Uber and Lyft accidents often result from drivers whose attention to the road and faithful following of traffic rules drops after hours on the road. When rideshare drivers care more about making quick trips so they can get back out and take on more fares, other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists are often caught in the crossfire and seriously injured in accidents.
After an accident, it is important to get both medical help and legal help. While medical care can seem expensive, it is truly necessary to help you get better. After you get treatment, our attorneys can help you get compensation for that medical care and fight to get other damages like pain and suffering paid.
Call Howe Law today at (844) 876-4357 for a free case review with our experienced Uber and Lyft accident lawyers.
Common Causes of Uber and Lyft Accidents in Vestavia Hills
Auto accidents are rarely “accidents” in the true sense of the word. Rather, crashes are often caused by one of the drivers making some kind of mistake or violating a traffic law. Traffic laws keep cars in different lanes, and traffic signals keep cars from being in the same place at the same time, so accidents usually only occur in tandem with traffic violations – but Uber and Lyft drivers might violate traffic laws for many different reasons.
Drivers in a Hurry
Uber and Lyft drivers get paid for each trip, so it makes sense for them to take passengers to their locations as quickly as they can so they can start a new trip. This often incentivizes drivers to speed, fail to make complete stops at stop signs, and to drive aggressively to get ahead in traffic. Drivers who complete a trip quickly might even be rewarded with high ratings from passengers – but speeding and violating traffic laws definitely puts those passengers and other drivers at risk.
Relaxed Diligence in Following Traffic Laws
When drivers spend a lot of time on the road, they often begin skipping required steps like making a complete stop at a stop sign or using a turn signal to change lanes. Especially during a long shift, diligence wanes, and these drivers could end up causing crashes that our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you get compensation for.
Fatigue
Again, another effect of long hours is tiredness. Tired driving is nearly as dangerous as drunk driving. It can cause delayed reaction speeds, inattentiveness, and reduced judgment, just like drunk driving. Furthermore, drivers can drive for a full 12 hours before either app forces them to take a break of 6 hours. This is longer than most commercial truck drivers or bus drivers are allowed to drive without a break and can be incredibly dangerous.
Drugs and Alcohol
You would expect your Uber driver to be sober. However, there is really no mechanism in place other than normal DUI laws to prevent a rideshare driver from sharing a beer with a drunk passenger or keeping a flask in their glove compartment. Drivers might also turn to marijuana or harder drugs, potentially committing drugged driving offenses throughout their whole shift. While this could jeopardize their future as a rideshare driver, it can also jeopardize your life as another driver who shares the road with them or as a passenger unknowingly getting into their car.
Getting Compensation for Victims of Uber and Lyft Crashes in Vestavia Hills, AL
Financial compensation for your injuries should be available whether you were injured as a rider in the rideshare vehicle or someone else hit by that vehicle. That means that even if you were on foot or were a passenger in another car, you can still get compensation for your injuries. Also note that innocent Uber or Lyft drivers who were hit by another driver while working can get compensation, too.
Uber’s Insurance
Both rideshare systems have insurance that covers accidents when a rider is in the vehicle or when the driver is en route to a pickup. This should cover most injuries and has a $1 million policy limit.
There is additional supplemental insurance that both rideshare systems provide for accidents that occur while the driver is working but has not selected a ride yet. However, this only supplements the driver’s policy.
The Driver’s Insurance
Both systems also require drivers to carry their own commercial driver’s or rideshare driver’s insurance. If the policy from Uber or Lyft does not cover you for whatever reason, this policy still should.
If you were hit by another driver, then that driver’s liability insurance should cover you as well. There are many situations where this driver will be at fault, and you should pursue coverage from them.
Lawsuits
Alabama law also allows you to sue the at-fault driver directly for a car accident. In this kind of lawsuit, their insurance will usually pay for their lawyer and the damages they cause, but a neutral judge and jury will decide the case instead of the insurance company. Going to court may be your best option if the insurance companies involved refuse to cover your accident or bounce you around, saying that the other policy should be covering you instead of them.
Usually, you cannot sue Uber or Lyft because their drivers are not actually employees of the company. Nonetheless, their insurance should cover your crash when applicable.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance
If the Uber/Lyft driver did not have insurance like they were supposed to, that could lead to your claims getting denied by the rideshare company’s insurance. In that case, you might be able to use your own policy’s uninsured motorist insurance to cover your damages if you have this policy attached to your policy.
Contact Our Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys in Vestavia Hills, AL Today
For help after an accident, reach out to the Birmingham Uber and Lyft accident lawyers at Howe Law by contacting us at (844) 876-4357.
