In 2019, Pew Research released a study that showed ridesharing apps were increasingly gaining ground. Despite a global pandemic, those numbers rose instead of dwindled. However, those increases also led to a growing number of third-party liability cases due to auto accidents. Here’s why companies are being held accountable for that.
Rideshare Drivers and Phone Apps
These days, it’s rare when a person doesn’t use some type of mobile app. Some reports suggest that phone apps account for 57 percent of web page views. If one considers how that translates to a rideshare driver, whose job is based on information received via a mobile app, that percentage theoretically rises. Now, think about what it means when someone is driving.
Road accidents are four times higher when someone uses a mobile app when driving. Unwitting passengers who rely on ridesharing to get to where they need to go are at the mercy of these drivers. These are the very same drivers that rely on mobile information to get riders to their destinations. Who is held accountable when those riders don’t safely arrive?
Rideshare drivers are required to have insurance, and the coverage is likely specific to rideshare driving. It is often referred to as third-party liability coverage. This type of insurance covers the entity that pays for the coverage and the insurance company. It is designed to protect those first two parties from any claims that may come from the third party, also commonly known as the passenger.
Third-Party Liability
Law firms like Denver Accident Attorney Ross Ziev, P.C. have seen a fair share of cases that examine third-party liability in these types of accidents. Rideshare companies and mobile apps have seen exponential growth in the past few years, but it is still a burgeoning field. Motorists and passengers are inevitable parts of traveling. Combining that daily reality with rideshare-based companies and employees? It’s a fair prediction that accidents will happen.
One of the main responsibilities of an injury attorney is to determine who is at fault when an accident occurs. That means looking at the facts, including whether the driver was actively engaged in using a phone app while driving. While the rideshare driver and their company will probably be insured, it doesn’t negate liability.
Anyone involved in an accident when using rideshares should be alert and know to contact an attorney as soon as possible. Determining liability is essential for protecting their interests and themselves.
