Articles Posted in Uber Accidents

app-2941689_1920-300x200Uber and Lyft are a great way to get around when you don’t want to drive. Unfortunately, accidents can happen anytime you get on the road. If you’ve been injured as a passenger, your claim can quickly get complicated. As experienced ridesharing accident lawyers, we hope that this post can help you get pointed in the right direction. If we can help, call us at 888-474-9616 or send us an email to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. 

Who Was at Fault?

The first step in determining who you need to make a claim against is figuring out who was at fault in the accident. As a passenger, you know that you did not cause the accident. Was it your Uber or Lyft driver? Or was it the driver of the other vehicle? 

Lyft logoAt 9:30 p.m. on March 21, an accident occurred in northwest Atlanta involving a semi-truck and a Lyft driver. The accident occurred at the intersection of Perry Boulevard and Johnson Road when the semi truck smashed into the passenger side of the car. Tragically, the passenger in the Lyft vehicle, an unidentified Atlanta woman, died as a result of her injuries. Police have reported that the Lyft driver was at fault and charges are pending. The accident raises a number of questions surrounding car accidents involving Lyft or Uber ridesharing services.  

Why Uber and Lyft Accidents are Complicated

Uber and Lyft accidents present unique challenges that aren’t present in an accident between privately owned vehicles or even accidents involving taxi cabs. First and foremost, Uber and Lyft, at their core, are software companies – they have developed apps that connect drivers with riders. As a result, their drivers are considered independent contractors, who own their own vehicles, are responsible for maintenance and insurance, and basically handle all of the obligations that would typically be handled by a taxi company. In addition, Uber and Lyft have been slow to provide protection of their drivers and their passengers, and this is an area of the law that is still developing.

A doctor holding a chartAccidents happen every day. Thankfully, most of them are minor, but many can result in life-changing injuries. If you’ve been injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may have a legal claim against them in order to receive compensation for your injuries. However, there are first five things you need to do in order to protect your rights.

Seek Medical Treatment

Your health is your most important asset. If you didn’t see a doctor right after the accident and are in pain, go get checked out. It’s not uncommon for some injuries to manifest themselves days or even weeks after an accident. Your symptoms could signal a more serious injury, and you’ll need medical treatment in order to make a full recovery.  

Less than a decade ago, if you told someone to jump into a stranger’s car and let them drive you to their destination instead of hailing a taxi, they would have looked at you like you were crazy. Today, with the rise of ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft, this idea is not so outlandish. App-based ride sharing programs have revolutionized the way we get around, making easy, affordable transportation a simple click away. However, one of the biggest challenges to the implementation of this new scheme is concerns about their safety. After all, it’s not always the best idea to trust just any driver with your life. To assuage fears that riders will be horribly injured in accidents and left to the mercy of their driver’s personal insurance policy (if they have one at all), ride sharing companies and the insurance companies who cover them have set up a new type of insurance program to handle these situations.

Ride Sharing Insurance Requirements

Uber splits all journeys into three phases, outlined below

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