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011 Uber and Lyft Accidents Lawyer Explains: What Passengers and Drivers Need to Know

011 Uber and Lyft Accidents Lawyer Explains: What Passengers and Drivers Need to Know

Lawyers in the House with Montlick

Attorneys in Podcast: Michelle Mumpower, Esq.| Nives Juric, Esq.

What do you do if you’re a passenger in an Uber or Lyft and the car gets into an accident?If you’re driving for a rideshare or food delivery app, does your insurance need to know about it?Whether you use Uber, Lyft, Grubhub or another similar service as a customer or for your own income, Montlick attorneys Michelle Mumpower and Nives Juric are here to break down all the law you need to know.

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The purpose of this show is to provide general information about the law. Our guests will not provide any individualized legal advice. If you have a personal situation and need legal advice, contact us for your free legal consultation with a Montlick attorney.

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00:04	ANNOUNCER: Welcome to lawyers in the house with Montlick. Wish you had a lawyer in the family? Now you do. Here’s your host, Veronica Waters. VERONICA: ‘Tis the season to be in a ride share. One of the great things about fall, my favorite season, whether you’re in school or not… it’s not just the leaves in the air, it’s the parties.
00:30	It’s the tailgates. It’s the football games, the holidays. I am calling a ride share for every tailgate, every kickoff, every homecoming, every Halloween party, every New Year’s Eve party, every flight. And we’ve got the added benefit of what? We’re carpooling. We’re helping the environment. We’re helping the gig economy move along. But what happens if you’re in a ride share, and boom- an accident? Ride share accidents and safety is the topic of the day today on Lawyers in the House with Montlick.
01:02	I’m your host, Veronica Waters. With me today in the chairs, so much beauty. I think I need some sunglasses because look at these scintillating smiles. We’ve got two folks who are going to help us steer through the challenges of ride share accidents. First up, we’ve got Nives Juric, who is a native of Bosnia. Zdravo. Nives is fluent in three languages. Please don’t ask me to continue that conversation in Bosnian because I know very little else.
01:31	Nives has spent time as a paralegal and then joined Montlick four years ago. She is passionate about helping her clients, and she wants them to feel vindicated. And she wants them to get the justice that they deserve. Nives loves the outdoors. And I’m starting to think after talking to her, that her feet maybe should be registered as a weapon because she is good at hiking and ballet and soccer and jazz and Taebo.
01:59	So seriously, watch out for Nives in or out of the courtroom. And next we have Michelle Mumpower. She’s got the power. Okay, Michelle, I’m sorry. I mean, Michelle Mumpower’s name makes me think of, like, obviously a powerful mother who’s got it going on. Michelle has got it going on in the law. She is a mum of two, and she has got the power, as evidenced by the client who said she’s like a pit bull in a skirt.
02:29	So watch out if you have to face off with Michelle. Interestingly, Michelle, you never wanted to become a lawyer, is that right? MICHELLE: That is. VERONICA: Okay. So what happened? MICHELLE: So I actually have always wanted to do something to where I help individuals and I wanted to do pharmaceutical research. I did that, and unfortunately, our company was bought out. And from that point, I decided I don’t want a day-to-day job that I don’t know I’m going to have.
02:55	So my mom said, “Well, you like to argue a lot, so why don’t you try law school?” And I got a clerking job, and that was it. That was about 9, 10 years ago when I first started working within the legal field and been loving it ever since. VERONICA: I’ve heard that thing. Maybe I should have gone to law school, because I literally have been told, “Veronica, you like to argue. You should go to law school.” Nives, what inspired you to become an attorney?
03:21	NIVES: I would have to say that growing up in a household of parents who study law, practice law in another country, kind of gave me the inspiration of wanting to follow in their footsteps. After college, I did work as a paralegal for many years, and one day I just woke up and I said, you know, I can do this. I think I can be a lawyer. And I just made the decision to go to law school, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. VERONICA: Your parents went through something tough coming over here, right?
03:51	Civil War at the time? NIVES: Yeah. Unfortunately, we came from a war-stricken country in the 90s, but best decision we’ve ever made. VERONICA: They must have been so proud of you. NIVES: They are. They’re just delighted that I’ve taken this route and that I’m with this type of firm, and they’re just loving it for me. VERONICA: Followed in your parents’… but still my parents were educators. I did not even think about doing that, although I did want to go to med school. That’s a story for another time.
