Whether getting a safe ride to local Dalton watering holes like Crescent City Tavern or helping you get to the grocery store when you don’t have access to a car, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have become a vital form of transit infrastructure. Unfortunately, the rise in their usage has also led to an increase in dangerous and deadly accidents across the country.
Making matters worse, the options for obtaining an insurance payout after a rideshare accident can be confusing. Depending on the situation, you may have access to the rideshare company’s commercial policy, or you may be forced to use the driver’s personal policy. Insurers may even try to deny you coverage for arbitrary reasons.
Know that both rideshare and insurance companies want to protect their bottom line — directly at your own expense. They will say and do anything they can to avoid paying you the full value of your injury claim after a rideshare accident in Dalton.
The CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm helps you fight back against big money interests when you are hurt. We represent rideshare crash victims in Dalton on their journey to recover the costs of their medical bills and other damages.
Find out how to pursue a claim for the most compensation possible, and what you can do to protect your legal rights, when you call (706) 307-4676 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation case review with a Dalton rideshare lawyer near you.
When Should I Call a Dalton Rideshare Accident Attorney After an Accident?
The best time to reach out to a rideshare accident lawyer in Dalton is right after you know you have been hurt. Always take the time to A) report your accident and B) seek a full medical evaluation as soon as possible after a crash.
If your medical exam shows signs of injury — or you still feel hurt after getting cleared by a doctor — then it can be in your own best legal and financial interests to hire an attorney to represent you.
Critically, injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. That phrase means that their payment is contingent on you obtaining some form of settlement or award for your accident damages.
If they are unable to get any money for you, you owe them nothing. When they do secure payment for your damages, you simply pay an agreed-upon percentage of the final amount.
Rideshare companies will want to avoid paying you for damages to the extent possible after your accident. They may not even call in the accident because rideshare company policies discourage their drivers from doing so.
When you do report your injury, they may offer you a meager payout that fails to account for the full extent of damages you have suffered. They may also try to deny your claim, often deferring you to use someone else’s insurance policy or your own as a favorite tactic.
Your attorney protects you from misinformation and pressure tactics wielded by rideshare companies and their insurers. They’ll analyze the circumstances of your wreck, help you determine who is liable, and look for all available sources of compensation.
Just as important, they will also work to estimate your damages in full, including projected future losses, in order to help you avoid signing for a settlement that leaves you paying out of pocket in the end.
In short, there is never a bad time to call an attorney, and they can step in at any point in the process to assist. If nothing else, strongly consider having an attorney review a potential settlement before you sign an agreement; otherwise, you will likely be unable to recover costs that weren’t accounted for once the settlement is received.
What Insurance Is Available After a Rideshare Accident in Dalton?
The insurance available after a rideshare accident depends on the circumstances of the crash, including:
- Whether the driver of the rideshare vehicle was currently carrying a passenger (including you) or en route to pick one up
- The actual cause of the accident, i.e., whether it is the rideshare driver’s fault, another driver’s, or some other third-party
When the Rideshare Company’s Fully Commercial Liability Insurance Applies
In many situations, the rideshare company will provide coverage for an accident that has been caused by the driver using their app.
This coverage applies only when the driver is either:
- Currently transporting you or someone else as a passenger
- En route to pick up a passenger after a ride has been requested
In the past, these liability policies covered a minimum of $1 million in damages resulting from personal injury or destruction of personal property, but a Georgia law passed in 2023 allows rideshare companies to reduce this coverage to as little as $100,000 — a 90% reduction. Nevertheless, it is critical to seek the highest coverage amount possible, which is why it is so important to find out whether the rideshare driver’s app was active and whether they were on an officially requested trip.
Rideshare Companies Provide Partial Coverage Any Time the App Is in Use
After public outcry by rideshare drivers and concerned citizens, rideshare companies now provide their own commercial liability coverage any time a driver is logged into the app and looking for possible fares.
However, this coverage is going to be greatly reduced compared to the coverage available while a ride is requested or in progress.
When an injury occurs while the app is in use, Uber offers $50,000 per person and a maximum of $100,000 per accident for third-person liability coverage. Lyft currently offers the same coverage amounts in this situation, as well.
The Driver’s Personal Insurance Policy Applies When the App Is Off
If a driver is currently not using the rideshare company’s app to look for fares, then they must use their own personal insurance policy to cover any damages they cause.
Georgia’s current insurance minimums are:
- $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
- $25,000 per accident for vehicle repairs and other personal property damage
Many insurance companies will try to deny coverage to rideshare drivers, even when they were not technically using the vehicle for money-earning purposes at the time of the crash.
Refer to a personal injury attorney in Dalton for assistance with handling an insurance claim and to identify all potential sources of compensation, just in case insurers try to deny coverage for such reasons.
Do I Have to Be a Rideshare Passenger at the Time of the Accident to Be Covered by the Company’s Commercial Policy?
Commercial liability coverage applies to all accident injuries, regardless of the situation, so long as the rideshare driver was determined to be the primary cause of the accident.
Therefore, rideshare company insurance can apply in any of the following situations:
- You were driving or riding in another vehicle that was hit by a rideshare driver
- You were walking, biking, or otherwise not in a vehicle and were hit by a rideshare driver
- You were a passenger in a rideshare who was hurt when your driver caused an accident
What if Another Driver Was at Fault for the Accident?
In situations where the rideshare driver was at fault, the rideshare company’s insurance will likely deny coverage for the wreck. Instead, the injured party must seek compensation from the at-fault party’s liability policy (i.e., the insurance coverage of the driver who caused the wreck).
What Damages Can I Recover After My Rideshare Accident?
A rideshare insurance payout should cover all of the following damages, as is applicable to your situation:
- Medical bills stemming from the accident injury, including all initial emergency treatment as well as hospitalization, surgery, diagnostics, testing, medications, and the projected costs of future care
- Lost wages, compensating you for all reductions in income and benefits caused by your inability to work your normal duties and schedule while you are recovering
- Out-of-pocket costs, including the costs of towing your vehicle, buying over-the-counter injury treatment remedies approved by your doctor, or even replacing services you once provided your household prior to the accident
- Pain and suffering compensation for the intangible distress, physical pain, emotional hardship, and loss of enjoyment of life you have endured
- Vehicle repair and replacement, as well as the costs of repairing or replacing any other personal property damaged in the accident, such as clothing, jewelry, or electronic devices
Your attorney will help you review all expenses you have incurred as a result of your accident to determine what will be eligible to claim. Save all receipts and documentation in order to ensure that applicable coverage is not overlooked.
We Are a Dalton Rideshare Accident Law Firm That Wants to Help Your Case Succeed
Ridesharing services can be empowering, in many ways, for both drivers and passengers using the platform. However, these companies can also try to take power away from injury victims when they attempt to avoid paying for the costs of an injury their driver inflicted.
Any time you have been hurt and are worried about your ability to pay for your medical costs and other losses, reach out to the attorney team that will fight for your legal rights. Ali Awad, a native of Dalton, GA, aims to assist the community in any way he can, helping them recover from their accidents and seek to return to as normal life as possible.
When you are ready to learn more about your legal rights and what damages you could be eligible to receive, call (706) 307-4676 or contact us online to schedule a free, no-obligation case review with our Dalton, GA, law offices.
