a pedestrian with their car to save themselves from financial devastation or complications with the driving company.
This can make it hard to determine the period. Taking a screenshot of the app can prove whether or not the driver was in route or was logged out of the app when the accident occurred.
What Do I Do After Being Hit by an Uber/Lyft Driver?
Typically, after any kind of accident, photos of the scene should be taken, and witnesses will make statements. If a pedestrian is hit by a driver, the pedestrian will most likely not be able to go about the actions of collecting information from the accident.
If the pedestrian is unable to collect evidence and information from the scene due to injuries, surveillance footage could be requested and help determine fault. There will most likely be witnesses on the scene who can help explain the situation to law enforcement and call for help if necessary.
Collecting witnesses’ phone numbers and other contact information is crucial to building a case against the driving service. it is also important that broad pictures are taken of the scene and any injuries sustained from the collision.
Collecting evidence and information from the scene after being hit by a vehicle should not be your priority. Tending to your injuries sustained from the accident is most important after an accident. If you sustained an injury at the hands of a Lyft or Uber accident, contact an experienced Baltimore personal injury lawyer today!
Proving Liability
The information that is collected at the scene helps with proving who was at fault for the accident. When the pedestrian files a claim for the accident, they must provide the details and evidence.
Hopefully, they will be able to prove that the driver was at fault for the collision.
The pedestrian should also show proof of injuries sustained from the collision and explain the severity of the situation when filing a claim.
Contact Us today!
Pedestrian accidents are dangerous and complicated. It is important to reach out and get the proper help to receive compensation.
If you or a loved one is injured by an Uber or a Lyft driver, contact our experienced Maryland car accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha, and Psoras today! Working with a lawyer can assist with requesting police reports and receiving the proper evidence to build a case against the driving service.