Posted in Car Accidents,Rideshare Accident on July 12, 2023
Most of us have used rideshare services like Uber and Lyft by now, and many individuals rely on these types of services to get from point A to point B on a regular basis. However, accidents involving rideshare vehicles can occur, much the same way accidents involving any other type of vehicle can occur. Here, we want to discuss some important things that you need to know if you are involved in an Uber or Lyft accident.
You Must Seek Medical Care
The number one priority after any vehicle accident, including an Uber or Lyft accident, is seeking medical treatment. For any severe injuries, it is important to get emergency officials to the scene so any injury victims can be transported to the hospital immediately. However, even if individuals do not feel any signs or symptoms of injuries, it is still important for those involved to go to a doctor or the emergency room for an evaluation. Sometimes, the signs and symptoms of vehicle accident injuries do not appear for quite some time after the incident occurs.
Seeking prompt medical treatment helps establish a link between the rideshare accident and any injuries that do arise, and it also helps ensure that any hidden injuries are noticed more quickly.
Report the Incident
Reporting the rideshare accident is critical. This reporting should be done through multiple routes. First and foremost, the police need to know about the accident so they can come and conduct an investigation and fill out an accident report. This is standard procedure for just about every type of vehicle accident that occurs on California roadways. If any party insists that law enforcement officials not get involved, this is a red flag. Call 911 and report the crash.
Additionally, both Uber and Lyft have quick ways of reporting incidents through their apps. If you have been involved in a vehicle accident, regardless of whose fault the incident was, you need to report the incident through your rideshare app. Please do not worry about the incident hurting the rideshare driver’s rating. This is part of the process, and failing to report the incident could have implications when it comes to recovering a settlement for any injuries you sustain.
Uber and Lyft Insurance
Both Uber and Lyft do provide insurance for incidents that occur on the roadway, but their insurance only kicks in in certain situations, depending on the status of the driver.
If a driver is off duty and not signed into the rideshare apps to work, then the driver’s personal insurance coverage will be responsible for paying any damages caused by the driver.
In the event the rideshare driver is signed into the app to work but does not have a passenger on board or is not on the way to pick one up, then Uber and Lyft do provide supplemental insurance coverage that will kick in if the driver apostrophe has personal coverage limits are exhausted as a result of an incident they caused.
Finally, if an Uber or Lyft driver does have a sanctioned passenger or is on the way to pick one up, and an accident occurs, then both rideshare companies have insurance policies that rise above $1 million to pay for damages that occur. If you’ve been involved in an accident, reach out to our Uber/Lyft accident lawyers in Long Beach for help.