Ohio Ridesharing Accidents Attorney
The term “ridesharing” refers to services that allow people to arrange for rides through websites or mobile phone applications. Uber and Lyft are two of the most popular ridesharing companies in Ohio.
While ridesharing is an alternative to common taxi services, the companies that provide ridesharing services as well as the drivers who operate ridesharing vehicles can be liable when one of their vehicles is at fault for a motor vehicle crash. The degree of each party’s liability can vary depending on certain circumstances.
Ohio Ridesharing Laws
In 2015, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed House Bill 237, legislation that regulated “transportation network companies” (TNCs) in Ohio. The bill imposed the following requirements:
- When a TNC driver is logged into a TNC system (or app) and has no passengers or accepted ride requests, the TNC, driver, or a combination of the two must maintain automobile insurance coverage with minimum liability limits of $50,000 for bodily injury liability per person, $100,000 for bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
- When a TNC driver has accepted a ride request but has not yet picked up the passenger or is driving with the passenger, the minimum automobile insurance coverage that must be maintained is $1 million for bodily injury or death to one or more persons.
It is not uncommon for a ridesharing company to attempt to avoid any liability for a motor vehicle crash caused by one of its drivers. Oftentimes, TNCs will claim that their drivers are independent contractors and those drivers alone bear responsibility for paying injury claims.
Legal actions in these cases can become complicated by a number of other factors. For example, a driver who is logged into a TNC network but does not have any passengers may have an automobile insurance policy, but his or her insurer may claim that the policy specifically prohibits driving for hire.
Ohio Personal Injury Attorney for Uber and Lyft Accidents
Not all ridesharing injuries necessarily involve automobile collisions. Some victims suffer injuries as the result of physical assaults or sexual attacks by drivers. TNCs may also be liable for negligent hiring practices in such cases. Depending on the specific circumstances surrounding certain cases, people may sustain such injuries as:
- Broken bones
- Neck injuries
- Herniated discs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Internal organ injuries
Need an Injury Attorney Ohio understand how confusing it can be for victims to figure out how to file personal injury actions following any kind of incident involving a ridesharing vehicle. Our lawyers can investigate your incident and work to hold all negligent parties accountable.
You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering, in addition to other possible damages. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer all of your legal questions and guide you through the claims process.
Our firm offers free, no-obligation consultations in which we can provide complete evaluations of victim’s cases. We also handle these types of cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you will not be assessed any fees unless you receive a financial award.