While the yellow taxicab is synonymous with New York City, in recent years the traditional cabbie has been replaced in many people’s minds by the rideshare driver. Services like Uber and Lyft allow people to summon a ride with a private driver just by tapping their smartphone. For many people, such convenience is worth any price.
Of course, for some people that price is serious injuries following a car accident. If you have been involved in an accident with a rideshare vehicle, whether as a passenger, pedestrian, or another motorist, you may have many questions about the legal and financial responsibility of the rideshare driver and the service they work for. The experienced New York City Lyft & Uber accident lawyers at Poltielov Law Firm P.C., can help answer those questions. Our personal injury team can investigate the circumstances surrounding your accident and represent you in taking legal action to obtain compensation.
How Does Insurance Work in a Rideshare Accident?
When rideshare drivers use their personal vehicles to transport passengers, their personal auto insurance typically will not cover any accidents, since those policies are not designed for business use. New York City therefore requires such drivers to carry special commercial insurance with at least $100,000 in bodily liability coverage per person and $300,000 per accident.
The rideshare service itself may also be required to provide insurance coverage. The rules governing this requirement are quite complicated. Basically, the law considers the status of the driver in relation to the service at the time of the accident. For example, let’s say a driver is logged into the Uber or Lyft app but has not yet accepted a request to provide a ride. If that driver is involved in an accident during this “available and waiting” period, Uber or Lyft is required to provide limited insurance coverage of just $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, as well as $25,000 for property damage.
But once the rideshare driver accepts a request to transport a passenger, a much more substantial $1.25 million insurance policy kicks in. This policy provides coverage to any party that may be involved in an accident with the rideshare driver, including the rideshare passengers, people in other vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The victims still have to prove the rideshare driver was negligent (or “at fault”) to claim such coverage.
And as with any auto accident in New York City, even if the rideshare driver or Uber or Lyft are not legally responsible there may be other parties at-fault, including another driver. This is why it is always important to work with a skilled personal injury lawyer who can fully investigate your accident before taking any legal action.
Contact Poltielov Law Firm P.C. Today
Auto accidents involving rideshare companies often raise a number of complicated insurance and other legal issues. Let our qualified New York City Lyft & Uber accident attorneys help you with resolving your case. Contact Poltielov Law Firm P.C., or call us now at 718-880-2911 to schedule an initial consultation.