Virginia Beach Rideshare Accident Lawyers 

Virginia attorney helps victims of Uber and Lyft injuries

Rideshare services, such as Uber and Lyft, have become enormously popular across the nation, and Hampton Roads and vicinity are no exception. The reasons are obvious: these services offer flexibility and convenience at relatively low-cost.. The downside to these services is that they put far more vehicles on the road, adding to traffic congestion and increasing the likelihood of an accident. If you have been injured in an accident with a rideshare vehicle — whether as a passenger, a pedestrian, cyclist or an occupant of another car — you may be entitled to financial compensation. However, getting the full amount you deserve can be a challenge, given the complexities of the parties and insurance coverages involved. The Virginia Beach rideshare accident lawyers at Ernest Law Group, PLC have the skill, experience and determination necessary to deliver the results you need.

Why Uber and Lyft accidents are becoming more common 

Since the inception of rideshare services, these vehicles have added to the total of traffic accidents everywhere they operate. The reasons are readily apparent:

• Rideshare services do not test or certify drivers’ skills
• Rideshare services do not test for drivers’ drug or alcohol use
• Rideshare services do not maintain the vehicles
• Drivers may operate in unfamiliar surroundings
• Drivers may be distracted while looking for passengers, by passengers in vehicle, by using GPS and by other factors

Essentially, rideshare vehicle operators are amateur drivers operating under professional circumstances. This can cause stress leading to distracted driving, aggressive driving, and speeding accidents.

What should you do if injured while riding in an Uber or Lyft vehicle?

As with any auto accident, you should exchange identifying information with the other driver(s) and offer reasonable first aid to any injured parties. You should document the accident with cellphone photos of the scene, vehicle damage and injuries. If anyone is hurt, call 911 and request an ambulance and police assistance. As soon as possible, you should seek medical attention. Then, notify your insurance company and call a qualified auto accident attorney.

What happens if a rideshare driver hits your car causing injury?

When a rideshare driver causes an accident, the driver is liable for property damage and injuries. However, whether the rideshare company is also liable is an important question depending on the specific circumstances of the crash.

How does insurance coverage work with a rideshare accident?

There is a three-tiered system for determining available insurance for Uber and Lyft accidents:

• Rideshare driver not engaged — If the driver has not logged into the rideshare app, the driver’s private insurance is the only coverage.
• Driver on app, no ride request — If the driver has logged onto the app, the company provides bodily injury liability coverage of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident, as well as $25,000 of property damage liability coverage. 
• Driver responding to ride request or transporting a passenger — The company provides $1 million of combined bodily injury/property damage liability coverage.

It’s important to know the precise time of the accident in order to know whether the driver was engaged.

Determining fault for injury in Uber and Lyft accidents

The mere fact that a rideshare vehicle is involved in an accident is not proof of rideshare driver liability. Liability could attach to:

• The injured driver
• The rideshare driver
• The rideshare company
• A third party

To ascertain liability, your attorney must conduct a thorough investigation. Our firm has ample experience with all types of motor vehicle, truck, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents. We have the investigative skills necessary to get to the root causes of the accident.

Contact a knowledgeable Virginia attorney for a rideshare accident consultation

Ernest Law Group, PLC represents clients throughout the Hampton Roads area who have been injured in rideshare accidents. Please call 757-289-2499 or contact us online to schedule a consultation at our Virginia Beach office.