What happens if you get hurt in a ride-sharing crash?

Ride-sharing apps are convenient and cost-effective. However, they also create a lot of questions when it comes to responsibility and liability. Consumers who use these apps often don’t consider the potential risks of doing so until something unpleasant happens.

Crashes that injure passengers in rideshare vehicles give rise to a lot of questions. One of the biggest concerns for a passenger will involve who pays for their injuries and losses.

Is the driver responsible? Is the company that runs the rideshare app responsible? Will the other driver involved in the crash have to pay for their losses? How does liability work for passengers who experience a crash in a rideshare vehicle?

Fault plays a role in whose insurance must pay

Florida’s motor vehicle insurance program is largely liability-based. There are different requirements for passenger vehicles and for vehicles operating as taxis. Those operating their vehicles in a commercial capacity will need to carry $125,000 of bodily injury coverage for a single person’s injuries and at least $50,000 for property damage liability. Those in passenger vehicles only need to carry $10,000 worth of property damage liability and personal injury protection.

In other words, the driver of the other vehicle that hit a rideshare vehicle may not have medical coverage that applies to the other vehicle, which means you may have to make a claim against the rideshare driver’s bodily injury coverage, even though they aren’t responsible for the crash. Any damage to your possessions would require a claim against the other driver’s coverage.

If your rideshare driver is at fault, you should be able to make a claim against the policy on their vehicle. It is also common for rideshare companies to provide coverage for passengers who use their apps to hire a driver.

Proper documentation and reporting is crucial after a rideshare crash

Some rideshare drivers don’t carry the higher taxi-level coverage like they probably should. They may just carry basic liability coverage that may deny your claim because of the rideshare situation. Then you will have to negotiate a claim against the company’s insurance, which could be a difficult process.

Taking photographs of the crash, making sure you have copies of the police report, and documenting your property damage and injuries will help you pursue compensation after a motor vehicle crash in a rideshare vehicle.