What Happens if My Uber or Lyft Driver is Uninsured?

In a recent Fox news story out of St. Petersburg, Florida, a passenger was injured during a Lyft ride — and says that the Lyft driver was uninsured at the time of the accident. Cameron Decker, the Lyft passenger, is now looking to Lyft for answers after he discovered post-accident that his driver did not have up-to-date insurance. Decker suffered a severe neck injury, with multiple herniated discs and disc bulges in his neck and lower back, which has prevented him from returning to his usual day job as a trained saxophonist. What’s more, Decker says his medical bills have been piling up, and he isn’t sure when — or if — Lyft will take responsibility for this unfortunate accident.

Who is Responsible After A Rideshare Accident?

Stories like this have been flooding news outlets lately, with injured passengers taking issue with the way that big rideshare companies, such as Lyft and Uber, are handling accident claims and incidents where the driver was uninsured. Riders in big cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles often rely on rideshare companies to get to and from work, important appointments, and fun nights out on the town. Nobody expects to be left in a position like Cameron Decker was, earlier this year, stranded at the scene of an accident by his Lyft driver.

“Decker’s attorney says the driver had the correct policy when he started driving for the company, but at some point stopped paying the premiums and kept driving for the ride-sharing service.” “How does this even happen?” Decker wanted to know, “Does Lyft not check in on their drivers monthly to make sure they are carrying the proper insurance?!”

Fox 13 reached out to Lyft to ask how often they check to see if drivers are continuing to carry the required coverage.

According to Lyft, they fired the driver responsible, who also refused to exchange information with Decker before leaving him at the scene. They also said they were “working on getting an answer” to the question of checking insurance, but “wanted to reiterate all Lyft drivers are required to demonstrate proof of insurance when they are first hired.”

This answer does not seem to properly address Cameron Decker’s situation, a situation that many other rideshare users find themselves in when they discover, after an accident, that their driver was not properly insured. This leads many Uber or Lyft passengers to take matters into their own hands by hiring a personal accident attorney.

What Should I Do if My Lyft or Uber Driver is Uninsured?

Uber and Lyft instruct their drivers to call 911 and ensure their passengers receive any necessary medical attention in the case of an accident. If your Uber or Lyft driver doesn’t follow this protocol, make sure that you take these steps to make sure everybody involved is okay.

After these essential steps, Uber and Lyft do not make it clear what happens in the case of an accident. Their websites enable riders to reach out to the company if an accident occurs, but the companies are not transparent about what happens after that. It is highly recommended to bring your case to an attorney in the case of a rideshare accident because you’re up against big businesses that must protect their drivers and reputation.

In any case, you should demand the following information from anyone involved in the accident:

• Name, address, and phone number
• Role in the accident (driver, passenger, rideshare passenger, etc.)
• Personal insurance information
• Lyft/Uber’s insurance information
• Vehicle information (make, model, registration number, and license plate number)

In addition, you should attempt to get the accounts of any witnesses as well as their information for follow-up. You should also take detailed pictures of the scene of the crash, including any damage to vehicles, properties, or persons.

Because you may ultimately be dealing with multiple insurance agencies (your own, the other driver’s, and Lyft or Uber’s), it is extremely beneficial to get as much information as you can on the front-end. All of this information will prove useful to your attorney when making your case as strong and sound as possible.

If you or a loved one is injured in a rideshare accident in the Los Angeles area, reach out to our offices today. We are experienced in dealing with complicated rideshare cases, so we’ll know what to do to get your bills paid and to put your mind at ease.