Over the past several years, rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft have revolutionized the transportation industry, bringing mostly positive changes for the consumer. However, it has also become clear that rideshare companies aren’t always diligent about screening people who apply to drive under their platforms—and some of the people providing rides through these apps can be irresponsible or even unsafe drivers.
This has led to an increased risk of Uber/Lyft/rideshare accidents in Spartanburg that cause serious injuries to everyone involved, including passengers and passersby who were not acting negligently themselves. If you’ve been hurt in a rideshare accident and want to effectively enforce your right to financial recovery, seeking the help of an auto accident attorney from Holland & Usry should be among your top priorities.
Being involved in a car wreck under any circumstances can be an unsettling experience, especially if it causes you an injury serious enough to require professional medical care. If you do need emergency treatment for any trauma you’ve suffered in a car crash, getting to a hospital and obtaining the care you need should be your first and only priority.
To strengthen a possible lawsuit or settlement demand later on, it can also help to take some preliminary steps at the scene of your rideshare car crash in Spartanburg. These include:
Following these steps can generate invaluable evidence to help your auto accident attorney pursue fair financial compensation for you.
Unlike with wrecks involving taxi drivers, you can’t hold rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft legally liable for the negligence of their drivers, since those drivers are independent contractors rather than employees. However, Uber and Lyft do provide up to $1 million of liability insurance coverage per accident to their own drivers, passengers of those drivers, and other people involved in a wreck with that driver—as long as the driver is logged into the app and either carrying a paying customer or driving to pick one up after accepting a ride request.
Furthermore, both apps provide liability coverage of $50,000 for one person’s injuries, $100,000 for all injuries from a single wreck, and $25,000 for all property damage from a single wreck. This coverage applies to drivers of theirs who are logged into the app but have not yet accepted a ride request. However, if an Uber or Lyft driver in Spartanburg causes a car accident while not logged into their respective app, you will only be able to file a claim against the driver’s own personal car insurance coverage.
When you book a ride with an Uber or Lyft driver, you have every right to expect that you’ll reach your requested destination as quickly and safely as possible. Unfortunately, not every rideshare journey ends where it’s supposed to. If your recent trip concluded with a car crash that your driver was at fault for, you may have questions about what you can do next from a legal perspective and what you should do to protect your best interests.
You can get the answers to your questions, along with custom-tailored legal support after Uber/Lyft/rideshare accidents in Spartanburg, from a knowledgeable auto accident lawyer. Call Holland & Usry today for a free case review.