Uber and Lyft are “ride sharing” services who can help get you from point A to point B saving you time and money in the process. Their cars are typically newer, typically clean and you have some level of control over your driver because you can see how other passengers have rated them. Like with many things in the “Gig” marketplace the devil is in the details.
Few people know these drivers aren’t required to take additional safety training related to operating a commercial vehicle or in regards to the serious business of transporting passengers. These drivers are considered common carriers and are subject to the same rules as bus drivers and even pilots of commercial airliners. The next question a few unfortunate passengers have to grapple with is who is responsible in the event of an accident. In some states this answer can be a bit complex but in California you sue the parent company. Even knowing this the waters can still get murky.
Both Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors and it’s difficult to sue the parent company directly if the driver is at fault and injuries were sustained. In cases like this the passenger would file suit against the driver of the ride share to recover compensation for their injuries. Even though they’re independent contractors they are typically covered under the parent company’s $1 million insurance policy. There are a lot of words like “typically” and “often” and for insurance companies those are words they use to avoid liability and compensation for injuries. The potential for confusion and the use of words like these are why it’s essential you hire an experienced law firm like GB Legal to protect your interests.
Make no mistake, it can be very difficult to sue a ride sharing service directly for injuries unless you can prove they were at fault. You may be able to sue if you can prove they were negligent in hiring a particular driver. If you have to sue the driver directly you need to try to file a claim against the ride sharing companies insurance carrier and this is an overly complicated undertaking.
We represent people who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. At the end of the day your case can only be settled one time and you need to know all of the facts beforehand. The reason that insurance companies have paid our clients in excess of $130,000,000.00 is that we get the facts and are not intimidated at the prospect of going to trial when they refuse to follow the law. We help with serious issues that require serious representation. We are the Law Offices of Guenard & Bozarth. We have over 80 years of experience in our plaintiff’s only law firm. Call GB Legal 24/7/365 at 888-809-1075 or visit www.gblegal.com We Can Help!
