If you are in an accident with a ridesharing vehicle, it’s likely you will not sue the ridesharing company. The companies are set up so that their drivers are independent contractors instead of employees. Companies are not liable for the actions of independent contractors, although they can be held liable for the actions of employees. Ridesharing companies in the past have attempted to deny liability for crashes due to the legal distinction between independent contractors and employees.
However, you still have legal options. Your options will depend on the laws of the state in which the accident occurred. Generally, after an accident, you will want to call 911 and take pictures of the accident scene. Take notes of the name of the driver and the names and contact information of any witnesses. You should save the information about your Uber or Lyft ride in your phone. Follow your doctor’s medical advice, and you should also hire a lawyer if you were injured.
If the accident occurs during your trip with Uber or Lyft, and the Uber or Lyft driver is at fault, you are fortunately covered under a $1 million liability policy that both companies have. However, if you need to file a lawsuit, in most cases you would sue the driver, not Uber or Lyft directly. If another driver is at fault other than the rideshare driver, then that driver’s insurance policy comes into play. If that driver doesn’t have insurance, Uber or Lyft could provide coverage for underinsured or uninsured drivers. In extreme cases, you could sue the company directly.
Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles rideshare accident attorney, if you have been injured while you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle. You may have legal options against the driver, the company, or both. Call my team today at 310-385-0567 to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.