Ride-sharing Accident—What You Need to Know

In just a few years, ride-sharing has become one of the most popular ways to commute in North Carolina and countrywide. And why not? It’s economical, feasible, and convenient.

Research shows that thousands of people rely on ride-sharing services such as Lyft and Uber to get to work, do last-minute shopping, or go back home after an outing.

Few people get into a ride-sharing car expecting that they’ll be in an accident. Unfortunately, accidents do happen. If you use ride-sharing services often, then this post is a good read for you. Our ride-sharing accident lawyers in North Carolina shares with you what you need to know about the ride-sharing accident and how you can ensure that you’re legally protected in the event of a collision.

Steps to take After being in a Ride-sharing Accident

Being involved in a crash with an Uber or Lyft driver is like being the driver in your accident. Therefore, the first thing that you should do is move to a safe place away from oncoming traffic to avoid additional injuries.

Once you are in a safe place, call 911 for medical assistance. While you wait for paramedics to arrive, get details about the ride-sharing service driver, such as the driver’s name, license number, and contact information.

Additionally, take pictures of the accident scene, the car’s number plate, and the surroundings with your phone. All this will help you establish a strong liability case.

Who Covers for the Accident?

Insurance coverage is the tricky part when it comes to ride-sharing accidents. Although ride-sharing services are required to have their liability policy covering anyone injured in an accident, there are some requirements and exceptions. So, the ride-sharing service will first assess the case to determine the coverage.

For example, suppose the Uber or Lyft driver was the cause of the accident, and they were on-duty and carrying a passenger. In that case, both the driver and the passenger(s) are covered under the ride-sharing service’s insurance policy.

However, exceptions apply in the following situation:

The driver of the service is not on duty and is not logged into the ride-sharing application. If the driver is in an accident and causes injuries to another person in such a case, then the injured should be covered by the driver’s insurance policy. In other words, the ride-sharing service can’t be held liable.

Likewise, suppose the driver is on duty but hasn’t accepted a ride. The driver has an accident; then, the ride-sharing service will only cover the driver if their insurance is inadequate.

Since insurance coverage is slightly tricky to determine in a ride-sharing accident, it is best to hire an experienced lawyer. A seasoned ride-sharing accident lawyer in North Carolina can help you navigate the legal complexities smoothly and pursue the compensation you deserve for the injuries incurred.

Can I File a Claim for My Injuries against the Ride-sharing Service?

This is the most commonly asked question by victims in a ride-sharing accident. Well, to begin with, filing a lawsuit against a ride-sharing service directly can be difficult because their drivers are not employees. They are independent contractors. Therefore, the service company claims that they aren’t responsible for the driver’s negligent actions.

However, that doesn’t mean you can’t receive coverage if the driver’s negligence caused the accident. You may not be able to sue the ride-sharing service directly, but you can still receive coverage for your injuries. For example, Uber has liability insurance of $1.5 million that covers passengers injured during a ride. This insurance comes in as soon as the passenger steps into the Ubers’ vehicle and ends when the ride is complete.

However, the joint and several liability legal concepts may come into play if you were injured in a crash caused by the negligence of the ride-sharing driver and another vehicle. The concept focuses on how the liability should be divided and assigned between two and more parties responsible for the accident. In other words, in such an accident where multiple vehicles are involved, you can potentially obtain compensation from two or more drivers.

Contact us Today For Case Assistance

If you are in a ride-sharing collision, then contact us right away. These companies may be growing rapidly in popularity and number, but many legal aspects related to the customers and service providers must be understood.

In many situations, these companies refuse to accept their liability because the drivers are independent contractors. Still, with an experienced ride-sharing lawyer by your side, you can rest assured that we will fight for you to be lawfully compensated for the injuries incurred.

Even if your claim doesn’t affect the ride-sharing service, it is your legal right to file a lawsuit against the driver by citing negligence in terms of failure to yield, road rage, distracted driving, or speeding. However, this is easier if you seek effective case representation. And this is what we can help you with.

At the Law Office of Jason E. Taylor P.C., our lawyers can evaluate your case, file your claim, and fight for your case in court. Contact us now. Let us help you seek justice and the compensation you deserve.

We have helped numerous clients get compensated in ride-sharing accidents. Let us see if we can help you too. Give us a chance to fight your case.

Call us at (800) 351-3008 for an initial consultation.

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Notice of Data Security Event
Updated March 28, 2025

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor is providing notice of an event that may affect certain individuals’ information. Although we have no indication of identity theft or fraud in relation to this event, we are providing information about the event, our response, and additional measures individuals can take to help protect their information, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

What Happened? On October 28, 2024, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor identified suspicious activity related to our email system. We quickly took steps to investigate and determined that an unknown actor may have accessed certain emails within our email system between August 7 and November 7, 2024. We then conducted a comprehensive review of the potentially affected emails and attachments to determine what information was contained therein and to whom the information related, which was completed on February 25, 2025. Unfortunately, we were unable to verify the addresses of certain affected individuals, so we are providing this notice to ensure potentially affected individuals receive information about the event.

What Information Was Involved? The information affected may include individuals’ Social Security number, driver’s license and state ID information, financial account number, and health information.

What We Are Doing. We are notifying individuals about this matter and providing guidance about free resources that are available to assist with monitoring relevant accounts, credit reports, and how to place a fraud alert or security freeze on one’s credit file. Further, as with our typical security practices, we will continue to evaluate our policies, procedures, staff training, and technical security measures to reduce the likelihood of an event like this reoccurring.

What Individuals Can Do. We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. We also recommend you review the below “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Personal Information”.

For More Information. If individuals have questions about this matter, we have a dedicated assistance line with agents ready to answer their questions. Please contact our toll-free dedicated assistance line at 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m., excluding holidays. You may also write to us at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, Attn: Compliance, P.O. Box 2688, Hickory, NC 28603.

Sincerely,

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Your Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/

https://www.transunion.com/credit-help
1-888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state attorney general. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; 1-202-442-9828; and oag.dc.gov.

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-576-6300 or 1-888-743-0023; and https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/.

For New Mexico residents, consumers have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in their credit file has been used against them, the right to know what is in their credit file, the right to ask for their credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to consumers’ files is limited; consumers must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; consumers may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance based on information in their credit report; and consumers may seek damages from violators. Consumers may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage consumers to review their rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov.

For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; 1-401-274-4400; and www.riag.ri.gov. Under Rhode Island law, individuals have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this event.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT A MINOR DEPENDENT’S PERSONAL INFORMATION

Typically, credit reporting agencies do not have a credit report in a minor’s name. To find out if a minor has a credit report or to request a manual search for a minor’s Social Security number each credit bureau has its own process. To learn more about these processes or request these services, consumers may contact the credit bureaus by phone, writing, or online:
Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/request-child-credit-report/
https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resources/child-identity-theft

1-800-685-1111 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

To request information about the existence of a credit file in a minor’s name, search for a minor’s Social Security number, place a security freeze or fraud alert on a minor’s credit report (if one exists), or request a copy of a minor’s credit report consumers may be required to provide the following information:
● A copy of their driver’s license or another government issued identification card, such as a state identification card, etc.;
● Proof of address, such as a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, insurance statement, etc.;
● A copy of the minor’s birth certificate;
● A copy of the minor’s Social Security card;
● The minor’s full name, including middle initial and generation, such as JR, SR, II, III, etc.;
● The minor’s date of birth; and
● The minor’s previous addresses for the past two years.

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