Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft have become increasingly popular in Baton Rouge over recent years. These services offer a convenient and fairly inexpensive way for people to get around while also reducing the impact of motor vehicles on the environment. While rideshare services are convenient, the drivers who operate these vehicles are no more immune to becoming involved in a crash than any other motorist on the road.
Any act of negligence, whether by the rideshare driver or someone else, can cause a crash in an Uber or Lyft. The aftermath of these accidents, though, is vastly different from other auto accidents that do not involve rideshare drivers. Below, one of our Baton Rouge auto accident lawyers explains why the aftermath of rideshare accidents is so much more complex.
Multiple Liable Parties
Typically, after a car accident, the only parties involved are the motorists at the scene and the insurance companies that represent them. In rideshare accidents, this is not true. There are many parties involved in these accidents, including the rideshare driver, the rideshare company, passengers, and other drivers. To determine who is liable, injured individuals must determine how the crash occurred and the role each party played.
If more than one party is at fault for the crash, it can greatly complicate the case. Each party will likely shift blame to others in an effort to shield itself from liability. Although injured passengers cannot be blamed for these crashes, disputes over liability can greatly delay a claim and the damages that accident victims deserve.
Determining the Insurance Coverage Available
Determining which insurance company is responsible for paying coverage after a rideshare accident is particularly complicated. This is especially true if the rideshare driver acted negligently and was at fault for the crash.
If the driver was not logged into the app at the time of the accident, their own personal auto insurance company would be liable for paying damages. If the driver was logged into the app but was waiting for a ride request, both Uber and Lyft provide limited coverage. If the rideshare driver was carrying a passenger when they caused the crash, Uber and Lyft both provide coverage up to $1 million.
Insurance companies covering rideshare drivers will use many strategies to try to avoid paying the damages that injured individuals deserve. They may argue that the rideshare driver was not logged into the app or had not yet picked up a passenger. It is critical to work with a Baton Rouge auto accident lawyer who can prove the insurer is liable for paying full damages.
Dispute Resolution
All rideshare services require users to enter into an agreement before creating a profile or requesting a ride. These agreements are full of legal jargon and many people simply accept the agreement without fully reviewing the terms.
Many rideshare companies include alternative dispute resolution methods when there is a dispute over a claim. For example, an agreement may require an injured individual to enter arbitration if there is a dispute over their claim. This can greatly limit an accident victim’s rights to go to court to obtain the full damages they deserve after a crash.
Collecting Evidence
Evidence is required after any car accident. Accident victims must collect evidence to prove how a crash occurred, what caused their injuries, and the amount of damages they are entitled to.
Accident victims need evidence after a rideshare accident, too, but this evidence is often difficult to obtain. For example, an accident victim may have to obtain digital records from the rideshare company or a cell phone company if they have to prove the driver’s status at the time of the crash. Without legal help, these records are not easy for accident victims to obtain.
Other important evidence after a rideshare accident includes witness statements, photos from the scene, police reports, and more. Even this evidence, which may not require subpoenas, is not easy to collect when trying to recover from serious injuries. A Baton Rouge auto accident lawyer can help accident victims collect the evidence that is critical to their case.
Our Auto Accident Lawyers in Baton Rouge Can Help After an Accident
If you have been hurt in a rideshare accident, do not go through the process alone. At Big River Trial Attorneys, our Baton Rouge auto accident lawyers can determine who is liable for paying damages, accurately value your claim, and collect the evidence needed in your case so you obtain the full and fair settlement you deserve. Call us now at (225) 963-9638 or fill out our online form to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced attorneys and to learn more about how we can help.
Louisiana is no longer under pure comparative fault. We are now a modified jurisdiction, so there is no recovery to someone who is 50% or more at fault. This paragraph needs to be revised: As of January 1, 2026, Louisiana will move to a modified version of comparative fault law. Under the modified version, motorcycle accident victims will not be able to recover compensation if they are 50 percent or more at fault, making it even harder for them to claim the full compensation they need. Even if a biker is less than 50% at fault under the new law, any damages they are awarded will be reduced by their same percentage of fault.
