What Happens if You’re in a Wreck as an Uber/Lyft Driver?

If you have a car and a clean driving record, driving for Uber or Lyft is a great way to make money while also controlling your work schedule. This all can change if you are in a car wreck as a rideshare driver.

Traffic experts have linked the rise of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft to a 2% increase in traffic collisions in recent years. In these crashes, drivers are often the ones that are hurt, and they are left high and dry by Uber if they are the one at fault for the accident.

Uber does not keep a solid record of non-fatal accidents, so it’s hard to know exactly how many rideshare accidents occur each year. If you find yourself in one of these accidents, you should contact a Sherman Oaks personal injury attorney to make sure you don’t get taken advantage of by the other party’s insurance company.

What to Do If You’re in an Accident While Driving for Uber or Lyft

There are a few things you should do immediately when you get into a wreck during a ride. Any Sherman Oaks attorney for Uber drivers will tell you to:

• Call 911 immediately. There is a button to call 911 located within the app to simplify and speed up the process.
• Let emergency responders check you for any injuries. It’s possible you have certain injuries that aren’t obvious right away.
• Notify Uber that you were in an accident.
• Take as many photos of the accident and your injuries as possible. This will become crucial evidence in your claim.
• Contact an experienced rideshare accident attorney in Sherman Oaks with a history of winning these kinds of cases. Never speak to the other driver’s insurance company without the counsel of a lawyer.

Filing an Accident Report With Uber

Uber and Lyft both require that their drivers to file accident reports with them.

Rideshare drivers in California are classified as independent contractors, and this means that they must meet certain criteria and maintain their vehicles. It also means that they are not covered the same way employees are. For example, they cannot file workers’ compensation claims.

Rideshare drivers must have their own general liability insurance coverage, and California requires that rideshare companies provide additional insurance for their independent contractor drivers.

This required additional rideshare insurance is not active until a driver turns on the app. If they are on the road without using the app, their personal insurance coverage must be used in the event of a crash.

Uber and Lyft divide their accidents up into different phases ranging from 0 to 3.

• Period 0: When the driver is on the road and not logged into the app. During this period, they have to rely on their personal insurance coverage.
• Period 1: When the driver is logged into the Uber/Lyft app without an active ride, both companies provide liability coverage for car wrecks caused by the driver of up to $50,000 per person injured, $100,000 total injury liability per accident and $25,000 for property damage liability.
• Periods 2 and 3: This period is when the driver has accepted a ride and is en route to pick up the passenger. Liability coverage in this stage increases to $1 million. For period 3, the rider has been picked up and is in the vehicle. Coverage in this stage is also $1 million, including limited coverage for damage to the driver’s car and uninsured motorists.

Can I Sue Uber and Lyft for Compensation?

Many of the rideshare drivers that our Sherman Oaks accident attorneys help tell us that they feel mistreated by their companies. They often feel that the rideshare apps do not help them once it’s determined that they were at fault for the accident.

If the driver is at fault for the accident, then one can argue that the company they were driving for also shared some of the blame since the driver wouldn’t have been on the road if they weren’t working.

Uber and Lyft employ accident injury attorneys who are paid millions to try and push liability off of the apps and onto their drivers.

If you are at fault for an accident while driving for Uber or Lyft, you may feel abandoned. If you are struggling financially because the rideshare apps are not giving you enough support, then you may need help from our lawyers for Uber drivers.

We can help you get financial compensation for your rideshare accident.

About Our Firm 

Accidents, whether they involve other cars, motorcyclists, or pedestrians, can take a toll on your mental health. Turn your devastation into compensation with the help of our personal injury attorneys in Sherman Oaks.

The multilingual staff at Okhovat Law Firm work around the clock to give our clients the support they deserve. By providing the highest level of legal counsel and care possible, we have a high client satisfaction rating.

We pride ourselves on carefully curating the clients we represent so that we can give a personalized touch to every case. Don’t wait and lose your opportunity to file a claim for compensation. Instead, give us a call at 310-362-6740 or email us at info@okhovatlawfirm.com.