What Should I Do after a Crash with an Uber Driver?
According to Bloomberg Technology, Uber is the most popular ride-sharing app among smartphone users in more than 100 countries. Although you may not see many Uber drivers in rural areas, you can expect to drive alongside them in major cities across the country.
Uber provides services similar to a traditional taxi company, but it operates in an entirely different way. Whereas taxi drivers are employees, Uber drivers are independent contractors.
If you get into a collision with a taxi driver, the claim would go to the driver’s employer under most circumstances. Considering the arrangement that Uber has with its drivers, though, many people are unsure how to proceed in the event of a collision with a ride-share vehicle.
If you sustained injuries or property damage in a car accident with an Uber driver, contact Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates. A San Diego injury attorney will evaluate your case, answer your questions, calculate your damages, and help you fight for the maximum compensation. Call 855-290-8080 to schedule a free initial consultation.
What Should I Do after a Car Accident with an Uber Driver?
Your approach to recovering compensation following a collision with an Uber driver will ultimately depend on the circumstances of the accident. For example, if the Uber driver was off duty at the time of the crash, you would simply proceed as you normally would with a fellow non-commercial motorist.
In such a scenario, you should exchange insurance information with the other driver. Make sure you get his or her personal insurance information – not the information for filing a claim through Uber.
If the accident occurred when the driver was signed in to the Uber app, the situation is a bit more complicated. You should still get the motorist’s personal phone number and insurance information, but you should also ask for Uber’s insurance information.
This applies regardless of whether the driver was available for passengers, on the way to pick up passengers, or transporting passengers during the collision. If there were passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident, make sure you get their contact information, as well.
As of March 2016, insurance coverage for Uber drivers includes:
- $1 million in liability coverage per accident;
- $1 million in uninsured or underinsured bodily injury coverage per incident;
- Collision insurance; and
- Coverage between trips that amounts to $50,000 for bodily injury per individual with a total of $100,000 per incident and an additional $25,000 for property damage.
In general, the Uber driver’s personal coverage will likely deny a third-party claim if the motorist was driving for Uber at the time of the collision; however, you should still gather as much information as possible at the scene, and this includes personal insurance information.
If you were in a collision with a ride-share vehicle, an accident lawyer from Jeffrey E. Estes & Associates can help you file your claim with the appropriate insurance companies. We will help you avoid costly mistakes such as making a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster or accepting a settlement too early.
Call 855-290-8080 to schedule a free initial consultation with an injury attorney in San Diego. You can learn more about car accident claims in California by visiting the USAttorneys website.
