Liability After a Ride Share Accident

Unfortunately, it is often difficult to determine liability in Uber and Lyft accidents, as the drivers are considered independent contractors, as opposed to employees of a company. Fortunately, in some cases, Uber and Lyft provide injured parties with liability coverage up to a certain dollar amount, depending on whether the driver was on the clock or not. Uber and Lyft’s liability coverage system is as follows:

• Period 0: This is when the driver not logged into the ride share app. If an accident occurs, Uber/Lyft will not provide coverage.
• Period 1: This is when the driver is logged in but has not accepted a ride. If he or she causes an accident, Uber/Lyft will provide liability coverage up to $50,000 per injured person in the accident, $100,000 total liability per accident and $25,000 in property damage liability.
• Period 2: When a driver has accepted a trip and is en route to the rider and causes an accident, the liability coverage will increase to $1 million.
• Period 3: This is when an accident occurs when the rider is in the Uber/Lyft vehicle at the time of the accident. In this scenario, Uber/Lyft provides coverage of up to $1 million, as well as limited coverage for damage to the driver’s car and uninsured motorists’ coverage

Causes of Ride Share Accidents

Uber and Lyft accidents can happen for various and reason, and though they are sometimes inevitable, this is usually not the case. Unfortunately, in ride share accidents, passengers, pedestrians, or other motorists are most commonly injured due to driver negligence. If you were injured in a ride share accident, you must hire an attorney who is ready to fight tooth and nail for the financial compensation you deserve.