Are You a Rideshare Victim?

Have you been a victim of a rideshare accident – either as a passenger or as an innocent bystander on the street? If so, you may be eligible for compensation, including first party medical benefits (i.e. hospital bills and medical treatments) regardless of whether you own a car or hold car insurance.

Pennsylvania requires rideshare companies, like Uber and Lyft, to carry higher levels of insurance than that required of an automobile owner. There are two levels of insurance that must be held by rideshare drivers: one for the time when they are in the car but are not currently involved in a passenger pickup and one for when the driver is involved in a passenger pickup or delivery.

Moreover, rideshare companies’ insurance carriers face higher no fault first party medical (PIP) claims exposure in accidents involving uninsured rideshare passengers. Under ride share statutes, the PIP coverage is (at minimum) $25,000 for rideshare passengers and pedestrians who do not own a car or hold car insurance.

There is also a great impact on uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage. When a rideshare driver is engaged with a prearranged ride, the rideshare company must have insurance coverage up to at least $1M per occurrence. The statutory minimum is only $500,000 in Pennsylvania therefore rideshare vehicles must carry more insurance than most personal autos.

These higher insurance levels are available to you as a rideshare victim.

If you have been a pedestrian hit by a rideshare vehicle or you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle during an accident (whether or not your driver was at fault), contact Leonard Sciolla. Our attorneys understand rideshare insurance nuances and can help you get the full benefits you deserve under the rideshare driver’s policy.