04:22	I think we actually may be talking about medical stuff today just a little bit, because we’re talking about rideshare accidents and safety. Michelle, Nives, thank you so much for being in the house with me today. Thank you. First off, in the ride share accidents and safety thing… thankfully, I have always had a really good experience as a passenger, and I’ve not had many problems when I ordered take-out on a somewhat regular basis.
04:49	I do like to cook, but sometimes a girl just needs a little Indian food. I’ve always had really good experiences, but I understand that it’s not maybe always the way. But seriously, how big a deal is this? Is this a rarity? NIVES: Getting in an accident with a ride share driver or yourself? Being a passenger in a ride share vehicle is actually quite common in this day and age.
05:19	People are taking rides everywhere, safety purposes or other things that make their circumstances such that they don’t have a car. So we’re dealing with cases resulting from ride share car accidents daily. VERONICA: It’s daily. NIVES: It’s not as rare as you would imagine, but the law is equally there to protect people who are involved in ride share accidents as they would in any other vehicle. VERONICA: That is crazy.
05:50	Michelle, so these are calls that you get on a regular basis. Do you guys, like, handle stuff together, by the way? You guys are fighting together on stage? Seriously? I don’t know anybody who’s ever been in a ride share accident. MICHELLE: We’ve seen it pick up more and more now, especially with a lot of people supplementing their income. A lot of people are doing it as a second job. Most people are doing it as their main income because they’ve recently lost their position.
06:19	I would say now more than ever. We’ve seen a huge pickup in the delivery services as well, because a lot of my clients, it’s not their main job. They’ll log on for a couple of hours after work, while the kids are still at school or while they’re studying and just pick up some income. So we are seeing it more and more now. VERONICA: Crazy. I had no idea. But this is… you know what? As I think about it, when I’m in the newsroom or something and I’m listening to the WSB traffic troopers or whatever report stuff, or the WSB traffic team… they’re not saying, yes, it was a ride share accident.
06:52	So I don’t know what’s going on out there, but I think I have friends who drive for ride shares, and they haven’t had… thank God they haven’t had anything happen to them. So I just think, honestly, this was something that I never really thought about happening. So first off, let’s just start at the beginning. If I am in an accident and I’m a passenger, let’s take it from the passenger POV. I’m in the back seat. Boom, there’s an accident. What is the first thing I need to know/do?
07:22	NIVES: So as a passenger, you’re in a ride share vehicle. You get in a car accident. Obviously the police will be called to the scene. You want to make absolute certain that the officer who comes to investigate knows that you’re a rideshare passenger. Sometimes these things aren’t discussed, and the officer just might assume that you’re there casually and that you’re not a paying customer. So it’s very important for you to let the officer know that you are a ride share passenger. That way they can appropriately document the police report.
07:52	You also want to make sure that you stay behind. I know a lot of people who are in rideshare services. They’re headed somewhere. They’re headed to the airport. VERONICA: I mean, I’m in a ride share every time I’m going to the airport, right? NIVES: Airport parties, important meetings without a car. You have to get to the job. If at all possible, we urge the listener to stay behind, wait for the officer to come to the scene, properly document it. Make sure that you’re on the police report. That’s vital for any sort of case.
08:21	You want to make sure that everybody knows that you are involved in this wreck. So if you are injured later, when you’re trying to make a claim, you’re not running into an obstacle of not being able to prove that you were there. VERONICA: But what if I can’t stay behind? NIVES: And that happens all the time. So what we advise people to do is make sure that you exchange information with absolutely everybody on the scene. If there are multiple vehicles involved, get everybody’s driver’s license, insurance card. Take pictures of the vehicle, take pictures of the license plate.
08:53	You can… Obviously, you should be calling it in to the ride share app. A lot of times there’s protocol. You either do it through the application or you call them. You can even call the police from the scene and tell them that you’re in a rush, you’re going to miss a meeting, you’re going to miss a flight. So you want to make sure it’s properly documented. And essentially, Georgia law says you should not be leaving the scene of the collision anyhow, but if it’s absolutely necessary that you do, make sure you do these things so tomorrow there’s no dispute that you were there.
