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Being in a car accident is traumatic enough, and when you add in the devastation of injuries or fatalities, it can leave you reeling. There are many different things to deal with, and your life will be impacted in many ways if an injury occurs. This accident could be detrimental to everything about your life, including your health, finances, and more!
When you are in an accident caused by another person, you may have legal options to receive compensation for damages due to the injuries you’re facing. As ridesharing services increase, it stands to reason that these drivers are becoming more prevalent on the road.
And if you are in an accident with one of ridesharing drivers, you should know your options. Work with a Miami personal injury attorney if you’ve been injured.
Read More: Can I Claim for Personal Injury Compensation?
Who is Responsible for Damages?
When you’re in an accident with a ridesharing driver, the question is who is responsible for any damages? But there isn’t a simple answer to this question. Ultimately, it can depend on who is driving, who the passenger is, and who was at fault for the accident. The answer might even depend on which company the driver works for in some cases.
Ridesharing Insurance
Any driver on the road is required to hold some form of car insurance, even if it is just liability coverage. Every state has its own requirements for coverage. Companies like Uber and Lyft have changed their car accident coverage and policies for car accidents as ridesharing has become increasingly popular.
For the most part, they have improved these policies thanks to media scrutiny about the companies. When they first started offering services, you could recover damages only from the companies themselves. A driver’s individual policy coverage isn’t meant for commercial use, which is what a rideshare is.
There was an obvious gap here, and insurance companies and rideshare companies both made changes to ensure drivers and passengers were covered. Many big-name insurance companies offer rideshare insurance for drivers. Companies like Uber and Lyft also carry liability on their drivers as added protection.
Not every ridesharing company is the same in terms of their policy coverage, so know that the company can have an impact. For Uber and Lyft, their policy covers up to $100,000 when the driver is logged in and working through the app.
The coverage protects the driver, the companies, other drivers (if they are not at fault), and the passenger of the vehicle.
Read More: 7 Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer
Passengers Can Recover Damages
When you ride with a rideshare driver and there is an accident, you do have options in most cases. If your driver was the cause of the accident, you would be covered under their coverage and any coverage from the rideshare company itself. If another driver is at fault, the situation does change and you would seek compensation from that driver or their insurance company instead.
No matter what your scenario is, you will need to work with a Miami personal injury lawyer to work through your case and help you recover compensation for injury and damages. An experienced attorney will know exactly what your options are and the best way to help you!