rideshare accidents

Uber and Lyft use the ownership of smartphones to connect passenger clients to their ridesharing service. To put it in simpler terms, they offer personal transportation services that can be requested with the push of a button (on an app).

Once a ride seeker has made a request, the closest available Uber vehicle is notified and sent to his or her location. It's as simple as that. This certainly beats having to call or wait for a taxi and flag it down.

Uber and Lyft also price their rides at a very cheap rate, relative to taxi fees. They accomplish this by labeling their ridesharing driver as a contract worker, not an employee, which, in turn, allows them to externalize costs like gas, payroll, etc. so that profits are maximized and expenses are kept to a minimum.

Employee obligations and benefits aren't the only things they've cut down on, though; they have been able to skirt insurance liabilities as well through the use of convoluted language in their respective liability coverage policies.

Uber & Lyft Car Accident in Los Angeles: Uber's Policy and Liability Insurance

• Uber classifies its drivers as "independent contractors" and not employees in an attempt to deflect liability for any injuries sustained in a crash. However, passengers are covered by up to $1 million per ride in commercial liability insurance.
• Unlike taxi cab companies, Uber defines itself as a technology provider, not a transportation company or car service, which, again, allows the company to deflect blame onto its drivers and makes it more difficult for accident victims to make complaints or claims with Uber.
  
• Uber is notorious for being hard to reach by phone. Victims may be able to contact Uber customer service care or an Uber partner by e-mail or through their social media, but even those channels are known to be unreliable. Our firm has the knowledge and resources to touch base with Uber and its drivers.
  
• California law sets insurance coverage requirements for all Transportation TNCs, including Uber. The company now provides $50,000/$100,000/$25,000 of contingent coverage between trips. However, there remains the question of what happens when a driver has multiple ridesharing apps open at the same time.
  
• Injured pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists are also entitled to substantial compensation. Victims who are not passengers can still recover from the driver's insurance policy in addition to Uber's excess policy.
  

areas of practice - Rideshare accidents