After getting into a car crash due to another driver’s negligence, you may have the right to seek financial recovery for your injuries and losses. However, what should you do if you’ve become involved in a motor vehicle accident with an Uber or Lyft vehicle? Does anything different happen if you get hurt in an Uber or Lyft accident compared to a typical car accident in Florida?
Immediate Steps to Take After an Accident
Some of the first steps you should take following an Uber or Lyft accident include:
- Check your and your fellow passengers’ safety and the safety of others involved in the accident and request emergency medical services if needed by someone.
- Report the accident to law enforcement and request a police crash report in the days following the accident.
- Document the scene by taking photos and videos with your cell phone and writing down the names of drivers, passengers, and witnesses.
- Notify the rideshare company of the crash through its mobile application or the customer service page on its website.
- Seek medical attention after the accident, even if you do not feel pain or other symptoms of injury.
Who Can You Hold Liable for a Rideshare Accident?
Various parties may bear liability for injuries and property damage you sustained in a rideshare accident, including:
- The rideshare driver (if at fault for causing the accident)
- Another driver who caused the crash
- The rideshare company’s insurance provider (who may have to provide PIP or bodily injury/property damage liability coverage)
Rideshare Insurance Coverage in Florida
Under Florida law, rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber must provide their drivers with insurance coverage that becomes effective once the driver logs into the company’s mobile application and makes themselves available for ride requests. The minimum required insurance coverage varies depending on whether a driver has an active ride request. Suppose a driver has merely logged onto the app and does not have an active ride request. In that case, the rideshare company must provide at least $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident of bodily injury/death liability coverage and $25,000 of property damage liability coverage. Once the driver accepts a ride request and until their passenger exits the vehicle, the minimum insurance requirements rise to $1 million of combined liability coverage. Furthermore, rideshare insurance coverage must also provide personal injury protection coverage equal to the amount required by state law.
Rideshare insurance protects passengers by providing them with access to personal injury protection coverage, a form of no-fault coverage that pays for medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident.
Filing an Injury Claim
Pursuing an injury claim after a rideshare accident may depend on the injured party’s role in the accident. For example, an injured rideshare passenger may have to first pursue a personal injury protection claim with the rideshare company’s insurance. The passenger may have a legal claim against the at-fault party (such as the rideshare driver or another motorist) if their financial losses exceed the PIP coverage or if they suffered a “serious injury” as defined by Florida Law. Similarly, other drivers and passengers hit by a negligent rideshare driver must first seek PIP coverage from their auto insurance before pursuing an injury claim against the rideshare driver when they exhaust their PIP coverage or sustain qualifying injuries.
Contact a Rideshare Accident Attorney Today
After getting hurt in a rideshare accident in Florida, you need experienced legal counsel to navigate the complex issues and challenges that may arise in an Uber or Lyft accident claim. Contact Hutch Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a motor vehicle accident attorney to discuss your options for seeking financial recovery for your injuries and losses.