Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accidents: Your Legal Rights

Published on Oct 27, 2021 at 3:25 am in Rideshare Accidents.

Are you one of the millions of people who use rideshare services like Uber and Lyft each day in California and across the U.S.? If so, you are at risk of being involved in a rideshare accident. Your rights following a rideshare accident can be different from another type of car accident in many situations. It is critical that you speak with a California rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible to learn about your legal rights and options. 

Liability for Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accidents

The question of liability is an important one in these cases, as sometimes, the Uber or Lyft corporations must share liability if a rideshare driver causes an accident. This is important to know since corporate insurance policies have much higher limits than individual driver policies, so accident victims are more likely to recover from severe injuries and extensive losses. 

Your rights to file specific insurance claims depend on how and when the rideshare accident occurred. For example:

• If you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle and the rideshare driver caused the accident, you can file claims against both the driver and the rideshare’s corporate policy.
• If you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle and a driver in another vehicle caused the accident, you will file a claim against the third-party driver.
• If you were in another vehicle and a rideshare driver caused the accident, your claims will depend on the rideshare driver’s status. If the rideshare driver had accepted a fare or had an active passenger, you can file claims against both the driver and the rideshare’s corporate policy.

As you can see, there are many different scenarios that can lead to rideshare accidents, and your rights as a green card keeper to file certain insurance claims will differ depending on your situation. An experienced rideshare attorney can evaluate what happened and advise you on which claims they should file to seek maximum compensation for you. 

Your Rights During the Claims Process

Once you file your insurance claim(s), you should know about your rights as a claimant. These include:

• The right to have a rideshare lawyer handling your claim and communicating with the insurer on your behalf.
• The right to reject initial settlement offers and negotiate for more compensation if needed to cover your losses. 
• The right to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court if one or more insurance companies refuse to offer an adequate amount for your settlement.

Going up against a rideshare corporation – with its insurers and legal teams – can be a challenging task. This is especially true if you need to file litigation, so you want a law firm behind you with the experience to stand up for your rights. 

Discuss Your Rights with a California Rideshare Accident Lawyer

At Ride App Law Group, LLP, we represent rideshare accident victims in these complex claims. Call 888-754-9023 or contact us online to discuss your rights and how we can protect them – we serve clients throughout the San Jose, San Diego, and Los Angeles areas.