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Irvington Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyers

Services such as Uber and Lyft can present unique challenges if you are injured during an accident involving one of the company’s drivers. While New Jersey has enacted laws to protect consumers, tiered insurance coverage can cause difficulties in whether you are fully covered for injuries and other losses.

When you are injured in an Uber or Lyft accident, you need a knowledgeable legal team with experience handling these complex claims. Goldstein & Goldstein has over 50 years of combined experience advocating for clients injured by reckless drivers in a wide range of accidents. Our Irvington Uber and Lyft accident lawyers have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for clients.

What Types of Uber and Lyft Accidents Can Involve Passengers?

While Uber and Lyft accidents can occur in many ways, they generally involve four different scenarios involving passengers:

Driver caused or contributed to the accident.
Another driver strikes an Uber or Lyft vehicle.
Driver strikes a bicyclist or pedestrian.
Passenger is injured entering or exiting the vehicle.

Injuries suffered in an Uber or Lyft accident range from mild to severe, such as whiplash, neck and spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, organ and nerve damage, burns, broken bones, and death, among others.

Are Uber and Lyft Passengers Covered in an Accident?

New Jersey’s Transportation Network Company Safety and Regulatory Act (TNCSRA) requires Uber and Lyft to maintain active insurance policies of at least $1.5 million for bodily injury, property damage, and death. However, coverage is tiered based on the driver’s status at the time of the accident, which means there are circumstances in which you may not be fully covered in an accident. Coverage levels are divided as follows:

Period 0: Driver’s app is off with no customers. The driver’s personal auto insurance applies in an accident.
Period 1: The app is on and active, but no rides are accepted.
Period 2: Ride is accepted, and the driver is en route to pick up the customer
Period 3: The driver is transporting a customer to their destination.

During periods zero and tow, the driver’s personal auto insurance applies in an accident. During period one, coverage must include a minimum of $50,000 bodily injury per person, $100,000 per incident, and $25,000 for property damage. Full coverage applies during period three.

What Are Other TNCSRA Regulations for Uber and Lyft?

The Act was implemented in 2017 to address increasing concerns over the growing number of platforms and users and provides clear guidelines and requirements for companies operating in New Jersey, including:

Driver Responsibility: Drivers must carry at least the state’s minimum personal auto insurance coverage.
Background Checks: Companies must conduct thorough background checks for all drivers, including multi-state criminal histories, full driving history, and search on the National Sex Offender Registry. Drivers convicted of certain offenses in the past seven years, such as DUI, sex offenses, fraud, or violent acts, cannot be employed by Uber, Lyft, or any other livery platform or service.
Inspections: All vehicles used for Uber and Lyft services must be inspected every two years to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Identification: Vehicles used for Uber and Lyft services must display a prominently displayed marker identifying the company and the vehicle.
Consumer Protections: Companies must be transparent in fare pricing and electronic receipts and prohibit discrimination against passengers based on their destination, race, age, sexual orientation, or other protected status.

New Jersey’s related laws were enacted to prioritize safety and ensure that Uber and Lyft operations meet state standards, minimizing potential liabilities and disputes in case of accidents.

How Is Personal Injury Protection Insurance Applied in Uber and Lyft Accidents?

All vehicle owners in New Jersey must carry up to $250,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance and auto insurance. Injured parties must first use their own PIP coverage for medical expenses following an accident.

Uber and Lyft drivers must carry $1.5 million PIP coverage per occurrence through the company, independently, or both, which applies when the driver causes an accident. The popularity of services such as Uber and Lyft has created some grey areas regarding insurance coverage, depending on who is injured in an accident, such as:

Driver: Drivers whose auto policies include a “commercial use” exclusion may not be covered under PIP insurance if the insurer concludes the vehicle was operating commercially during the accident. Companies often claim that PIP coverage falls under the same categories as limousines and taxis. However, New Jersey does not require limousines and taxis to carry PIP insurance.
Passenger: If you are injured as a passenger and do not have PIP insurance, you may be covered under the driver or company insurance policy.
Pedestrian: The company’s liability insurance may cover those whose medical expenses exceed coverage limits.

What Should I Do If I Am Injured in an Uber or Lyft Accident in Irvington?

Immediately following an Uber or Lyft accident, you should report the accident, exchange insurance and contact information with the driver, gather witness statements, and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Be sure to limit conversation, do not accept fault, and keep all records related to the accident.

Uber and Lyft accidents are more challenging, and you must contact an experienced Irvington car accident lawyer to review your case, discuss your options, and negotiate maximum compensation for your injuries and losses.

Should I Hire a Lawyer After an Uber or Lyft Accident?

You are not required to hire a lawyer after an accident; however, claims against multi-billion-dollar companies like Uber and Lyft are challenging to manage without experienced legal representation. You are also less likely to recover the total value of your damages.

When working with an Irvington Uber and Lyft accident lawyer at Goldstein and Goldstein, we will investigate the scene, collect evidence, review police reports, interview witnesses, establish fault, consult experts, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you during a trial.

The Irvington Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyers at Goldstein & Goldstein Help Clients Recover Damages Following an Accident

Uber and Lyft offer easy and convenient transportation but may not protect customers in an accident. At Goldstein & Goldstein, our experienced Irvington Uber and Lyft accident lawyers fight back against companies to secure compensation. Call 973-675-8277 or visit us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in East Orange, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout the surrounding areas.