Ride sharing apps like Uber’s permit passengers to log on to an app to hail nearby taxi drivers using their smart phones. This is less expensive than utilizing traditional taxi services and also quicker to get a ride thanks to the computer system that works on proximity matching.
As much of a revolution as Uber and rival Lyft are, their tens of thousands of drivers are fallible. Unfortunately, accidents still do occur. This is where a good ride sharing accident lawyer comes into play. For passengers who suffer an accident with Uber or Lyft, it is best to call either an Uber accident lawyer or a Lyft accident lawyer.
Uber’s Staggering Ride Share Statistics
Consider the amazing statistics for ride sharing that Uber boasts. By June 2018, over 75 million passengers had utilized Uber. To service this, three million Uber Drivers man their taxi fleet and completed over four billion rides around the world in over 65 nations. The firm delivers over 15 million individual taxi rides every day. This enormous volume of rides explains how there are bound to be accidents, and why an Uber accident lawyer may be needed.
The Dangers for Uber Passengers
The possibility for distractions is what makes Uber and Lyft dangerous for passengers. Ironically, this service is built around distractions. The Uber app only operates on a smartphone. It requires drivers to regularly take their eyes from the road as well as both hands off of the wheel to utilize the app. The driver has to do this each time he reroutes a location, accepts customers, calls a rider, or changes settings. It creates many opportunities for accidents in the course of everyday operations.
Another danger for passengers is they could be riding in an Uber vehicle that suffers from an accident and find that the driver chose not to report the accident to the company. For passengers who were anticipating a financial settlement, it becomes confusing to learn that no record exists from the accident in such cases. In the event that this occurred with a Lyft driver, it is helpful to call a Lyft accident lawyer.
Uber’s Legendary Insurance Policy
Even though accidents with Uber (and Lyft) are inevitable, here is some good news about ride sharing with Uber. The company has become famous for its legendary insurance policy they maintain on active duty drivers. The company’s per vehicle, per incident, per passenger policy of $1 million takes effect in cases where the Uber driver suffers an accident all the while carrying one or more passengers.
So long as the driver is carrying a passenger and is on route to the destination, this massive million dollar personal injury coverage policy takes effect. Incidentally, this generous insurance policy also provides complete coverage of all vehicles involved in the accident. This million dollar policy is in effect from the point when the ride sharer requests his or her ride all the way until he or she is delivered to the destination.
The auto insurance policy carrier for Uber is James River Insurance. The firm covered all of its drivers with such a generous policy because the drivers’ personal auto insurance policy coverage does not pay any claims for events that take place while paid or commercial driving is ongoing in the vehicle.
The Uber drive has to be able to prove that he was on a call or on route to pick up his passenger, but fortunately this is easily determined. The phone app GPS tracks both where the driver is and where he is headed. Despite this assurance, it is always sensible to make the assumption that proving the driver was on the way to the destination will be difficult.
This is why passengers should well document all aspects of the accident and call a personal injury attorney as soon as they are involved in an accident while traveling with Uber or Lyft. This will maximize the opportunity to take full advantage of such a generous personal injury policy.
Procedures for Filing a Claim With Uber
Should a person be a passenger with Uber when the vehicle becomes involved in an accident, he or she can count on obtaining fair compensation for any and all injuries suffered. If the accident blame is assigned to the other driver, the claim will be filed against the other driver’s insurance company. When the accident is the responsibility of the Uber drive, the compensation comes from Uber and their generous personal injury insurance policy.
The key takeaway here is that it is not important which of the two drivers was at fault in the accident. The ride sharer will be protected regardless of whether the Uber driver or the other driver is to blame.
Filing such a claim from the insurance company will obtain compensation for all surgeries, doctor visits, medication expenses, physical therapy, and hospitalization costs. It will also cover wages for lost work days thanks to the injuries and recovery times. This not only covers past lost work days but all future ones as well. Personal items in the taxi that were destroyed, damaged, or lost will also be covered too.
The ride sharing companies’ rapid rise has encouraged legislators to come up with new laws on the issues of accidents and compensation. This is all helpful for passengers, who now find them both easier to comprehend and more applicable.
Factors That Can Reduce The Claim Amount
It is possible for the passengers to reduce the amount of the claim they can make in these accidents. If the ride sharer himself is drunk and disorderly to the point of distracting the driver until he loses control of the vehicle and suffers from an accident, then naturally the compensation payout will be reduced. Aside from such unusual circumstances surrounding the accident though, passengers are fully protected.
What To Do Once You Have Been An Accident Victim Riding in an Uber/Lyft Vehicle
There are a series of steps that passengers should take if they are in an Uber vehicle that becomes involved in an accident. They are as follows:
- Ensure that all passengers and the driver are all alright. Safety first
- Dial 911, as it may be necessary to obtain the emergency services people and vehicles at the scene of the accident
- Seek immediate medical treatment regardless of whether or not passengers feel like they have suffered actually injuries or not
- Take as many photos of both the scene of the accident and injuries as possible. These will be critical as supporting evidence in submitting the insurance claim. Get as many pictures of the vehicles as humanly possible as well
- Gather all information from everyone involved in the accident, including license plates numbers and phone numbers
- Obtain any eyewitness information as well
- Contact insurance companies to alert them of the accident and a pending claim
- Call a reliable ride sharing accident lawyer if you think it necessary
- Write down thoughts following the accident, which will enable remembering details for the future better without confusion later on
- Remain calm so as not to exacerbate the accident situation
If passengers involved in the accident all manage to do these things successfully, there should not be difficulties in completing insurance claims and receiving the appropriate injury compensation after the fact. In the event that there are difficulties, it will be necessary to contact a good ride sharing accident lawyer.