09:24	VERONICA: Well, I’m not a hit and run driver if I’m leaving the scene and I’m in the backseat of a car. Michelle I thought the law was like, just… you can’t bang into somebody’s Cadillac and then take off like you were never there. So what if I can’t stay behind? I have to call the police and tell them, please put my name on the accident report or something? MICHELLE: Absolutely. Because the most important thing about that is, unfortunately, we do have situations of where we can’t locate the accident report or the police entity that responded.
09:56	And the reason being is that you have to have one of the driver’s names, driver’s license number or report number, as well as the entity that responded. So if you’re not able to stick around and gather that information, it’s always best to make sure that you report it to the ride share company of the vehicle that you’re in. Get the contact information of the driver that was driving your vehicle so you can touch base with them at a later date. Because the misconception is that a lot of people think, oh, if I was involved in the accident, we’re going to be able to find the accident report. But unfortunately, that’s not always the situation.
10:27	VERONICA: Can you give me an example of sometimes an instance where you worked with somebody who was in a ride share accident? You said you get these cases all the time, and maybe there was one of these initial challenges, like they didn’t know they had to stay. MICHELLE: Yeah, I actually had a case of that recently where they weren’t on the accident report. So what we had to do is we had to call the driver of the vehicle she was in and have them basically sign a statement saying, yes, this individual was a passenger of mine, to get the police report amended, to have them added.
10:56	Because if they’re not amended and the driver doesn’t report it to the ride share that the passenger was involved in the accident as well, then there’s really sometimes no record of them being involved. So that’s why, as Nives was saying, it’s always best to make sure that you can get all that information so we can make sure that you’re adequately protected. VERONICA: Basically, I guess the obvious risk is the insurance company is going to think, oh, she saw this accident on the news, and so now she’s telling us that she was part of this accident. Her name is nowhere on the police report.
11:25	I’m like, oh, my God, I was hurting so badly I can barely walk. It was an accident on I 285. Traffic trooper Roscoe told me all about it. Okay. I need to know, though, if I am just taking a risk by getting into a ride share in the first place with the understanding that I’m not behind the wheel. Somebody else is driving. Other people are on the road not paying attention. And if I get an accident, is there some implicit belief or understanding that I am not protected because I’m the passenger?
11:57	NIVES: I think it’s the contrary. If you’re the passenger, you are never at fault for the collision. That’s whether you’re in a private car or ride share car. VERONICA: Unless I’m wilding out in the back… NIVES: The risk of getting in someone else’s vehicle is always there. You don’t know what type of coverage they have on their vehicle. But what’s important to know is that you are protected whether you’re a passenger in the ride share vehicle, whether you’re a passenger in another vehicle that’s struck by the rideshare vehicle. In fact, even if you’re the pedestrian that’s involved in a car accident with a ride share vehicle.
12:34	VERONICA: Oh, I didn’t even think about that. NIVES: Yeah. You have these protections that are afforded to you by the law. And there are a myriad of ways that you can recover for your injuries, but it’s important to call an attorney so we can walk them through what their options are and do what we can to help them get compensated for their injuries. VERONICA: I love that. It sounds like there’s a hierarchy of steps that we need to go through to sort of make sure that we get the justice that we deserve. So we’re talking about rideshare accidents and safety on Lawyers in the House with Montlick.
13:04	This is Nives Juric and Michelle Mumpower. And I’m Veronica Waters. And this is WSB. ~You’re listening to our podcast, lawyers in the House with Montlick. Join us 08:00 a.m. Every Sunday if you want to listen live on 95 Five. WSB~ VERONICA: Welcome back.
13:26	You are back in the house with me, Veronica Waters, and with my stellar guests from Montlick injury attorneys today, Michelle Mumpower and Nives Juric, two amazing attorneys who are schooling us on rideshare accidents and safety. Things that I am fortunate that I have never… I’ve always had a lot of the latter, none of the former. And fingers crossed, we will keep it that way. But everyone, as Nives and Michelle are telling me, not quite so lucky.
