The rise of Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies has changed the face of public transportation. Rideshare apps let people avoid long waits at bus stops and expensive private taxi rides. Rideshare companies also provide people with additional income.
However, these rideshare companies do not actually hire the drivers. This means they are not responsible for their actions in the same way a bus company is responsible for a bus driver’s acts following a bus accident. If you are injured by a Lyft or Uber driver, you need to take additional steps to ensure you receive fair compensation from the driver and from the rideshare company. Determining fault after a Little Rock Lyft accident requires help from the Uber/Lyft/rideshare wreck attorneys at Rainwater, Holt & Sexton.
Under Arkansas law, rideshare drivers are considered independent contractors. They set their own hours, drive their own vehicles, and are responsible for maintaining their own insurance. However, Arkansas law requires “transportation network companies (TNCs)” to carry third-party insurance to protect drivers in the event of accidents.
Arkansas Code § 23-13-709 requires all Little Rock Lyft drivers to maintain minimum liability auto insurance coverage in the event they are liable for an accident. Since this minimum coverage is quickly exhausted even in a minor accident, the state requires third-party coverage of up to $1 million for bodily injury.
After a rideshare accident, you should take a moment to get the driver’s license number and license plate number. Your attorney may subpoena rideshare app information later.
You need to know whether the driver was working (“on app”) or not, because this will affect whether you can file a claim against the rideshare’s third-party insurance and determine possible damage caps.
If the driver has not turned the app on, only the driver’s insurance applies. If the driver is “on app” but has not picked up a passenger and causes an accident, the rideshare company provides gap coverage once the driver’s insurance pays out. This gap coverage pays up to $50,000 for one person and $100,000 per accident. If the driver has a passenger and is responsible for an accident, the full third-party insurance applies, up to $1 million in damages.
Your Little Rock attorney could help you identify fault for the Lyft crash and file the right claim with the proper insurer after a rideshare accident.
After a rideshare accident, you may need legal advice to help determine fault and file a claim with the insurers who are involved with the accident. At Rainwater, Holt & Sexton, our experienced attorneys could give you the information you need to gather the evidence and file your case. We could review your claim and give you the support and help you need, so you can get the compensation you deserve. Call us today for help determining fault after a Little Rock Lyft accident and seeking fair compensation.
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