Ridesharing services like Uber, Lyft and Scoot have revolutionized transportation, but they have also introduced huge risks to passengers, other drivers and the public at large.

These risks exist because Uber and other ridesharing companies claim that their drivers are not technically employees. While these companies still provide commercial liability insurance coverage for their drivers in certain situations, they are notorious for finding excuses to withhold coverage and deny claims.

Anyone injured by a ridesharing driver therefore needs representation from an experienced Uber accident attorney and Lyft lawyer. Your llegal representative can navigate the complex laws of ridesharing driver liability.

Injury victims in an Uber or Lyft accident should also be represented by someone with experience gathering evidence, assembling a case and negotiating claims with insurers. Through these skills, legal services from a ridesharing accident lawyer can greatly increase your chance of successful recovery for damages you suffer as a result of an Uber or Lyft accident.

Why Contact Gruber After an Uber or Lyft Accident

Gruber Law Group has years of experience handling personal injury cases, filing accident claims with insurance companies and taking on Uber and Lyft accident injury cases.

Three reasons why this experience matters:

1. Because we understand the complicated details of personal injury law and car accident cases, we can help you determine who is liable for your injury and how to obtain the most compensation possible.
2. Negotiating with insurers means we are familiar with the strategies they use to try and reduce or deny your claim, as well as how to respond to those strategies.
3. Experience handling personal injury cases means we know the exact documentation needed to argue your case convincingly and effectively, all backed up by solid evidence.

Gruber Law Group also networks extensively with professional colleagues for consults and expert witnesses as needed. To date, we have collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in recovery for our clients, and we never charge them a dime unless they win.

From investigations and settlement negotiations all the way to trial and appeal, we are prepared to take your case the full distance in order to seek the maximum amount of compensation you deserve for your injury.

Common Causes of Injury During an Uber or Lyft Accident

Uber and Lyft drivers are supposed to be professionals, but they make mistakes while driving just like the rest of us. Other times, the company itself makes mistakes when it lets drivers with a tendency to assault passengers or make poor decisions while driving.

There are no statistics compiled yet on the accident rate of Uber and Lyft drivers, but websites like Who’s Driving You track reported incidents on a case-by-case basis. Notable recent incidents include an Uber passenger in Florida who died after their driver crashed while running a red light and another Uber driver in Lehigh County, Penn. who punched a passenger twice in the face during an argument. In San Francisco, an incident made headlines in 2014 when an Uber driver struck and killed a seven year-old girl in a crosswalk.

These are just some extreme examples, but ridesharing incidents can lead to:

What to Do After an Uber Accident or Lyft Injury

• Check for injuries

• Check that you, the other passengers and the driver are ok
• Check on any occupants of other vehicles involved, unless you are seriously injured
• Ensure that someone has called 911 and requested medical services for all injured parties
• Do not refuse medical assistance or an emergency room visit if you are injured

• Get contact information and proof of your ride

• Obtain a printed copy of your receipt for your ride and any details. Take a screenshot on your phone of the ride request, if possible.
• Get the personal contact information and insurance information of the Lyft or Uber driver
• Get the personal contact information of any passengers riding with you and obtain a printout of their receipt and ride details
• Get the personal contact information and insurance information of drivers for any other vehicles involved
• Get the personal contact information of any witnesses; see if they are willing to provide statements

• Put everything about the incident and your injuries in writing

• Seek medical attention as soon as possible if your are injured
• Request a copy of all medical documentation and have the physician write detailed notes, including your current pain levels and any mobility problems
• Save all receipts for medical expenses and other expenses related to your injuries, including transportation costs and parking
• Write down your memory of the incident to the best of your ability; do not guess if details are hazy, provide a range or a general statement instead

• Avoid making specific statements to Uber, Lyft or any insurance adjusters

• Give them only your basic contact information and the information contained on the police report
• For any other information, you can say, “the remaining details of the accident are still under a personal investigation, and I will reveal them at the appropriate time.”

