Uber or Lyft Injuries for Car Accidents

Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have become a common alternative to taxis and public transportation in Philadelphia and across the U.S. Rideshares make it easy for anyone with a smartphone – business people, students, travelers, or families – to summon a ride no matter where they are in the city. For drivers, rideshares were seen as a golden opportunity to earn an income, or second income, on a flexible schedule, using their own vehicle. Unfortunately, the system broke down when accidents began to happen, and the rideshare companies and their insurers denied liability for the injuries and losses of injured victims. Although laws were introduced to require insurance coverage, rideshare accidents remain legally complex, and challenging for injured victims to navigate.

WHY RIDESHARE ACCIDENTS ARE COMPLEX

Rideshare accidents are more complicated than other vehicle accidents primarily because of the commercial relationship and insurance arrangements between the driver and the rideshare company.

In a rideshare like Uber or Lyft, the driver uses their own personal vehicle for which they should have a personal auto insurance policy. However, when they have a paying rideshare passenger, they are engaged in a commercial activity, which is not usually covered by personal insurance. Pennsylvania and other states now have laws to make rideshare companies carry insurance for their drivers, but the insurance only applies when the driver is using the vehicle for rideshare activity. This can lead to disputes over which insurance policy is liable when a rideshare accident happens, and the companies and insurers involved will work hard to reduce their own liability. An injured victim can feel overwhelmed and outnumbered dealing with large rideshare and insurance companies, as well as facing their injuries, treatments, and mounting medical bills.

UNMATCHED COMMITMENT

At SMB, our lawyers fight powerful insurance companies every day. We do not allow legal complexities to undermine or undervalue the damage that has been done to injured victims in ridesharing accidents.

We represent rideshare passengers, rideshare drivers, and others injured in rideshare accidents. We ensure that they receive all of the compensation that they are entitled to by law after a rideshare accident, and protect them from lowball settlement offers by companies who are prioritizing profits over people.

UNMATCHED RESULTS

Our lawyers have decades of experience advocating for victims of road accidents and other catastrophic accidents throughout the U.S. With verdicts and settlements in the millions and multi millions, our results speak for themselves: