No car accident is a simple affair, but some cases are even more complicated than others. Most cases of Uber passenger accidents are more complicated than similar types of other accidents, but why should that be?
If you’ve been involved in one, or any a different type of auto accident, call The Shirvanian Law Firm at (818) 835-5396 to talk to a personal injury lawyer.
Ride sharing is distinct from a taxi service
Ride sharing services, like Uber, Lyft or others are similar to taxi services, but differ in many key ways. The passenger does not contact the company for a ride and then get a taxi dispatched to them. Ride sharing services instead use an app to directly connect the passenger with a driver using their personal car to get you to your destination.
How this works is very simple: the passenger requests a ride through the appropriate app. Any drivers that are signed up and looking to give rides will see the request. One of the drivers chooses to accept the ride, and then goes to pick up the passenger. Payment is handled through the app and you can even tip the app. This easy to use, and convenient app has garnered over thousands of users daily.
So what’s the difference?
The two services may seem to be the exact same thing, however there are some very key differences that set them apart. These become especially apparent when an accident occurs. The first difference is that the drivers for ride sharing apps are private citizens. They do not have to complete any training or licensing like a taxi driver must. The second difference is that they are not employees of the ride sharing app. That means the app company has limited liability or responsibility if the driver gets into trouble.
A ride sharing driver uses their own personal vehicle to perform their service. There are some taxi drivers that use and drive their own taxi vehicle, but most are using a company owned car. A company owned car is covered by the insurance carried by the company and will ensure that passengers and third-parties, such as pedestrians are covered.
It is true that ride sharing companies will often carry their own insurance for each driver, however, these companies are notorious for denying claims. They can use a variety of excuses to do so, from arguing that proper protocol was not followed by you or the driver. If the ride sharing company denies the claim is covered by the insurance, you are left with the personal insurance policy of the ride sharing driver. Generally this will not cover any accident that happened when the car was being used for commercial purposes.
This is just a taste of how complicated these kinds of cases can be. The good news is that a personal injury lawyer can make this process practically painless. The Shirvanian Law firm are excellent Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyers. Give Shirvanian Law Firm and call to speak with a personal injury lawyer today: (818) 835-5396.
