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What Legals Options Do You Have If You Were Injured During An Accident In A Rideshare

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Taking a rideshare such as Uber or Lyft can be a great way to save money on your own car and to get around easily. They take the inconvenience of taking the bus out of the equation and get you where you want to go. What happens, however, if the car you are riding in is in an accident and you are injured? Can you sue the rideshare company?

What are the legal options open to you if you were injured in a rideshare accident? You should contact an auto accident lawyer for more information, but here are some of your options.

Driver's Insurance Policy

Uber and Lyft drivers aren't considered employees, so it's difficult to sue the parent company if you are involved in an accident. As independent contractors, rideshare drivers must carry their own insurance and take responsibility in the event of an accident. This means that if the driver of the rideshare was at fault, you could try to get compensation through their driver's insurance policy.

In many cases, drivers don't carry commercial insurance policies the same way taxis do, so it could be more complicated and difficult to sue their insurance company for an injury. Your auto accident lawyer can check to see if the driver's insurance policy excludes injured passengers from their policy in the event that the car was being used for business purposes.

If your state does require rideshare drivers to carry some form of commercial insurance policy or to cover injured passengers, you may have a better chance of suing the driver using their personal insurance policy.

Sue The At-Fault Driver

If you were injured in a rideshare accident due to the actions of another driver hitting the car you are riding in, you can sue the at-fault driver. You should be able to sue through the other driver's insurance policy.

It is possible that their insurance company will refuse to make payments to you. In this case, you can use your auto accident lawyer to open a personal injury lawsuit against them to try to get compensation awarded to you. Make sure you help to provide your lawyer with the necessary proof of the fault of the other driver to help win your case.

Liability Insurance

In some cases, especially if you were severely injured in a rideshare accident, you may be able to sue the parent company's insurance through third-party liability. Uber and Lyft provide for third-party liability insurance coverage to cover any accidents that could occur once the driver's own insurance policy has finished paying out damages.

Uber and Lyft also offer insurance for accidents that occur with an insured driver or for a hit-and-run accident. Your auto accident lawyer can help you file a lawsuit to sue the rideshare company's third-party liability insurance to make sure you are compensated for any injuries you suffered during an accident.

To learn more, contact an auto accident lawyer.


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