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When you suffer injuries in an accident in a rideshare vehicle or with a rideshare driver, you may struggle to figure out what comes next or how to handle your injury claim. Uber/Lyft/Rideshare accidents in Chicago may leave you with high medical costs, serious impact to your income, and a long road to recovery. Working with a seasoned car accident attorney can help you determine how much compensation you deserve and how to best seek recovery for your losses.
Uber and Lyft, the major rideshare companies in the Chicago area, both offer substantial insurance policies that can provide considerable compensation after an accident, including compensation for both financial and non-financial losses. However, coverage can vary depending on the driver’s state at the time of the accident.
When a rideshare driver does not have the app turned on, even if they regularly drive for their provider, they typically do not have any coverage under that rideshare provider. That means that if an accident occurs, the injured party will seek compensation through the rideshare driver’s personal insurance provider.
When the rideshare driver does not have a current rider, but has the app on waiting for a ride, they will have some coverage under the rideshare provider’s insurance protections. That includes up to:
During this period, if a Uber/Lyft/rideshare accident in Chicago occurs, injured individuals can seek compensation through the coverage offered by Uber or Lyft.
Once the driver accepts a ride, coverage can increase considerably. Minimum insurance coverage includes at least $1,000,000 in third-party auto liability coverage. In most cases, injured drivers and passengers in Chicago can use that coverage to take care of the damages they sustained during an Uber or Lyft-involved crash.
Rideshare drivers in Chicago do not have to pass any special training or receive special licenses. As a result, they have the same likelihood of getting into an accident as any other driver. They may also have a greater risk of getting into an accident due to increased risk of distraction as they try to use the app while driving, or because they are rushing to move on to the next passenger. Furthermore, rideshare drivers may end up driving while drowsy, since they may push to drive during peak hours or spend a lot of hours behind the wheel each day. Rideshare drivers may also have passengers who cause a greater risk of distraction, since they may pick up individuals who are drunk or otherwise cannot drive themselves safely.
The major rideshare companies have a strong legal team on their side that can fight to reduce the compensation they have to pay out for the damages sustained in the accident. You need equally strong support on your side that will fight on your behalf to seek fair compensation for the losses you sustained in the accident, including your medical costs, any wage losses, and your pain and suffering. If you suffered injuries in a Uber/Lyft/rideshare accidents in Chicago, contact McCready Law to discuss your claim with a trustworthy personal injury attorney.