What to do in a Car Accident with an Uber or Other Ride-Sharing Service
It is becoming more popular for individuals to take taxis or ride-sharing services than to drive themselves. There are many reasons for the rise of more driving services. Many people prefer not to take on the financial burden of a car or others want to take a cab or Uber so they can have a few drinks with friends without fear of a DUI. As helpful as ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft may be, they are not immune to auto accidents. Plus, when a ride-sharing vehicle is in a crash, there are additional considerations than if two drivers were simply in their personal vehicles. If you were hurt after being hit by an Uber, Lyft, or other car service, you may have to work with both the company and the driver to fully recover for your injuries. For more information on how to navigate this situation, contact the New Braunfels personal injury attorneys at our office for help.
Whose Insurance is Responsible?
The main question after getting into an accident with an Uber or ride-sharing service vehicle is whose insurance is responsible for the property, physical, and emotional damage: Uber’s policy or the drivers?
The answer may depend on whether the Uber driver was working at the time of the accident. If the crash occurred while the driver was working for Uber, then the ride-sharing service’s insurance may be the primary policy for your recovery.
Coverage also depends on whether the Uber driver had a passenger or not. Was the driver available to riders? Was he or she on the way to pick up a rider? Was there a rider in the car and the driver was on the way to his or her destination? All of these situations matter for Uber’s insurance policy. If the driver had a passenger, then Uber’s policy covers the accidents with a $1 million liability policy. If the Uber driver was able to pick up passengers but did not have a rider in the car at the time of the accident, then Uber’s coverage may be secondary to the driver’s personal insurance coverage.
If the driver was not picking up riders and was using his or her car for personal means at the time of the accident, then his or her personal insurance is used.
Get Both Insurance Policies’ Details
If you were hit by an Uber or other ride-sharing car, you should ask for both the driver’s personal insurance information as well as the business’s insurance policy details. It is unlikely that you will know which policy will be responsible for your recovery right after a crash. This will be determined by working with an attorney to discover whether the driver was working for Uber at the time and whether he or she had a passenger in the car.
You may need to make a third-party claim against one or both policies to recover the compensation you deserve.
Call a New Braunfels Personal Injury Attorney for Help
An accident with an Uber or other ride-sharing service vehicle does not have to be overly complicated. An experienced attorney will understand the nuances of a collision with a sometimes-commercial vehicle and will know how to investigate the situation. Once you know who to turn to for help, your attorney will help you file third-party insurance claims. If you are unable to settle through insurance, the skilled New Braunfels personal injury attorneys at The Bettersworth Law Firm will help you hold the at-fault party responsible for your injuries.
Source:
https://newsroom.uber.com/insurance-for-uberx-with-ridesharing/
