In recent years, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have become essential aspects of many people’s lives. Millions of drivers depend on these rideshare companies for income, just as millions of passengers depend on these rideshare companies for transportation. Many of the passengers that use Uber and Lyft routinely do so as an alternative to driving after a night of partying and drinking. Even if passengers do not use rideshare services to prevent themselves from driving under the influence, they ride with Uber and Lyft with the expectation that they will be safe.
In Uber and Lyft’s increased popularity, there has been a rise in rideshare accidents. These accidents occur for a variety of reasons, many of which are uncontrollable factors. Rideshare companies boast of their safety, but what if their drivers’ negligence and recklessness caused the accident? What if an Uber passenger is injured because the Uber driver was drunk and got into an accident? What are your rights if you were injured in an Uber or Lyft accident because the driver was drunk or high?
If you were injured because of the recklessness of an intoxicated Uber driver, you must immediately contact a lawyer in Los Angeles to sue Uber for driving under the influence. Are you unsure of your rights as an injured passenger? Do not worry; the attorneys at Normandie Law Firm will help you. Our Los Angeles Uber accident lawyers for drunk-driving accidents have experience handling rideshare accidents and can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
In the sections below, you will find information regarding your legal situation after suffering injuries because of a drunk Uber driver or intoxicated Lyft driver. Although you should find the sections below informative, you should not use the details provided in place of a consultation with an Uber driver drunk attorney. You should immediately contact our law firm to schedule a consultation to speak to our experienced attorneys.
Liability
Before we discuss Uber accident due to Uber driver being intoxicated and Lyft accident because the Lyft driver was intoxicated, we must discuss liability for all rideshare accidents. Rideshare drivers are all independent contractors, which means Uber and Lyft have no liability if they are involved in auto accidents. If Uber and Lyft are not liable for auto accidents, who is? If you were injured in an accident involving Uber or Lyft, injured victims would file a lawsuit against the party who caused the accident—this responsible party could be the rideshare driver or another driver. The injured victims would be covered under the liable driver’s personal insurance policy.
Rideshare Companies and the One Million Dollar Policies
Uber and Lyft are known to be covered by a one million dollar insurance policy. Although it seems too good to be true, these two rideshare companies effectively have million dollar policies—these policies cover liability, uninsured drivers, and underinsured drivers. These one million dollar insurance policies apply to rideshare drivers, passengers, and other parties outside the rideshare vehicle. However, Uber and Lyft’s one million dollar insurance policy only applies under certain circumstances. Below, you will find additional information on when the one million dollar insurance policy applies:
- Rideshare driver—the rideshare million dollar policy only applies when the driver is logged into the rideshare app either with or without a passenger. If the driver is injured while he or she is logged into the app, but does not have a passenger, the policy will partially cover the driver. If the driver is on the way to pick up a passenger or already has a passenger in the vehicle, the million dollar policy will completely cover the injuries.
- Rideshare passenger—if the liable driver is uninsured or underinsured, the passengers will be covered by the million dollar policy.
- Other parties—if the rideshare driver is on an active ride during the accident that leaves other parties injuries, these other parties will be covered by the million dollar policy.
Although you might believe that the Uber and Lyft one million dollar policies would automatically apply, they do not. The one million dollar policies are contingent on the liable driver’s personal insurance policy. That is, injured victims would first make claims against the liable party’s insurance policy—whether it be the rideshare driver or another party. If the liable party is uninsured or underinsured, the injured victims could file a claim to be covered by the million dollar policy. For more information on the Uber and Lyft million dollar policies, you must immediately contact our law firm and speak to our attorneys.
Rideshare Companies and the Zero-Tolerance Policies
Uber and Lyft both have policies against their drivers taking active rides while intoxicated. Uber’s Zero Tolerance Policy states that the company does not tolerate intoxication in their rideshare drivers. The policy advises any passengers that suspect their drivers to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol to immediately end the ride and report the incident. Lyft’s Zero-Tolerance Policy also clearly states that it is unacceptable for rideshare drivers take active rides while they are intoxicated; the policy also advises passengers to report the incident immediately. During routine background checks, Uber and Lyft identify instances in which potential drivers have driven under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Drivers with DUI’s will not be allowed to drive for the rideshare companies.
Possible Injuries
If your rideshare vehicle crashed because the driver while driving drunk, you might suffer an array of injuries. If the Uber car crashed and you got injured because the driver was drunk, you might experience the injuries below:
- Head and traumatic brain injuries
- Neck, shoulder, and shoulder injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations, bruises, and scrapes
- Fractures, broken bones, sprains, and strains
If you suffered unforeseen injuries, you might be left with expensive medical bills. The Uber passenger can sue Uber for their injuries, as the Lyft passenger can sue Lyft for their injuries. However, rather than suing the company directly, victims would be making claims to their insurance policy.
Are You Covered Under the One Million Dollar Policy?
If you are injured because your rideshare driver was driving under the influence, you might be covered under the one million dollar policy. However, before you make a claim to Uber or Lyft’s insurance policy, you must immediately make a claim against the liable driver’s insurance policy. If the driver is uninsured or underinsured, you might be covered under Uber or Lyft’s one million dollar policy. You must immediately contact our law firm to speak with an experienced attorney for Uber accidents and Lyft accidents; our attorneys will guide you towards filing a claim with the one million dollar policy.
Compensation Available for Your Injuries
What type of compensation might you receive if you take legal action after you were injured by an Uber or Lyft driver that was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol? You might be eligible to receive the following forms of compensation:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damage
Although there are many forms of compensation, you are not guaranteed to be eligible to receive every type of compensation listed above. The type of compensation and amount of compensation you are eligible to receive will strictly depend on the details of your case. For information on compensation and the value of your claim, you must immediately contact our law firm to speak with an attorney in Los Angeles with experience in Uber accidents and Lyft accidents.
Our Law Firm Can Help You
Normandie Law Firm has handled many personal injury claims throughout the years. Our experienced attorneys have helped many injured victims recover the compensation they deserve. Uber and Lyft auto accidents can be complicated matters, even more so when the rideshare driver was intoxicated. If you are unsure about your rights as an injured victim, you must immediately contact our attorneys to get the information you need. Our attorneys will give you all the information you need to start the legal process against those responsible.
Our law firm believes that every injured rideshare accident victim should have access to legal assistance. Unfortunately, many people never receive compensation for their injuries because they do not have access to a trustworthy law firm. They do not have information about their rights, do not know how to proceed legally, or believe that they do not have the financial means to file a lawsuit. Our law firm is dedicated to changing accessibility to legal assistance one claim at a time. We offer free consultations and free second opinions to all injured victims. These no-cost services allow injured victims to contact our law firm and get the information they need without ever having to worry about paying any fees. During free consultations, our attorneys answer all questions and address all concerns; they give victims the confidence to take legal action. During free second opinions, our attorneys fill any information gaps that might have been left by previous incompetent attorneys. Our attorneys will give you and your claim all the time you need to ensure that your case is back on the right track. Scheduling these free legal services is easy; you simply have to call or email our law firm, and a friendly member of our legal staff will help you set up an appointment for you to visit our law firm and speak to our experienced attorneys.
Our free consultations and free second opinions are available through our law firm’s Zero-Fee guarantee. Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that our clients can contact our law firm and get the legal assistance they need without ever having to worry about paying any upfront fees for our services. Our law firm is also strictly based on contingency; therefore, clients will not pay any legal fees until our experienced attorneys win their lawsuit. Do not hesitate—if you were injured because your Uber or Lyft driver was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you must immediately contact our attorneys.
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