After a night out with friends in downtown Bismarck, you call an Uber to take you home. Or your car is in the shop for the day, so you request a Lyft so you can drop your child off at daycare. These ridesharing services have become so convenient that we don’t give them much of a second thought.
You don’t imagine that the Lyft or Uber you’re taking could be in an accident. You don’t think about how you’ll pay for the medical bills if you get seriously injured in that crash, or what will happen if you miss work because of your injuries. Unfortunately, rideshare accidents happen frequently, whether you’re expecting them or not.
Fortunately for you, however, our Bismarck personal injury attorneys know exactly how to help you through a bad Uber or Lyft crash.
When you use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, there are many more factors at play than if you’re driving your own car.
There are multiple policies involved (the driver’s personal policy, the rideshare company’s coverage, etc.) and knowing which one applies is almost impossible without closely examining the facts of the accident.
Rideshare companies treat drivers as independent contractors, which basically makes it harder for you to hold the companies themselves legally accountable. You have to prove what the status of the driver’s rideshare app was to get the company’s insurance to pay. It’s much more complicated than a crash involving a company employee driving a company-owned vehicle, for example.
Rideshare crashes can involve:
Each may have different insurers and legal exposure, and each insurer may try to limit their payout. A rideshare claim often means negotiating with several companies at once, which is far more complicated than a typical two-vehicle claim.
If you want to access the full insurance coverage from a high-value policy like the ones Uber and Lyft have, you need a great deal more evidence than typical accidents. This usually means accessing:
Tracking down and requesting this evidence requires following specific legal procedures (such as sending subpoenas) and can be more involved than evidence-gathering for typical Bismarck car crashes.
In typical car accidents, you usually only deal with one driver’s insurance. In rideshare crashes, there are multiple layers of coverage that could apply depending on the driver’s status in their rideshare app.
For example:
This tiered system makes it difficult to determine who should pay what. One thing you can be certain of, however, is that most insurance companies—yours, the driver’s, the rideshare company’s—will try their best to minimize your settlement.
A good Uber and Lyft attorney will know how to sort through the maze of insurance coverage and negotiate for your fair compensation.
Who pays in a rideshare car crash depends on the conditions when the accident happened.
The personal auto insurance of the driver is usually the primary source of compensation for your injuries and property damage. The Uber or Lyft commercial policy doesn’t apply when the app is off.
The company’s contingent liability comes into play when a driver is online but hasn’t accepted a ride yet. However, this contingent liability usually only applies after the driver’s personal auto insurance.
Once a driver has accepted a ride request, the rideshare company’s commercial liability policy takes over. This usually provides up to $1 million in liability insurance for injuries and property damage and applies to passengers, other motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians injured in the crash caused by the rideshare driver.
Regardless of the driver’s status in the rideshare app, if someone other than the Uber or Lyft driver caused the accident, then the at-fault driver’s insurance is the initial source of compensation.
Situation | Primary Insurance That Pays |
Driver not logged in | Driver’s personal auto insurance |
Driver online, waiting for request | Personal insurance first, then contingent rideshare coverage |
Driver accepted ride / en route / passenger onboard | Rideshare company’s commercial policy (up to ~$1M) |
Other driver at fault | At-fault driver’s auto insurance |
In North Dakota, a rideshare accident generally means any motor vehicle collision involving an Uber, Lyft, or other Transportation Network Company (TNC) driver’s vehicle.
But not every crash with a rideshare vehicle automatically qualifies for rideshare-specific insurance coverage or claims. What matters most is what the driver was doing at the time of the crash and how the vehicle was being used
Applies when:
Applies when:
Applies when:
Even if you weren’t a passenger—for example, you were driving another car, walking, or biking—and a rideshare driver caused the crash, it still “counts” as a rideshare accident for the purposes of insurance coverage and injury claims.
North Dakota’s insurance system, with its no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) rules and the way rideshare companies structure their policies, means that defining your crash correctly affects what insurance applies and how your claim can be pursued.
If you try to handle the process yourself and end up misclassifying your Uber or Lyft crash, you most likely won’t get the compensation you need. Our Bismarck rideshare accident attorneys can do a full analysis of your crash, reconstructing the accident with the help of our full-time experts, and dig into the case to determine which insurance policy is supposed to cover your injuries.
There is no one-size-fits-all number. Settlement value depends heavily on injury severity, insurance coverage available, fault, and how the claim is handled. As Uber and Lyft have $1 million liability coverage that applies in some cases, it could be possible to have high-value compensation for serious injuries.
An experienced rideshare accident lawyer familiar with North Dakota’s insurance landscape and Uber/Lyft policies is critical for:
If you file an insurance claim and don’t have legal support, the insurer will probably offer you a low initial settlement that doesn’t reflect the full value of the damage you’ve suffered.
Rideshare accidents usually happen between two or more passenger cars, so the injuries tend to be similar to typical car crashes.
Even relatively minor collisions can cause serious harm because passengers aren’t expecting crashes and don’t have the chance to brace themselves. Rideshare vehicles also typically navigate dense urban traffic, making many stops and turns. This increases the likelihood of collisions.
Distracted driving could lead to a crash, as rideshare drivers are usually juggling navigation, passenger pickups, and ride requests all at once.
If you were injured in an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare crash in Bismarck, whether you were a passenger, another driver on the road, a pedestrian, or a cyclist, a rideshare accident attorney does far more than just file paperwork.
Because rideshare cases involve multiple insurance policies and complicated liability issues, legal help can make a big difference in the outcome of your case.
A rideshare accident lawyer can:
If you’ve been injured in an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare accident in Bismarck, you don’t have to face the insurance companies alone. At Lowe Law Group, our multidisciplinary team includes experienced attorneys, medical professionals, and forensic experts. We have specialists working together to build the strongest possible case and maximize your compensation.
We know this is a stressful time, so we make choosing a lawyer easy and risk-free:
Your recovery matters, and we’re here to fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
An Uber or Lyft accident lawyer can determine which insurance policy applies, identify responsible parties, and handle the claim process. Rideshare cases are often complex because multiple insurers may be involved. A lawyer can gather evidence, explain your options, and pursue compensation for injuries, lost income, and other damages.
You should speak with a rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible. Uber and Lyft claims can involve multiple insurance policies and complex coverage questions. Early legal help can preserve evidence, determine the driver’s app status, and protect your right to seek compensation for your injuries.
If the Uber driver caused the crash, a lawyer can gather evidence, determine the driver’s rideshare status at the time of the accident, identify which insurance coverage applies, and pursue compensation for injuries, lost income, and other damages. They can also handle negotiations with the insurance companies involved.
Your priority now is to heal. Ours is to win your case. Here’s our 3-Step Approach:
Let us listen to your story. We’ll provide a free, no pressure case evaluation.
Our team handles everything: the legal process, gathering paperwork, reviewing your medical treatment, and more.
We win your case and maximize your compensation or we don’t get paid, guaranteed.
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Being in a car accident and dealing with everything from the car damage to the injuries and everything in between is very…
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Thanks to Ethan for his gentle persuasion and persistent efforts.
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