13:57	Tell me, guys, what do I need to know about… You know what, maybe I don’t need to know anything. Right? I’m calling you. I’m calling Nives. I’m calling Michelle. But how do you go about finding the coverage or the help that folks need after? If I’m a passenger and I’ve been in an accident, it’s got to be like cake layers of insurance coverage to slice through. Nives: Yes. So with every car accident, sometimes… The goal is to make sure we identify and access every possible source of insurance that may be needed to compensate you for your losses. There are potentially a number of polices that could afford coverage.
14:31	There are a lot of technical nuances as to what insurance and whose insurance may afford protection, as well as what insurance takes priority and the order in which they pay. For example, there might also be insurance available from the ride share service in addition to insurance purchased by the driver of the car. This can be complicated, and you really need a knowledgeable attorney to sort it all out, as well as to make sure you get access to all of the insurance policies that can afford you coverage. When you’re involved in a car accident, the at fault driver, the person who hits you- their insurance is priority. If for some reason they don’t have insurance, or they’re underinsured- ie. they don’t have enough insurance, then generally speaking, you potentially could have protection available under uninsured motorist coverage for the vehicle that you are in, or even the ride share service itself.
14:58	In many situations, if needed, there can also be coverage available on your personal vehicle if you’ve purchased uninsured motorist coverage. And then lastly, if all of those coverages are not there or there’s not enough insurance to cover your financial damages, then essentially, if you live with someone in the household who’s related to you at the time of the loss, and they have uninsured motorist coverage, that could be a resource for you to recover financially.
15:31	Veronica: We have had such great shows talking about uninsured motorist coverage and I would highly recommend that folks go to LawyersInhouse.com and check out all of the information that we’ve learned about how important what we call UM- I feel like I’m in the industry now-
16:03	UM coverage actually is… it’s a tangle, though? It’s a tangle, Michelle. MICHELLE: Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest misconception that we receive on most of our calls when people call into our office at 1-800-LAW-NEED and speak to one of our attorneys is that they use the term full coverage. And a lot of people say, oh, I have full coverage, so I’m going to be covered in this accident. And unfortunately, as Nives mentioned, that’s not always the case because it’s something that is additional insurance they have to purchase. VERONICA: I love it. We’re going to talk about avenues then, in which I might not be protected.
16:35	Also, what drivers need to know, it’s not just passengers who are in these rideshare accidents. This is lawyers in the house with Michelle, Mumpower and Nives Juric. I’m Veronica Waters, and this is WSB. ~You’re listening to our podcast lawyers in the house with Montlick. Join us 08:00 am. Every Sunday on 955 WSP. ~ VERONICA: We are in the house.
17:00	This is Lawyers in the House, and we’ve got a host in the house, that is me, Veronica Waters, here with the dynamic injury attorneys, Michelle Mumpower and Nives Juric telling us all about how to navigate ride share safety and what happens if there’s an accident. We’ve talked a lot about the passenger’s point of view, and I’m sure we’ll get a little bit more into that.
17:25	But let’s be honest, we wouldn’t have this topic to talk about were it not for the ride share drivers who are lending us their rides. And I know that there are probably some really different things that they’ve got to talk about and got to think about when something like this happens. If you missed the first half of the show, be sure to log on to lawyersInthehouse.com, check us out at Montlick Law on all things social.
17:55	And you can also find the podcast on Apple and Stitcher and Spotify and every place where all the hottest podcasts go to live. Michelle, I know that you have dealt with drivers in this kind of industry. I’ve got to know what is the biggest, maybe challenge or even mistake that you see drivers making? MICHELLE: Not having the complete coverage that they need.
18:23	One of the main things is we previously discussed is making sure that you have and understand your policy coverage. The reason being is when you’re riding for rideshare coverage, they may not protect you, as Nives and I have discussed, if you’re hit by someone who is under insured, which means they don’t have enough coverage to cover your claim, or you’re hit by someone who doesn’t have insurance or flees the scene after an accident. VERONICA: Well, do I have… okay, if I’m driving…
18:48	And I know you talked a little bit ago about what these sort of cake layers of coverage are that you look to, but am I talking about my personal insurance as a driver? MICHELLE: Absolutely. So the first thing is, before you sign up to be a driver on a ride share, you want to make sure that they are providing the underinsured and uninsured coverage. The biggest misconception, and unfortunately, one of the reasons that we aren’t able to pursue a claim for a driver is the fact that you need to make sure you have the exact coverage on your personal vehicle.