• Contact a legal representative, like Gruber Law Group, experienced Uber accident attorney and Lyft lawyer

You can review our full guide for what to do after an Uber accident or Lyft injury for more specific details.

Who Is at Fault When I Get Injured by an Uber or Lyft? The Ridesharing Driver? The Company? The Other Driver? All 3?

Determining liability in a ridesharing accident injury case can be tricky.

Ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft want to qualify their drivers as independent contractors, which means that the company is mostly shielded from liability when the driver gets into an accident in which they are considered at fault. However, the status of ridesharing drivers is currently being disputed in the case O’Connor v. Uber Technologies, Inc. et al., C13-3826 EMC. The outcome may determine a standard procedure for handling accident cases, including how much liability the parent company has.

Because this territory is still being charted, an Uber accident attorney or Lyft lawyer is often needed to determine liability in the case of incidents like:

• Inaccessible seat belts — This type of incident seems like the driver’s fault since rideshare companies have strict guidelines on accessible seatbelts, but they inspect vehicles only once a year. Drivers are instructed to not give service without a passable vehicle, but without regular company oversight, nothing can prevent it from happening.

• Improper drop-off locations — Maybe the driver’s fault, but does the company have a policy on where and how to drop off passengers if a dispute arises? Has the company done enough to vet drivers who would not do something malicious like drop you off in a sketchy location?

• Distracted driving, over-reliance on navigation — Without a test to see how familiar drivers are with the city or an evaluation of how they drive, ridesharing companies may be posing undue risk upon passengers. Drivers looking too frequently at their navigation app, for instance, may accidentally run a stop sign or swerve from their lane.

Fault therefore must be determined based on the driver’s actions, the fault of any other drivers, and the company policies that rule out the chance for negligence that creates risks to passengers. You can review our guide to ridesharing accident fault to learn more.

Do Ridesharing Companies Have Liability Insurance?

In response to public demand and court orders, ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft have begun to carry commercial liability insurance policies with up to $1 million in available coverage. However, this coverage is only available in certain situations depending on who was allegedly at fault for the accident and whether or not the driver had a passenger in their vehicle.

• During a trip with a passenger, ridesharing drivers have up to $1M in liability coverage and up to $1M in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage available.

• When drivers are between trips, like when they are en route to pick up a passenger or currently scanning for passengers, they have 50k/100k/25k commercial liability coverage for accidents determined to be their fault. This coverage can only apply after the driver’s insurance first provides the maximum claim amount or denies the driver coverage for the incident.

Medical insurance coverage can typically pay for the medical costs of the injury in addition to lost income, costs related to healthcare and transportation, pain and suffering, emotional distress and more depending on the policy.

Even with these insurance policies in place, Uber, Lyft, Scoot and other ridesharing companies can attempt to deny coverage by alleging that the accident was the result of driver negligence or the fault of another party.

Having a Lyft accident and Uber attorney therefore greatly increases your ability to prove that the company was liable. Otherwise, you may be forced to obtain all your compensation from a hard-working driver who could have minimal insurance coverage of their own.

Damages You Can Recover Following a Ridesharing Accident Injury

• Reimbursement for all medical expenses
• Reimbursement for all costs related to the injury, potentially including legal fees
• Reimbursement for lost wages
• Compensation for pain, suffering and emotional distress
• Damages for any destroyed property
• “Loss of consortium,” or an inability to enjoy close relationships with family and your spouse to the same degree as before the accident
• Potential punitive damages for egregious accidents or negligent practices

Contact Gruber Law Group for a Free Consultation

If you or someone in your family has been injured by an Uber driver or another ridesharing company, then do not hesitate to take action by contacting an experienced ridesharing accident lawyer. Contact Gruber Law Group today and we will answer your questions and set up a free consultation to strategize your case moving forward.

You will not pay any attorney fees unless we successfully recover money from your claim. You have nothing to lose, so contact us today!
Call 415-868-5297 or use our contact form online.