Baltimore Rideshare Accident Lawyers

Rideshare Accidents In Baltimore

Over the past few years, ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft have grown exponentially in popularity, especially in major cities like Baltimore. Although there are many different rideshare companies, Uber and Lyft have become synonymous with ridesharing, where customers obtain a ride by using their app. Unfortunately, ridesharing has become dangerous for many people and can lead to many questions as to who is at fault after a Lyft or Uber accident. If you’ve recently been injured in a rideshare accident, recovery options may be available to you. The major rideshare companies typically have $1 million liability policies in place to protect their drivers, customers, and third parties. It’s in your best interest to speak with an experienced Baltimore rideshare accident lawyer at Hyatt and Goldbloom to discuss your legal options.

Who Is Responsible for a Baltimore Rideshare Accident?

Multiple parties can potentially be responsible for a rideshare accident and it’s important to understand the level of responsibility that each of these parties has to keep passengers safe. Drivers generally will bear responsibility if they exhibit negligence, or the failure to exercise the proper care that a responsible driver would show. The duty of care a rideshare driver will have involves following all traffic laws, safe driving practices, and Maryland regulations concerning ridesharing.

Although a negligent rideshare driver is the most common cause of an accident, other factors other than negligence can be at play. In fact, any type of motor vehicle accident, including a rideshare accident, can derive from issues with the vehicle’s manufacture, components, and problems with repair or recall. Understanding this is important because other parties responsible for a rideshare accident may also be responsible for liability and may be on the hook for financial responsibilities for injuries and damages caused by those problems. That’s why it’s critical to have a Baltimore rideshare accident attorney in your corner when dealing with the aftermath of a rideshare accident.

Under certain circumstances, rideshare companies may exhibit negligence and be responsible for damages or injuries from a rideshare accident in Baltimore. Injured people may wonder if the rideshare company could ever bear responsibility for an accident. Ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft still do not consider their drivers to be employees. Although there is a lot of controversy and discussions ongoing, as of now, rideshare drivers are considered independent contractors. Since their inception, rideshare companies have argued that the independent contractor status meant that they had minimal responsibilities toward passengers and minimal liability for harm taking place during rideshares. However, as time has gone on, there have been more and more instances of rideshare companies not performing the due diligence needed on their end. For example, the absence of background checks meant that there were few restrictions on who could become a rideshare driver. Luckily, new laws have been passed that require rideshare companies to perform multiple checks on driving records and drivers’ backgrounds amid the outcry for more responsibility on their end.

The rideshare companies must perform background checks of applicants and prevent those who have been convicted of serious traffic crimes from becoming drivers. Serious traffic infractions that rideshare companies will not all include the following:

• Driving under the influence (DUI)
• Reckless driving
• Hit and run charges
• Driving with a suspended license
• Felonies (within the past 5 years)

An experienced Baltimore rideshare accident lawyer will work with investigators to determine the cause of the accident. For example, an accident that appears to stem from driver error may turn out to stem from bad brakes after further examination. A manufacturer or repair company may thus bear liability.