19:20	Just having the coverage on your vehicle, though, doesn’t mean that you’re protected. If you don’t call your personal insurance and tell them that the vehicle that’s insured is being used for ride share purposes, that can be an exclusion. And that’s unfortunately, one of the reasons we see as not being afforded coverage for a driver. VEROINCA: Do you think that drivers know what their rights are? And I really thought that you had an insurance company… I mean, I know there’s been this long freaking debate about, am I a contractor?
19:50	Am I an employee? But are you telling me that once I’m on the clock for the company, I can’t necessarily be assured that their coverage is there for me as a driver? MICHELLE: Unfortunately, yes. What we’re saying is it’s always better to verify that the coverage that you have includes underinsured and uninsured. Nives and I were discussing cases, and I have one that we both had individuals on the same platform, but the policy that my client was given unfortunately didn’t provide underinsured, and uninsured coverage, but Nives’ policy did.
20:21	So it just depends on when you join the platform and which rideshare company you’re actually working for. VERONICA: Wow, that is huge. What happens if two drivers on the same platform get into an accident with each other? NIVES: It would be the same thing. The at fault person, the person who causes the wreck, their carrier would be responsible for the injuries, compensating the other person for the injuries.
20:54	So it doesn’t matter that two people happen to be with ride share services. All that matters is that the priority of coverage is being followed. And you really won’t know what the priority of coverage is unless you call an attorney who’s skilled and does this work every day. And we encourage listeners to call 1-800-Law-NEED. If they need help, we’re happy to help them. VERONICA: I did hear about this woman who was a ride share driver, and there was some sort of loophole where her car was totally messed up to the point where, I mean, the front was crumpled in.
21:25	She couldn’t really drive that thing because the driver’s door wouldn’t even close all the way, and she was having trouble. I don’t know if she ever actually got any coverage because there was some loophole about even though she was driving for the ride share company that day, she didn’t have a passenger in the car. MICHELLE: We have seen certain policies that are written out in what they call periods, so there are different coverages afforded for liability, and usually that’s for the liability side.
21:52	Not underinsured, uninsured, to where you have less liability if you’re on the platform, such as logged in, but you haven’t yet accepted a ride or don’t have a passenger. But that’s liability. You’re always covered with liability if you caused the accident. But unfortunately, if you’re not at fault for the accident, where you could be at risk is if you don’t have the underinsured or uninsured coverage. VERONICA: If I’m a driver, Nives and Michelle, and there is an accident, I feel bad, right? Because I feel like I’ve let my passengers down in addition to whatever personal headaches this might be for me.
22:24	Maybe I’m hurt, maybe they’re hurt. Everybody’s shaken up. Can I say I’m sorry? Can I say I wish I had taken that turn differently? I mean, is that going to hurt me if I say, Sorry, guys? NIVES: Yes, It could definitely be interpreted that way. I’m just saying sometimes adjusters or whomever is out there making these insurance decisions is like, well, you said you were sorry, so that means you must have caused the accident, and we can’t help you. Without getting into the rules of evidence, you apologizing to someone is not in and of itself indicative of a fault. It does depend on the context.
22:48	The officer who comes to the scene will investigate the matter, and then determine who they think is at fault based on the physical evidence of the road, speaking with witnesses, drivers, physical evidence on the vehicle. Ultimately, what happened, and it is really important to point that whatever they decide is not determinative of liability in a civil matter. The officer’s assessment can be wrong. Sometimes tickets are given to the wrong party. We do our own analysis based on the evidence. VERONICA: I’m just saying I’ve heard that there sometimes these adjusters or whoever is out there making these insurance decisions is like, well, you said you were sorry, so that means you must have caused the accident, so we can’t help you.
