Rideshare Accidents: Legal Implications and Safety Tips

Rideshare services are incredibly helpful when you need to get somewhere specific in a certain amount of time, especially when you don’t have access to your own vehicle. They also are critical in situations where you may have had a bit too much to drink and to get home, choose a rideshare service over driving yourself. 

Still, rideshare drivers are no different than your average driver, despite the fact that they may have more driving miles under their belt. Mistakes can still happen in a rideshare vehicle which can lead to a car accident. If you were in a rideshare accident, you must understand what your legal rights are and what you need to do to get the financial compensation you are owed for the losses you suffered.

The Pennsylvania rideshare accident injury attorneys at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP are uniquely qualified and experienced in the complexities of rideshare accidents. When you were injured in a rideshare accident, an attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP can assist you with your injury claim.

Obtaining Financial Compensation After a Rideshare Accident

A rideshare driver must obey all of the same laws that your private driver has to and when they are negligent, they can be held liable for the resulting damages victims suffer. For example, there are several different types of negligent driving behaviors that a rideshare driver can engage in that can put their passengers in danger. Some of these include distracted driving, driving while intoxicated, speeding, or violations of the rules of the road. Passengers should always make sure that to stay as safe as possible in case of a crash, they sit in the backseat, and always wear a seatbelt.

Since rideshare drivers are on the road so often, their risk of being in an accident is increased more than your average private driver. For this reason, Pennsylvania rideshare driver laws mandate that drivers must have a minimum of $500,000 worth of insurance coverage for property damages, bodily injury, and death. Additionally, rideshare drivers are required to have a minimum of $25,000 of medical benefits coverage for their passengers and pedestrians. Due to the higher insurance requirements that the law sets for rideshare drivers, when an accident happens, victims have a better chance of being able to recover the total amount of compensation they are owed.

In cases where the rideshare driver does not have enough insurance or any insurance at all, then when a crash happens, it can be possible to hold the rideshare service financially accountable. In other words, if you are in a driver’s car who driving for Uber, and they do not have the lawful amount of insurance coverage, you can file your claim against Uber.

Speak with an Attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP

Rideshare accidents can be a little more complicated for victims to obtain compensation than a normal car accident, but that doesn’t mean that victims do not have options to get the money they need for their losses.

Call Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP today to schedule a free consultation at (215) 731-9900 so you can discuss your rideshare accident injury claim with a knowledgeable attorney.