Services like Lyft and Uber are other types of motorized vehicle accidents. A difficult part in this is deciding who’s responsible monetarily for the injuries. Is the taxi’s driver responsible? Or would the company of the driver be liable? Would the driver’s insurance be responsible to pay, or would it be that of the company? What if the rideshare driver was in an accident while not working?
Who’s to Blame in Uber Accidents?
An investigation is needed to know who acted negligently in Uber accidents, as well as all other accidents. If you were the passenger in the Uber/Lyft and were hit by another vehicle, the other vehicle’s driver would be responsible for having their insurance pay for injuries.
But what if the fault is in the hands of the driver of the vehicle that you have had an accident in? Who would be liable then?
Uber/Lyft Insurance
In Uber/Lyft, the driver uses his or her own automobile. Therefore, there is a legal obligation for drivers to have insurance for the legal limits. If a driver has an accident while not working, their insurance would be the one to cover the cost of damages.
But, taxi companies are responsible for giving insurance to their drivers too. For example, the rideshare company’s insurance would cover the driver if he or she was in an accident while on the clock. This is true for taxi drivers too: the insurance coverage would be provided by the taxi company for any injuries occurred while on the job, for both the driver and passengers.
Although taxi and Uber/Lyft drivers are usually considered independent contractors, several courts have deemed them to be looked at as employees. Therefore, if you make the choice of pursuing legal action against a taxi driver, under the theory of vicarious liability, the driver’s company might possibly be held liable.
If you were the driver or a passenger in a rideshare and were involved in an accident, you should contact an attorney to help you receive the maximum amount of damages possible.
Contact an experienced attorney today if you were involved in an accident and have more questions about what your claim is worth, benefits of having an attorney, how to file your claim, etc.