23:21	NIVES: I don’t think that’s the end all be all. Okay? MICHELLE: We always tell people before you speak with the insurance company, if you are not at fault or you’re a passenger in a vehicle, consult an experienced lawyer, such as one of our lawyers at our firm; because we will properly advise you on when to speak to the insurance company. We don’t want you to do what is called a recorded statement unless we are on the line during that time. And that’s where they are taking basically what you’re saying and what you feel about the accident under oath.
23:50	And that’s something where an experienced attorney in our firm would be able to walk you through. VERONICA: Nives, Have you ever had a case where you couldn’t help somebody because of these ins and outs? NIVES: Yes. In the past, we’ve had to withdraw from cases where, unfortunately, either the party who was at fault for the collision fled the scene, didn’t have insurance, or our ride share driver or ride share passengers didn’t have the uninsured motorist coverage. And that’s one of the most heartbreaking things that you have to do- tell a person who’s been hurt and whose life has been turned upside down that you can’t help them.
24:22	But when you’re a passenger in a ride share vehicle, there’s ample coverage. There are layers of coverage that we might be able to get to, but they simply won’t know unless they speak with an attorney. And we’re skilled in this field, and we’ll be able to get to the right coverage. But, yeah, unfortunately, sometimes you have those scenarios. That’s why we urge people to listen to what we’re saying, get the appropriate coverage to help protect themselves, because any time you’re in a car with anybody, it’s an assumption of risk.
24:53	You don’t know what’s going to happen, just like you wouldn’t know if you were in your own vehicle. VERONICA: Remember when I asked you earlier if there was this implicit understanding that I was not protected? I think that’s what I had in my head, like, I don’t know this person. This isn’t somebody in my family. So it’s really eye-opening to know that maybe I am taking my life in my own hands if I let a stranger drive me around the city after I’ve been drinking cocktails.
25:20	By the way, speaking of cocktails, what if I am the passenger and I am like, woo, and I’m wilding out in the back of the car. And I’m like, hey, what’s going on, driver? Come party with us. Take a selfie, whatever. And then the accident. Boom. Am I in trouble? NIVES: Generally speaking, that this would… VERONICA: on the record, I want to know. This is not the kind of ride to your passenger. I am. Okay. NIVES: Generally speaking, the passenger is never at fault. There are rare instances when the passenger’s behavior leads to the incident or contributes somehow.
25:51	But those are such rare instances that typically, if you’re a passenger in a ride share service, even if you’re rowdy, you’re probably rowdy for the right reason and you’re being safe, and you got the ride share service to protect yourself and put motorists on the road. So generally speaking, you as a passenger, you can never be at fault for the collision. And in those rare instances, it’s just a case-by-case analysis.
26:18	VERONICA: Michelle, tell me about a time when you helped a client in one of these cases and it just made you feel like you were walking on air. MICHELLE: Well, I would say that that’s kind of most of my cases that I do. The reason being is that I really feel like the structure that we have built at this firm allows the attorneys to really represent our clients in the best way possible and get the best outcome. I’ll say that one of the cases that sticks the most in mind is the client that actually called me a bulldog in a skirt.
26:50	VERONICA: Yeah, let’s hear that story. MICHELLE: She was traveling with her two kids, leaving a parking lot, and unfortunately, an individual that had stolen a vehicle was being pursued by the police. So she was, unfortunately, taking a turn and hit by the vehicle that was fleeing and ejected through the windshield. We sent an offer letter on her behalf which allows us to negotiate and hopefully settle the case. And there are certain terms and things that we put into that letter. And unfortunately, the insurance company chose to flat out not respond.
27:20	And about eight months later, we sent an additional demand, and we’re able to get her above the limits that we were able to successfully recover. VERONICA: I am so shocked by so many of these things. Ejected through the windshield and survived. Eight months go by with no resolution… MICHELLE: No response at all, no calls, no emails, nothing. We expected maybe a denial of liability because the accident was caused by high speed chase. We just got absolutely nothing, and that allowed us to adequately pursue what she deserved.
27:51	VERONICA: That is crazy. And so she must have felt, obviously… Tell me about the moment when she learned that you had come through for her. MICHELLE: It was a cry moment for both of us. Yeah. VERONICA: Sorry. I don’t mean to get you choked up. You’ve got the power. I think it would make me feel really good if I got that. So it’s that desire that. You have for justice and seeing things through for folks.
