Uber/Lyft/Rideshare Accidents in Rancho Mirage

The rideshare industry has revolutionized how people get around Rancho Mirage and other cities and towns. The ability to take an Uber when people are out late has cut down the number of people willing to drive after a night out drinking with their friends. Being able to hop into a Lyft, instead of having to fight to get parking in crowded downtown areas, has also helped people commute. 

Unfortunately, the considerable increase in the number of rideshare vehicles on the road has also increased the number of accidents involving rideshare vehicles. If you or a loved one experienced harm in Uber/Lyft/rideshare accidents in Rancho Mirage, you deserve the chance to pursue compensation for your losses. A dedicated auto accident attorney from Walter Clark Legal Group might be able to assist you with your legal claim.

Typical Causes of Rideshare Crashes

Sometimes, accidents happen because of blinding rain or other weather conditions, in which case there is often nobody to blame. They can also occur because of roadway defects, such as potholes or construction debris; in this case, an injured person can look to the municipal authority in charge of maintaining the roads. Other times, crashes happen due to vehicular defects, such as faulty brakes, in which case an injured party can look to the manufacturer for compensation. However, most accidents involving rideshare vehicles in Rancho Mirage occur due to negligent driving mistakes by an Uber driver or a third-party driver.

Rideshare drivers are more apt to get into collisions than other drivers for the following reasons:

• Drugs or alcohol 
• Unsafe pick up or drop off locations that block traffic
• Distracted driving – Rideshare drivers need to look down at their phones for directions and to look for passengers on the side of the road
• Fatigue – Uber drivers often drive for a secondary source of income after a full day’s work, so they can be overtired and less alert to changes in traffic conditions
• Inexperience – Unlike cab drivers or bus drivers, Lyft drivers do not need to receive a special kind of driver’s license or undergo specialized driver training to drive passengers, so their driving skills are not necessarily up to par
• Trying to make more money – Rideshare drivers know that the more they work, the more money they can make, so they could be tempted to speed, run red lights, or tailgate other cars in order to complete a ride quicker

Our seasoned legal team could carefully comb through the evidence from a crash to determine who is potentially at fault.

Can an Injured Party Sue Uber or Lyft?

If the rideshare driver was at fault for causing a crash, an injured party can sue them for compensation. However, that driver’s insurance policy might not cover the full extent of the losses. Because rideshare drivers are independent contractors, they do not work directly for the rideshare company, so injured parties cannot generally directly sue Uber or Lyft. However, rideshare companies carry insurance that covers their drivers in the event of some accidents. That insurance could apply depending on what the driver was doing at the time of the crash. For instance, if a driver had accepted a ride request or the passenger was in the car, the rideshare company would typically cover the losses from an accident. However, if the rideshare driver was logged into the company’s app, but waiting for a ride request, the company would only cover a more limited dollar amount of losses. If the rideshare driver was logged out of the app, Uber’s insurance would generally not apply. 

An experienced Rancho Mirage lawyer from Walter Clark Legal Group could review the facts to determine what kind of insurance coverage might be available from Lyft or Uber after a wreck. 

Talk to an Attorney After an Uber or Lyft Rideshare Crash in Rancho Mirage

Uber/Lyft/rideshare accidents in Rancho Mirage can be both terrifying and confusing. You might not know where to turn for financial help to get you through this challenging time. The well-versed legal team at Walter Clark Legal Group could help you pursue the compensation you need.

Talk to the law office today to learn more.