Rideshare services throughout Philadelphia have become increasingly common and can be a good option for traveling throughout the city. Whether a person needs a ride to work, is traveling to Philadelphia International Airport, attending a sporting event, or looking for a ride home after a night out on the town, companies like Uber, Lyft, HopSkipDrive, Scoop, and taxi services have made transportation more convenient for residents and tourists. At the same time, the growing number of rideshare vehicles on the road has also created new legal questions when rideshare accidents in Philadelphia happen.
Unlike many traditional car accident claims in Philadelphia, rideshare accident cases often involve multiple parties and insurance policies, as well as questions about who is the correct person to pursue compensation from. These types of cases can quickly become complicated and overwhelming for rideshare accident victims who are recovering from injuries, especially when insurance companies attempt to shift responsibility to someone else, or deny a claim altogether.
At The Pearce Law Firm, our Philadelphia rideshare attorneys represent victims throughout the city and surrounding areas who have been injured in rideshare accidents. Whether you were driving your own vehicle, riding as a passenger in a rideshare, walking across the street, or traveling in another vehicle, our dedicated team can help you understand your legal options, identify the available insurance coverage, investigate the collision, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Why Philadelphia Rideshare Accident Cases Are Different
Most typical car accident claims in Pennsylvania involve two drivers and their respective insurance companies. However, rideshare accidents often involve several parties with various insurance policies. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, a claim may involve:
- The rideshare driver’s personal auto insurance
- The rideshare company’s insurance coverage
- Another driver’s liability insurance
- Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage
- Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage
- Multiple injured passengers with competing claims
The driver’s status within the rideshare app at the exact moment the accident occurs often determines which insurance policies can apply to the case when a victim is pursuing compensation. Even a change of a few seconds can affect the insurance coverage that is available to a rideshare accident victim.
Because of these challenges, rideshare claims in Philadelphia typically require a detailed investigation and a thorough understanding of Pennsylvania insurance laws. A rideshare accident attorney from our team at The Pearce Law Firm can help determine which insurance coverage is available.
Pennsylvania’s No-Fault Insurance System and Rideshare Accidents
Pennsylvania follows a choice no-fault insurance system, which can be complicated when involving rideshare drivers or passengers. Most drivers carry Medical Benefits as part of their auto insurance coverage, which can sometimes be referred to as Personal Injury Protection (PIP). This coverage typically pays for reasonable and necessary medical expenses after a motor vehicle accident occurs regardless of who is at fault.
This means your own Medical Benefits coverage will often be the first to pay for your initial medical treatment, even if another driver was responsible for the crash.
That does not mean that determining who is at fault is unimportant. Determining who caused the accident remains necessary when pursuing compensation beyond what PIP or medical benefits insurance will cover, including:
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering when permitted under Pennsylvania law
- Future medical expenses
- Wrongful death
- Other damages
In rideshare accident cases, identifying the correct insurance policies to pursue can be especially challenging because multiple policies may apply depending on the driver’s status within the rideshare app.
Limited Tort and Full Tort Coverage in Philadelphia Rideshare Accidents
Pennsylvania drivers typically have to choose either Limited Tort or Full Tort auto insurance coverage when purchasing a policy.
Drivers who carry Full Tort coverage typically preserve their right to seek compensation from liable parties for pain and suffering after an accident was caused by someone else’s negligence.
Drivers who selected Limited Tort when buying their auto insurance policy may face restrictions when they wish to pursue compensation for non-economic damages. However, Pennsylvania law recognizes several exceptions to the rule, and in some situations, including accidents involving serious injuries, an injured driver in a rideshare accident may still be able to recover damages for pain and suffering despite choosing Limited Tort coverage.
Common Causes of Philadelphia Rideshare Accidents
Rideshare drivers spend much of their time accepting ride requests, following GPS directions to and from various locations, and driving in unfamiliar neighborhoods and areas of the city. These aspects of being a rideshare driver can increase the likelihood of being in an accident. Some common causes of rideshare accidents in Philadelphia include:
- Distracted driving while using the rideshare app
- Speeding to complete rides more quickly
- Unsafe lane changes
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Failure to yield
- Driver fatigue from working long hours
- Aggressive driving in congested traffic
- Poor weather or hazardous road conditions
- Negligent drivers striking rideshare vehicles
Many rideshare accidents occur in busy areas where drivers frequently have to stop to pick up or drop off passengers. These unexpected stops can create dangerous situations for nearby motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, and can result in serious accidents.
Injuries Frequently Seen in Rideshare Accidents
The force of an accident can leave victims with injuries that require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. Some people recover within a few weeks after the accident, while others experience long-term complications that affect their ability to work, return to the same career, and enjoy daily life. Common rideshare accident injuries in Philadelphia can include, but are not limited to:
- Whiplash
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Herniated discs
- Broken bones
- Shoulder injuries
- Knee injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal injuries
- Facial injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Permanent disabilities
Even injuries that initially seem to be minor can worsen over time, or may not appear immediately after the accident. Getting a prompt medical evaluation will not only protect your health but also create official documentation that may be used during your accident injury claim.
