Long Island Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Giuffré Law Offices can Help After a Long Island Rideshare Crash
At Giuffré Law Offices, we are experienced in handling the rideshare car crashes in Long Island, Queens, Brooklyn and throughout NYC. Call Giuffré Law Offices at 516-802-9912 for a free consultation and immediate help getting medical care and compensation for your rideshare crash injuries.
Rideshare companies cover their drivers with million-dollar insurance policies
If you get hurt in a crash with a rideshare driver, it can be confusing to determine which insurance policy applies. If the driver is logged in to the app and actually engaged in a ride – meaning the driver is currently transporting a passenger or is en route toward picking up a passenger engaged through the app – then the rideshare company covers the driver with a $1 million insurance policy.
If the driver is logged into the app but hasn’t accepted any ride requests when the accident happens, look to the driver’s personal auto liability policy, not Uber or Lyft’s policy. An experienced Long Island rideshare accident lawyer can help you understand your options and fight to make sure you are taken care of after a crash.
Are rideshare accidents more or less likely to happen than other car accidents?
You would expect that rideshare drivers are safer than other drivers. After all, they are driving professionally and should take extra care when transporting passengers. However, just because they are driving for money does not necessarily make them professional drivers.
Also, rideshare drivers are more apt to be distracted by the maps app on their phone or other navigation they are using to get to their destination. Experienced New York cabbies know the city like the back of their hands, but many a rideshare passenger has lamented the fact that their drivers have no idea where they are going. Some rideshare drivers might be very skilled, attentive and familiar with city streets; you just have no idea who you will get when you hail a driver through your app.
Another important point is that rideshare drivers put a lot of miles on their cars, but they don’t have in-house mechanics keeping their vehicles in good repair at all times. A recent study showed that one in six Uber and Lyft drivers in NYC have open recalls on their vehicles, with issues ranging from detaching seat belts and defective airbags to sudden engine failure.
