Ride Share Accidents

Ride Share Accident Attorney in Denver

The popularity of ridesharing has exploded in recent years and offers many environmental, financial and safety benefits, including the ability to help keep intoxicated motorists off the road.  

However, an increasing number of injuries continue to be reported as a result of these services, from traffic collisions to physical and sexual assault. Because these services rely on independent contractors operating private vehicles, multiple insurance companies and their defense lawyers are typically involved in damage claims, making early consultation with an experienced Denver personal injury attorney vital when it comes to protecting the rights of victims.  

Injury claims against Uber of Lyft are the most common, as they are by far the two most popular ridesharing services in Colorado. However, Turo, the private vehicle rental service, and a number of other services, continue to grow in popularity.  

Ken Fiedler Injury Law provides passionate, principled and proven representation to victims and families looking for an experienced personal injury lawyer in Denver or the surrounding areas, including Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Ken Caryl, Columbine, Golden, Lakewood, Broomfield, and Arvada.  

Uber and Lyft Injury Claims  

Claims against Uber and Lyft have included:  

• Uber paid a $25 million settlement in connection with its “safest ride on the road” marketing campaign after it was alleged drivers in California underwent inferior screening to those of taxi drivers.  
• Hiring drivers with criminal backgrounds. 
• Hiring drivers who were homeless and living in their vehicles.  
• Wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits after serious and fatal auto accidents.  

• Lawsuits over categorizing drivers as independent contracts to limit the cost of employee benefits and limit accident liability.  
• Uber’s own data reveals more than 1,000 sexual assaults, including kidnapping, rape, stalking and false imprisonment.  

Ridesharing traffic accidents are complex claims involving both a ridesharing driver’s personal auto insurance policy, as well as the corporate liability policy of the ridesharing service. In addition, claims may be made against another at-fault driver’s insurance carrier, and even a victim’s own insurance company under optional uninsured-underinsured motorist coverage.  

Ridesharing Auto Accident Injury Claims  

A number of insurance coverage issues further complicate these claims, as does the presence of corporate insurance adjusters and defense attorneys working to limit liability at each stage of the process. Victims are always best served by early consultation with a ridesharing injury lawyer in Denver. Ken Fiedler Injury Law offers free and confidential consultations to discuss your rights.  

• Rideshare driver’s Insurance: Most private insurance companies exclude coverage when driving for hire. This means unless a rideshare driver notifies the insurance carrier that he or she is driving for hire, private insurance may attempt to reject a claim. Drivers who carry only the minimum required coverage in Colorado of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability may not have enough coverage to compensate victims for damages.  
• Corporate insurance: Both Unber and Lyft carry additional insurance, however both claim it is subordinate to a driver’s insurance policy. Lyft, for example, maintains third-party liability insurance of $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident, but indicates it is only available if a driver does not have insurance with similar limits.  

• Ride Status: Both Uber and Lyft determine available insurance coverage based on status of the ride app at the time of a collision. Lyft, for example, carries $1 million in third-party liability coverage if a driver is in an accident while en route to pick up a passenger, or while a passenger is in the vehicle. Uber carries similar third-party liability coverage.  
• At-Fault driver: When the other driver is at fault, his or her insurance carrier may be partly or completely responsible for damages. That does not mean coverage should not be available through the rideshare company, particularly if the at-fault driver’s insurance is exhausted.  
• Shared fault: It is not unusual for insurance companies to argue among themselves about the extent of shared liability after a serious or fatal accident. It is the job of your Denver rideshare injury lawyer to hold each of them accountable and to obtain all of the damages to which you are entitled under the law.