Seek A Skilled Lawyer’s Help When Filing A Rideshare Accident Claim

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have exploded in popularity in recent years because they are convenient and often more affordable than taxis and other legacy transportation services. But there is a hidden price to using these services that only becomes clear after a car accident. Whether you were injured as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle or struck by a rideshare driver, it can be very difficult to claim the compensation you need and deserve, and that is exactly how rideshare companies want it to be.

My name is Virginia King, founder of ViKing Law. If you need help with a rideshare accident claim in the Philadelphia area, mine is the firm to call for assistance. My nearly two decades of experience in personal injury law includes many years doing defense work for insurance companies. I know the tactics opposing counsel will use, and I know how to counter them.

Distraction And Inexperience Are Major Factors In Rideshare Crashes

Rideshare drivers are “professional” drivers with no more training than the rest of us. Therefore, rideshare accidents happen for essentially the same reasons as any other type of car crash. However, distraction and inexperience are two especially common factors.

Distraction occurs because drivers need to constantly to interact with their phones in order to do their job. These positions also have a very low barrier to entry, meaning most anyone can be hired and training is minimal.

Insurance Coverage Can Change By The Minute

Rideshare drivers must carry their own insurance policies – many of which are personal policies that aren’t intended to cover paid transportation services. Uber and Lyft both offer supplemental commercial insurance, but coverage is tiered based on the driver’s current status. When the driver isn’t working at all, they are covered by their own policy. However, there are three tiers of coverage for when they are working:

• Tier one applies when the driver is signed into the app and waiting for a ride request.
• Tier two applies between the time when the driver has accepted a request and when they pick up the passenger.
• Tier three applies while they have a passenger in the vehicle.

The amount of insurance coverage available to you as the accident victim could depend on what tier the driver was in and whether or not you were a customer. For instance, someone injured as a rideshare passenger during tier three coverage is likely to be covered much more generously than a pedestrian struck by a rideshare driver during tier two coverage.

Rideshare Companies Work Hard To Avoid Liability

Insurance is just one of the complex aspects of a rideshare accident. Most of the time, when you are involved in an accident with a commercial driver, the driver’s employer can be held jointly liable. However, Uber and Lyft have purposely classified their drivers as “independent contractors” rather than employees in order to avoid, among other things, employer liability.

The bottom line is that rideshare accident claims are very difficult to pursue on your own. These companies and their insurers have lawyers whose primary job is to find ways to avoid paying claims or settling for as little as possible. You need an attorney on your side who will fight for you – preferably an attorney, like me, who has previous experience representing insurers and other defendants.

Discuss Your Legal Options With An Experienced Attorney

ViKing Law is based in Newtown and serves clients throughout the Philadelphia metro area. I offer free initial consultations and represent personal injury clients on a contingency-fee basis. That means you pay no legal fees if I don’t help you recover money.

To schedule your first meeting with me, call 267-703-0144 or submit an online contact form.