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The rideshare industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, making it easier than ever for people to hail a ride no matter where they are. And yet, with so many of these drivers on the road, there is an increased risk that you will get into an accident with one of them. If you’ve been hit, the guide below explains what personal injury law says about fault and what you should do after a collision.

How Rideshares Work

Rideshares are app-based services. The app finds drivers in the vicinity. One of those drivers will accept a passenger's ride request and they will show up to the passenger's location, typically within minutes.

Drivers are independent contractors, not employees of the rideshare company. Unlike taxi and limo services, they drive their own cars and are responsible for gas, insurance, and upkeep costs.

How Fault Is Determined

Determining responsibility in a rideshare accident is similar to in a normal accident. The victim must prove that the rideshare driver was negligent and that this negligence caused the accident and resulted in verifiable damages, such as medical bills and lost wages.

In a normal car crash, you would file a claim with the at-fault driver's insurance company; this should also be your first step in an accident with a rideshare driver. However, since they are driving their personal car for a commercial reason, as all rideshare drivers do, a personal auto policy likely won't cover accident damages, which is why they should have commercial insurance. If they don’t, the subject becomes trickier.

Some rideshare services offer liability policies that cover losses resulting from driver negligence, so this is another option to explore.

Bear in mind that Arizona's accident and personal injury laws follow a comparative negligence doctrine, which means that if both parties were injured, they can both seek damages from the other so long as they both contributed to the accident in some way.

What to Dopersonal injury law

If you've been involved in an accident with a rideshare driver, start collecting evidence right away that will help prove who was at fault. Call the police and get checked out by medical personnel as soon as possible.

Take photos of the accident scene and any injuries sustained, and swap insurance information with the driver. Request copies of the police report and your medical records. Obtain contact information for witnesses to the accident.

You should also contact an attorney who practices accident and personal injury law to learn the next, most appropriate steps to take. They have experience investigating these kinds of cases, as well as fighting for due compensation for their clients.

 

When you need an attorney in the Phoenix, AZ, area, trust Ely, Bettini, Ulman, Rosenblatt, & Ozer, Attorneys at Law. They have more than 200 years' combined experience in accident and personal injury law cases, and they have recovered more than $100 million for their clients.  Call (800) 303-2144 to schedule a consultation. Visit their website to learn more about their practice areas.

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