There are over 40 million Uber and Lyft rides in Philadelphia per year and an estimated 25,000 rideshare drivers that work in the city according to the PPA as of 2018. These drivers often work long hours from 12-14 hours a day. This makes it highly likely for someone to get involved in an Uber accident as a passenger or as another driver with a rideshare vehicle. Ridesharing companies will deny liability for these accidents any way possible. These companies have been in Philadelphia for less than 10 years which makes many of their cases unprecedented and easy for them to get away with as compared to being involved in an accident with a non-ridesharing vehicle or cab service. Having an experienced personal injury law firm in Philadelphia that has worked on cases with ridesharing companies is very important in making sure that victims of ridesharing accidents get the compensation they deserve and are owed.
Understanding Liability and Coverages
Uber and Lyft offer up to a million dollars in liability coverage however unfortunately many passengers and drivers who have been involved in accidents with Lyft or Uber drivers do not know this and those companies will attempt to get an immediate resolution where they will offer you the least amount of money possible or just attempt to compensate your fare for the trip so that the problem is resolved on their end even though you may have been entitled to more.
It is important to consider whether the rideshare driver you get into a Car accident with is online or offline and whether they are en route to a customer or not. Both Uber and Lyft offer similar coverage for the different circumstances. They will try to use the driver’s insurance first in most cases.
Driver is offline:
- Uber and Lyft- The driver’s personal insurance will apply
Driver is online with no passenger:
- Uber and Lyft- If driver’s personal insurance does not apply then
- $50,000/person for bodily injury
- $100,000/accident for bodily injury
- $25,000/accident for property damage
Driver is en route or has a passenger:
- Uber
- $1,000,000 third party liability
- $1,000,000 Uninsured/Underinsured motorist liability (see our other post for more information on this)
- Contingent comprehensive and collision ($1,000 deductible)
- Lyft
- $1,000,000/occurrence
- $1,000,000 Uninsured/Underinsured motorist liability
- Contingent comprehensive and collision ($2,500 deductible)
In Pennsylvania it is required by law for these companies to provide Personal Injury Protection (PIP) to help cover medical and wage loss that may have occurred due to an accident. In most cases, they do not list that on their website which is why it is important to contact us so that we can make sure you receive the coverage you are entitled to.
The appropriate steps to take if involved in an accident with a ride sharing company
Mentioned earlier in this article is that these companies will try to resolve these cases as soon as possible and diminish the value of your case which is why it is necessary you should follow these steps after being involved in an accident with an Uber/Lyft vehicle:
- Call the Police and report the accident
- Go seek medical attention as soon as possible. If you do not go in a reasonable amount of time this could affect the value of your case
- Get a copy of the police report or incident number
- Make sure to take pictures/videos of the scene, vehicles involved, and injuries. Take note of any passengers.
- Contact KOT Law before talking to any insurance companies
For a more in-depth explanation of Insurance Coverages, please see What Car Insurance Coverage Do I Need in Pennsylvania.
If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident and have any questions, please contact KOTLAW at 215-644-8508 for a free consultation.
This guide is not a complete summary of the Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Law. It is designed to highlight certain important features of this law and should not be considered legal advice. All individual needs must be addressed on a case by case basis. If you have any questions concerning your coverage, please contact your insurance company representative.