While Uber and Lyft accidents are similar to other types of vehicle collisions in many respects, they have some unique aspects as well. When filing a claim, these unique aspects can have important implications for your legal rights—so it is important to work closely with an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney who can help you seek the financial compensation you deserve.
How Uber and Lyft Accidents Differ from Other Types of Vehicle Collisions
Fundamentally, your legal rights after an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle are no different from your legal rights after an accident involving any other car, truck or SUV. If the accident wasn’t your fault, you have the right to hold the at-fault party accountable, and you are entitled to just compensation for your medical bills, lost earnings, and other financial and non-financial losses.
But, when it comes to asserting your legal rights, this is where the unique aspects of rideshare accidents come into play. For example, here are three important ways that rideshare accident claims differ from claims involving other types of vehicle collisions:
1. There Are More Parties Involved
When you have a rideshare accident claim, you potentially have an additional source of financial recovery. If the rideshare driver was at fault in the accident, not only might you have a claim against the driver, but you might have a claim against Uber or Lyft as well.
Uber and Lyft both carry liability insurance that covers their drivers’ accidents. While rideshare drivers in Alabama are required to carry added liability insurance (more on this below), filing a claim with Uber’s or Lyft’s insurance company may also be an option. With that said, trying to deal with the rideshare companies and their insurers can be challenging—and this is just one of several reasons why it will be important to have an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney on your side.
2. There Are More Potential Grounds to Pursue Liability
Not only are there potentially more parties involved in rideshare accident cases, but there are potentially more grounds to pursue liability as well.
Even though rideshare drivers are not classified as “employees” of Uber or Lyft, these companies can still be held liable if they fail to adequately screen their drivers. If one of these companies connects a passenger with a dangerous or unlicensed driver, it deserves to be held fully accountable.
Proving that Uber or Lyft is directly liable for corporate negligence presents additional challenges; and, fortunately, this won’t be necessary in all (or even most) cases. But, if your only option for recovering your losses is to prove that one of these companies should have done more to protect you, this is a claim that your attorney may be able to pursue on your behalf.
3. Insurance Coverage is More Complicated
While there is often more insurance coverage available in rideshare accident cases, dealing with the insurance companies in these cases is often more complicated. One challenge has to do with the different tiers of mandatory insurance coverage under Alabama’s rideshare insurance law.
As we said above, rideshare drivers are subject to enhanced liability insurance requirements in Alabama. But, the specific coverage that is available depends on when an accident happens:
- The Rideshare Driver is Logged In to the Uber or Lyft App But Isn’t Providing a Ride – When an Uber or Lyft driver is logged into the app but isn’t providing a ride, the driver must have liability coverage of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident, plus $25,000 in property damage coverage.
- The Rideshare Driver is Providing a Ride – When an Uber or Lyft driver is providing a ride, the driver must have liability coverage of $1 million for bodily injury and property damage.
If you were injured while riding in an Uber or Lyft, then the higher tier of mandatory insurance coverage for rideshare drivers almost certainly applies. But, if you were injured in a collision with a rideshare driver (or as a pedestrian or cyclist), the insurance coverage that is available to you will depend on circumstances that were entirely beyond your control.
You Have Clear Legal Rights After a Rideshare Accident in Alabama
In all cases, rideshare accident victims have clear legal rights. No matter who (or what company) is responsible for the accident, and no matter what insurance coverage is available, you have the right to hire an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney to help you seek the full compensation you deserve. For more information, we encourage you to read: Injured in a Rideshare Accident in Alabama? Know Your Rights.
What You Can (and Should) Do to Protect Your Legal Rights
With all of this in mind, if you have been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident in Alabama, what can (and should) you do to protect your legal rights? After a rideshare accident, you should:
- Prioritize Your Medical Care – Prioritizing your medical care after an accident is important for protecting your health and your legal rights. If you seek treatment promptly, your medical records will link your injuries to the accident, this will help with proving that you are entitled to recover your injury-related losses.
- Keep as Much Documentation as Possible – From your copy of the police report (if you received one) to your medical bills and employment records, you should keep as much documentation as possible. Start a file that you can share with your attorney.
- Schedule a Free Consultation Promptly – Recovering your losses will require experienced legal representation, and it will be important for your attorney to get to work on your case right away. As a result, you should schedule a free consultation as soon as possible.
Discuss Your Legal Rights with a Birmingham Rideshare Accident Attorney for Free
Were you injured in a rideshare accident in Alabama? If so, we encourage you to contact us promptly for a free consultation . To discuss your legal rights with an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney for free, call 205-855-2745 or tell us how we can reach you online today.