Injured While Driving for a Rideshare Company in Philadelphia
Many rideshare drivers are injured through no fault of their own when traveling to passengers, picking them up, or dropping them off. Determining which insurance policy applies to the accident depends largely on the driver’s status within the rideshare platform when it occurred.
Driver Was Offline
If a rideshare driver was not logged into the rideshare app when the accident occurred, their accident claim is then typically handled similarly to other civilian Pennsylvania car accident cases. Their Medical Benefits insurance coverage may pay for their initial medical expenses, while liability claims typically depend on determining negligence or who caused the crash. If the at-fault driver lacked adequate insurance, then rideshare drivers may need to turn to their UM or UIM coverage.
Driver Was Online and Waiting for a Ride Request
Once you are logged into the rideshare app and available to accept trips, additional insurance policies may apply in the event an accident occurs. Determining what coverage is available often requires reviewing app activity, available insurance policies, and the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Driver Was En Route to Pick Up a Passenger or Transporting a Passenger
Once a ride has been accepted or a passenger is in the vehicle, different insurance coverage typically kicks in when an accident occurs. Even then, insurance companies may dispute who is liable, challenge the severity of injuries, or disagree about which policy should provide compensation to the victim. A rideshare accident lawyer from our team will investigate every available source of recovery.
Injured as a Passenger in a Rideshare Vehicle
Passengers rarely contribute to the cause of a rideshare accident in Philadelphia, yet they often suffer serious injuries when crashes occur. Pennsylvania’s no-fault insurance system typically includes Medical Benefits coverage that may help victims pay for initial medical expenses.
Which insurance policy provides compensation to rideshare accident victims depends on the circumstances of the accident and the applicable insurance coverage. If another party was responsible for the crash, an injured passenger may also have the right to pursue additional compensation through an auto accident injury liability claim for losses that extend beyond available medical benefits.
Another Driver Caused the Accident
If another driver caused the accident, the applicable Medical Benefits coverage may help pay for a victim’s initial medical treatment under Pennsylvania law. Rideshare accident victims who are passengers may also have a claim against the negligent driver’s liability insurance for damages that are not covered by no-fault benefits, or in situations where the passenger doesn’t carry their own auto insurance. If the at-fault driver has little or no insurance, victims may be able to turn to their own Uninsured Motorist (UM) or Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage.
The Rideshare Driver Caused the Accident
If the rideshare driver caused the accident while actively providing rideshare services with a passenger in the vehicle, insurance maintained for the rideshare vehicle may provide liability coverage for injuries.
Depending on the facts of the case, there may also be Medical Benefits coverage and other types of insurance policies that can be used to pursue compensation. Determining which coverage is available often requires reviewing the driver’s status in the app, the insurance policies involved, and Pennsylvania’s insurance laws. A rideshare accident attorney in Philadelphia from our team can review all aspects of the case, including available insurance, to provide guidance on what steps to take next.
Hit by a Rideshare Vehicle While Driving
Rideshare accident victims do not have to be using a rideshare service to file a claim for compensation.
If a rideshare driver struck your vehicle, your own Medical Benefits auto insurance coverage will often pay your initial medical expenses regardless of who is at fault. Establishing liability remains important, however, when pursuing compensation beyond what those benefits provide. A rideshare injury lawyer from our team will investigate questions such as:
- Was the driver logged into the rideshare app?
- Had a ride been accepted?
- Was a passenger already in the vehicle?
- Did another driver contribute to the crash?
- Which insurance policies may provide coverage?
Answering these questions helps determine the best path toward recovering compensation, and which insurance policies are available to file a claim through.
Hit by a Rideshare Vehicle as a Passenger
Passengers traveling in another vehicle may also be injured when a rideshare driver’s negligence causes an accident to occur.
This type of rideshare case can involve several insurance policies depending on the circumstances of the accident, including:
- The rideshare driver’s coverage
- Another driver’s insurance
- The rideshare company’s insurance policy
- Applicable UM or UIM coverage
How A Rideshare Injury Lawyer From The Pearce Law Firm Can Help
Every rideshare accident is different, and recovering compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of another person or party often requires much more than reviewing a Philadelphia police accident report. Our rideshare accident attorneys investigate the facts of your case by:
- Reviewing police reports and witness statements
- Obtaining available rideshare records
- Determining the driver’s status within the app
- Identifying all applicable insurance policies
- Reviewing Medical Benefits, UM, and UIM coverage
- Evaluating how Pennsylvania’s no-fault insurance laws affect your claim
- Gathering medical records and evidence of your damages
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Preparing cases for trial when necessary
Our main goal is to help victims identify every available source of compensation while protecting your rights throughout the claims and litigation process.
Contact a Philadelphia Rideshare Accident Attorney Near You
After a rideshare accident in Philadelphia, you may have questions about which insurance policy you should pursue compensation through, whether Pennsylvania’s no-fault laws affect your accident claim, and what compensation may be available for the injuries you sustained.
The Pearce Law Firm helps ride-share accident victims throughout Philadelphia who have been injured while driving for a rideshare company, riding as a passenger, or sharing the road with other rideshare vehicles. Our team will investigate the accident, explain your legal options, identify all available insurance coverage, and help you pursue the compensation you are entitled to under Pennsylvania law. Don’t hesitate to contact our team today for a free case consultation with a professional rideshare accident attorney from our team.
