Opting for carpooling or rideshare services is a true advantage today. However, if you have had an accident while receiving Uber or Lyft service, you need to know that you have the right to compensation for the damage. The laws protect you and, since 2015, the law requires these companies to establish insurance that protects the user. This is applicable in any city in the United States, so you can consult with an accident attorney who specializes in Uber or Lyft accidents.This liability insurance goes into effect at the moment you open the application and request the Uber or Lyft service. In other words, if you are involved in an Uber or Lyft accident due to the driver's negligence or even caused by a third party outside the vehicle, you should have full or partial coverage for physical or material damages. In case the damages are minor injuries, the insurance will only cover a certain portion.
That is why if you have been involved in a situation like this, you should contact the Conexión Legal team as soon as possible by calling 1800 201 1220 or writing to us through WhatsApp so that we can connect you with an accident attorney and provide you with the best free consultation possible, to subsequently represent you in court and obtain the highest compensation that the law provides for your Uber or Lyft accident.
How Are Uber or Lyft Accidents Handled?
It is important that in any type of accident you know at least in broad strokes your rights and what the law stipulates regarding each case. A clear example of this is the coverages, which are established according to the period in which you find yourself. In the United States, three periods have been established:
- Period 1: the driver has just opened the application and is waiting for a client to contact him. If you are injured during this time, you also have the right to compensation of up to $100,000 if you have suffered serious damages from a third party.
- Period 2: according to the law, when the driver is heading to pick up a client. The coverage for serious bodily injuries during Uber or Lyft accidents amounts to up to 1 million here. In these cases, the application must always be activated, because otherwise the company will not pay for the damages caused.
- Period 3: is when the driver is already boarding their passenger. The total coverage of damages for you or your passenger could be up to +$1,000,000 for serious damages and injuries.
In any case, you should be careful and consider with priority having the advice of an accident attorney, since due to your lack of knowledge of the laws, you could compromise your process and of course the obtaining of compensation.
That is the main reason why the expertise of a specialist in rideshare accident cases is required, since they are handled in a very different way from a common automobile accident case.
It is common for you as a customer to believe that you have everything under control by having an insurance company that covers personal injuries in case of an accident. However, the reality is that this type of policy is not allowed for accidents involving Uber or Lyft accidents. Furthermore, sufficient evidence must be presented to the court to obtain fair compensation, something you will hardly be able to do without the support of a professional.
Depending on the above, your accident attorney must demonstrate that the vehicle involved worked for Uber or Lyft. In this case it will be necessary to gather photographic images or even security camera videos. All of this is even more possible and effective with the support of a legal expert contacted through Conexión Legal.
After this type of accident, you should report it not only to the police, but also to the company, whether it is Uber or Lyft. To do this, start the application from your mobile device, and in the "Help" panel click on "I Had an Accident". In this way they will put you in contact with the corresponding department and the procedures to assume responsibility will begin.Uber and Lyft drivers have an insurance policy that goes into effect at certain times depending on whether they have logged into the application or not. If the collision occurs while the driver is not on a work shift; that is, without logging in, the damages will only be covered by the driver's personal insurance, which ranges between $30,000 and $60,000.The company also considers cases in which the third party has the greatest degree of responsibility for the accident, for example: the case in which you are a passenger and someone collides with the vehicle in which you are traveling; regarding this case, there is an insurance policy of up to 1 million dollars. But, only if the negligent person had no type of policy activated.
How to Act Toward Uber or Lyft Companies in Case of an Accident?
In general, Uber and Lyft companies will try to minimize expenses in your case to give you the lowest possible compensation. Therefore, always document any injury or bruising you have received during the accident; confirming with a medical report based on a detailed study will help your accident attorney to obtain fair compensation, and thus demonstrate that, due to the negligence of the rideshare driver, you have suffered damages. This can even exceed the million dollars we mentioned. It all depends on the severity of your injuries.Suppose that in an accident a person suffers serious injuries, including neck injuries and head contusions. In these cases, it is very common for the consequences to be permanent and the person to have an unfavorable change in their way of life. In this case, the amounts increase with respect to the value of the compensation.
Remember that if you have any questions after being a victim of an Uber or Lyft accident and if you don't know what to do after a car accident, you should contact the Conexión Legal team as soon as possible so that we can connect you with an ethical and experienced accident attorney, who can offer you the best free consultation.Follow the steps in the following form to schedule your free consultation appointment.
