Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have grown in popularity over the years, especially in states like California that have a lot of big cities. They’re convenient and allow people to travel to and from places affordably and with ease.
However, rideshare apps come with their share of risks and may be contributing to a rise in accidents in California. How so? Well, drivers who work for companies like Uber or Lyft have to operate the company’s apps on their phones in order to book clients. This may distract the drivers because they have to split their attention between their phone and the road, leaving pedestrians, bikers, and other motorists at risk. As a result, bustling cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles are indeed seeing a rise in rideshare accidents.
What happens if you’re in a rideshare accident? What type of legal recourse can you pursue? Can an Uber driver be held liable in California for causing an accident? Let’s find out.
Insurance and Rideshare Accidents
The state of California is a tort or fault state in terms of auto accidents. This means that when auto accidents happen, police and insurance companies work to find out which driver is at fault and caused the accident. Now, it’s important to note that insurance companies representing Uber or Lyft drivers may try to avoid blame, meaning if you were in an accident caused by a rideshare driver, you may get the runaround when seeking compensation for any expenses and medical bills you may incur due to any potential injuries from the accident.
This battle and back and forth with insurance companies can be cumbersome and stressful. Fortunately, accident attorneys, like the skilled team at Solution Now Law Firm, have an abundance of experience helping people like you understand the process and get the justice and compensation you deserve.
In many states, rideshare companies view their drivers as contractors, making it more difficult to get compensation in an accident. Other states have implemented regulations to hold rideshare companies liable in the event of an accident. Under California law, rideshare companies must keep $1 million in insurance policies specifically for cases where someone becomes injured in an accident involving one of their drivers. This means, if you’re injured in a rideshare accident in California, you may be able to receive compensation for your injuries, along with other damages. However, it’s worth noting that whether you receive compensation or not depends on a few factors will have to be verified when filing a claim:
- Was the driver offline? Was their app turned off or on?
- Was the driver waiting for a ride request?
- Was the driver on the way to pick up a rider or in the process of driving a rider at the time of the accident?
In California, when rideshare drivers are waiting for a ride request, the company maintains third-party liability coverage. When a rideshare driver is en route to a passenger, the company may maintain a larger amount in third-party liability insurance.
If you were recently injured in a rideshare accident and want to learn more about your options, we would like to hear from you. The San Jose Uber accident lawyers at Solution Now Law Firm are experienced in handling cases involving rideshare accidents and can help take the hassle out of fighting with insurance companies. Call our office today.
Resource:
insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/105-type/95-guides/01-auto/hadaccident.cfm
