Rideshare Accident Law
Rideshare Accident ATTORNEY IN TAMPA, FL
If you get hurt as a rideshare passenger, your injuries will likely be covered by insurance, but whose policy applies -- the at-fault driver's, or the rideshare company's?
The huge growth of ride-sharing means new financial and professional opportunities for many people. It also means an increase in issues not previously considered when it comes to transportation. Before the rise of the sharing economy, if you needed a ride, you hired a taxi or other paid transportation service, or you had a friend or family member drive you. Now, companies such as Uber and Lyft have blurred the lines somewhat.
So if you get hurt as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft-affiliated vehicle that’s involved in a car accident, how will you get compensation for your injuries and other damages? Generally speaking, financial responsibility could come from the insurance company of the at-fault driver -- whether it’s the ride-sharing company’s driver or another driver involved in the accident who caused the crash -- or from Uber or Lyft's own car insurance coverage.
FILING A LAWSUIT AGAINST UBER OR LYFT DIRECTLY
According to Uber and Lyft, their drivers are not employees, but rather, independent contractors. This is an important distinction because employees have more rights than independent contractors -- such as the right to unemployment benefits -- and a company is likely to be legally responsible for the negligence of its employees, but not that of its independent contractors.
If the ride-sharing driver was responsible for the accident, you can try to argue that the ride-sharing company shares some level of blame for the crash, but this will be a difficult argument to make since Uber and Lyft have worked extremely hard to maintain the currently-accepted legal standard that Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, not employees.
And keep in mind that because recovery against Uber or Lyft's insurance coverage is probably an option for you -- whether through the company's $1 million liability coverage, or through its $1 million UIM coverage -- if you're injured in a ride-sharing vehicle, going after the company directly is probably a last (and hopefully unnecessary) resort.
Contact us today to request an appointment with an experienced auto injury attorney. We are proud to serve Tampa, FL and the surrounding area.
