English
SpanishRidesharing services like Uber and Lyft have grown dramatically in popularity within the last few years. While this has certainly created a great convenience for anyone looking for a quick ride home, it has also created an unexpected complication: proving liability in a ridesharing accident.
In the average car accident, discovering who is liable for the crash can sometimes be a somewhat straightforward process. Generally, one driver or the other was behaving negligently or recklessly, such as driving drunk or texting while driving. In a ridesharing accident, however, liability will likely not be as clear cut.
Parties who might be liable for your ridesharing accident could include:
- Drivers: Uber and Lyft drivers must take their responsibilities with the utmost seriousness and always drive defensively. Some ridesharing drivers may speed and violate other traffic laws to try to complete a ferry faster. Such behavior puts everyone at risk of an accident.
- Ridesharing company: Recent headlines have featured Uber in conflict with its drivers regarding employment policies, or lack thereof. Many drivers believe they perform the duties of an employee, but ridesharing companies often call them independent contractors. If a driver is an employee, the parent company – Uber, Lyft, etc. – could be partially responsible for any accidents they cause. You will likely require the services of a car accident attorney to determine if the ridesharing company can be held accountable at all for your damages.
- Passengers: An Uber, Lyft, or ridesharing driver does not know who will get into their vehicle next. They also cannot discriminate and pick-and-choose who they serve without risking a serious civil rights violation. The uncertainty of who will use their services means that they could pick up a potentially dangerous or unreasonably distracting passenger without knowing it. When a passenger’s intentional actions directly contribute to a ridesharing accident, some of the liability might be placed on them.
No matter the type of motor vehicle accident you are in, you should collect identifying and insurance information from everyone involved. This is especially true in a ridesharing accident, as any one of those people could likely be the person who should be held most accountable for what happened.
Coral Springs Car Accident Attorneys
Reinfeld Cabrera Tison is a highly-rated, highly-experienced team of Coral Springs personal injury lawyers that have the legal know-how and knowledgeability required to manage intricate ridesharing accident claims. If you were hurt while riding in an Uber or Lyft, or if an Uber or Lyft driver crashed into your vehicle, you can depend on us to work on your case with focus, insight, and dedication that pursues every last cent of compensation you deserve. Contact us at any time – we do our best to respond to client calls 24/7 in case of emergencies – to request a free initial consultation.
If you have been in an Uber, Lyft, or Ridesharing accident, and are feeling pain, please seek help immediately.