28:17	If I’m driving for ride share or the food delivery companies, is there one huge sort of overarching thing that I need to know before I get behind the wheel
28:48	next time? MICHELLE: Make sure you’re covered. Make sure you have the insurance coverage because we don’t know what other drivers are going to do on the road. And unfortunately, you could just be minding your own business, following the traffic laws and doing everything you can to safely get from point A to point B. But a lot of times people don’t know that they’re not properly covered until they have been in that accident. VERONICA: I think today’s closing argument is really going to be a good one.
29:20	I can already tell we have got to get these bullet points down for folks. So get out your pen and paper, folks, or record the show if you want. It’s going to be really good. The Montlick closing argument is coming up next on The Lawyers in the house with Montlick with Nives Juric, with Michelle Mumpower and me, your host, Veronica Waters. This is lawyers in the house on WSB. ~You’re listening to our podcast lawyers in the house with Montlick.
29:51	If you want to listen to our radio show live, you can hear it every Sunday, 08:00 A.m. On 95.5 WSB. ~ VERONICA: Back with you in the house on Lawyers in the House with Montlick. I’m Veronica Waters, here with Michelle Mumpower. Please forgive me for always saying your name like Mumpower, and Nives Juric. So happy to have you guys here in the house talking about ride share accidents and safety.
30:19	And it is time for the much anticipated because there’s been so much information in the show closing argument. The Montlick closing argument. Ladies, have at it. MICHELLE: One of the biggest things we want listeners to understand is that before you become a driver for a ride share purpose, make sure that you are covered. What we mean by that is not just having the liability coverage that is provided through the ride share platform, but also having the underinsured motorist protection which will protect you if you’re hit by someone who doesn’t have enough coverage as well as uninsured, which protects you.
30:50	If someone doesn’t have insurance or flees the scene. you want to make sure that you have that not only on the ride share platform but as well as your personal vehicle. That coverage will protect you in the case of being involved in an auto accident with someone who is completely uninsured or underinsured. The other thing we want listeners to understand is that they inform their personal insurance that they are driving their vehicle or riding as well for a ride share service. That would be to make sure that there’s not an exclusion on the policy that would disclude the coverage should they be involved in an accident.
31:22	The same would go is if you’re a passenger and you have a personal vehicle, whether you’re using ride share or not, it’s always in your best interest to make sure you have underinsured and uninsured coverage. What we will say is, if you’re involved in an accident, as a passenger and driver, as a ride share, make sure that you notify the police. Make sure you get a proper record of the accident, as well as contacting the ride share company to let them know you’ve been involved in the vehicle. Don’t leave the scene without the at fault party’s driver’s license number, name and insurance information.
31:53	VERONICA: Safety, so important. Nives. NIVES: Yeah. As we approach that time of year when people are using ride share services to be safe, going to their parties and football games, etc. We want listeners to remember one thing: safety first. Before even stepping afoot into the vehicle of the ride share driver, make sure that you’re identifying and confirming that the person who’s picking you up is that person who is registered with the ride share app.
32:26	I would always suggest to people, ask them to verify their name first. Ask them who they’re coming to pick up instead of you volunteering their name. And then, yeah, check the make and model of the car, license plate, compare the pictures. But this is not only important for safety, but also if you get in the vehicle with a ride share driver who is not the listed registered party for that vehicle, then you will not get afforded the coverage that they would be afforded.
32:56	In fact, they would be excluded. And this happens more than you know. People use other people’s platforms to make some extra money, and then if they’re excluded from coverage, so are you. Of course, as Michelle said, make sure you know your rights. It’s an assumption of risk. Protect yourself to your best ability. And then lastly, this is a complex process. As you’ve heard, there are multiple layers of coverage that we’re dealing with and avenues that you can explore.
33:23	So call us at 1-800-LAW-NEED, and we’re happy to give you a free consultation and guide you through the process and help to our best ability. VERONICA: Nives Juric, Michelle Mumpower. Your host, Veronica Waters, lawyers in the house with Montlick. See you next time. ~You’re listening to our podcast, Lawyers in the House with Montlick. Catch us live every Sunday, 08:00 am. On 95 Five WSB.~

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