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Were You Struck by an Uber or Lyft?

By Karnas Law Firm |

Both Uber and Lyft are popular ridesharing services in Arizona. Their business model is simple. Anyone with a vehicle can sign up and shuttle people around for a fee. Customers love these rideshare companies, since they can request that a car pick them up at their location and deliver them to a destination for an affordable price.

Unfortunately, anyone out on the road can be struck by an Uber or Lyft driver. What rights do you have to compensation when an Uber rear ends you or causes a T-bone collision? Our Arizona car accident lawyer takes a deeper dive.

Lyft & Uber Accidents Are Analyzed Based on Fault

Arizona remains a fault state for car accidents. As a result, we must identify who is at fault for the crash. Victims will submit a claim on the at-fault driver’s liability insurer to cover expenses like medical care, prescription drugs, and lost income.

Many accidents involving Uber and Lyft are caused by speeding, carelessness, failure to yield, and tailgating. Sometimes, their drivers are in a rush to get to their destination. And rideshare companies unfortunately do not yet know how to screen out all dangerous drivers.

It isn’t unusual for our clients to be rear-ended or T-boned in an intersection by an Uber driver flying through a red light. Please share any of the following information with your attorney, which helps us identify fault:

  • Pictures you took of the accident scene or the cars involved.
  • Names of eyewitnesses who can offer their perspective of what happened.
  • A copy of the police report.
  • Any statements the Uber or Lyft driver made following the crash.
  • Whether a responding police officer asked the driver to take a breathalyzer or other chemical test.

We might even need to ask the Lyft/Uber driver questions to really uncover the choices they made before the accident.

Uber & Lyft Drivers Have Insurance

Anyone who registers a vehicle in Arizona must have liability insurance. However, rideshare drivers purchase additional insurance which kicks in if and when they have a passenger in their vehicle or have accepted a ride.

The amount of insurance available for your claim depends on where the driver was in the “ride cycle”:

  • If the driver wasn’t even logged into the app, then they are no different than any other motorist on the road. If they hit you, then you submit a claim to their personal insurer. The minimum liability coverage for Arizona is $25,000 in bodily injury coverage, up to $50,000 when two or more people are injured. Minimum property damage coverage is $15,000.
  • If the driver is logged in and looking for a ride—but hasn’t yet accepted one—then you have more insurance available. Bodily injury coverage is $50,000 per person, up to $100,000 when two or more are injured. Property damage coverage is $25,000.
  • And if the driver has accepted a ride, then $1 million in full coverage is available. That will cover bodily injury and property damage combined.

As you can see, it matters considerably if the driver is even logged into the app. Much more compensation will be available in that situation. It’s possible that someone with serious car damage will not even receive enough to fix their car, because $15,000 is very low.

Your Attorney Can Negotiate a Settlement

Although Uber and Lyft have generous insurance, you shouldn’t expect automatic approval of your claim. These insurance companies will fight to limit the amount of money they pay to victims. Unsurprisingly, your claim could get rejected, even if you are struggling with serious injuries. Sometimes, the insurer will even blame you for the crash.

You really shouldn’t be surprised if a Lyft or Uber driver tries to pin the blame on you. After all, they don’t want a bad reputation as an unsafe driver. Even worse, a passenger in the Lyft or Uber might try to sue you for hurting them.

We know how to negotiate with these companies. You should contact us today. For example, insurance companies often minimize the pain and mental anguish a car accident victim faces. But about 39% of car accident survivors struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, and many more have less dramatic emotional injuries that nevertheless deserve compensation. We submit fair demands for compensation and negotiate aggressively to make sure our clients get what they deserve.

We Will Fight for You

Anyone struck by a rideshare driver should immediately contact Karnas Law Firm. If you were a motorist, pedestrian, or bicyclist mowed down by an Uber/Lyft driver, you have important rights to compensation. We can explain more in a free consultation.