In Uber accidents, a difficult issue is deciding who’s responsible monetarily for the injuries. Is the Uber/Lyft driver at fault? Or would the company of the driver be liable? Would the driver’s insurance be responsible to pay, or would it be that of the company? What if the Uber/Lyft driver was not on the clock when the accident happened?
Who’s to Blame in Uber Accidents
An investigation is needed to know who acted negligently in Uber/Lyft accidents, as well as all other accidents. If you are injured in a taxi accident because of being hit by another vehicle, that other driver’s insurance would be liable to pay.
But what if the fault is in the hands of the driver of the vehicle that you have had an accident in? Then who would have to pay?
Uber/Lyft Insurance
Drivers use their own vehicles in taxis and rideshares. Because of this, it is illegal for the drivers to not have private insurance. If a rideshare driver is not working at the time of being involved in an accident, the damages would be paid for by their private insurance.
In addition, rideshare services must provide their drivers with insurance. An example would be if the Uber/Lyft driver is on duty at the time of an accident then he or she would be covered by the employer’s insurance. This is also true for taxi drivers: the taxi company would provide insurance coverage to pay for the passenger and driver’s injuries while on the clock.
Even though drivers of rideshares are often looked at as independent contractors, a lot of courts have stated that they’re also considered employees. And so, under the theory of vicarious liability, the company of the rideshare driver may be held liable should you decide to take legal action against a driver.
If you were in an accident and were either the driver or a passenger of a taxi, contacting an attorney would be your best choice for getting the maximum amount possible of damages back.
Contact an experienced attorney today if you were involved in an accident and have more questions about what your claim is worth, benefits of having an attorney, how to file your claim, etc.