In a two-car accident, you might have as few as two main parties involved: the drivers and their respective insurance companies. In commercial vehicle accidents, such as rideshare crashes, things might become slightly more complicated.
As explained in section 4.22.005 of the Revised Code of Washington, the person at fault should pay for any damages you suffer. More often than not, an insurance company pays rather than an individual.
Your driver’s fault versus the other party’s
The main effect of Washington’s fault laws — the comparative negligence system, that is — is that people may bring suits to recover damages even if they were somewhat to blame for the accident. Therefore, you could potentially get compensation from either your rideshare driver or the other driver, depending on who had more fault for your injuries.
As a passenger, your initial legal decisions are important. Please ensure that you understand the details of your case before taking action.
Rideshare versus personal travel
There are some differences and some similarities between rideshare trip crashes and accidents in personal vehicles. Both typically require responsible parties to pay for your losses. However, most rideshare drivers have a professional type of insurance policy that covers them while they are on the job.
This is another layer of complication in some cases. Your driver’s rideshare insurance policy would have all of the complexities of a standard one — along with strict rules about when it goes into effect.
Accident insurance companies usually try to pay out the minimum amount possible, regardless of whom they represent. Please make sure that any deal you take provides compensation for your injuries to the greatest extent possible under Washington’s negligence system.