Accident with an Uber Driver
What is Uber?
Uber is a very popular rideshare service in most major cities in the United States. Uber is similar to a taxi service but the difference is Uber does not own, operate or control their cars and do not hire drivers directly, the drivers are considered independent contractors by Uber.
You were in an Accident with an Uber Driver
Have you been in an accident because of an Uber driver? If you have, the aftermath can be very confusing and difficult to navigate alone. It can be a tricky subject since it depends on a variety of circumstances ranging from was the Uber driver on duty with passengers, if the driver was on their way to pick up a passenger, or if the driver was off-duty.
Hiring a personal Injury attorney will help you get to the bottom of what the Uber driver was doing at the time of the accident. These scenarios will help identify if the drivers personal insurance will cover the accident or not. Since Uber is not a car service/taxi company, insurance coverage is like the Wild West. It was not until this past March Uber started offering additional coverage for Uber drivers who were on duty and driving between passengers.
Since Uber calls itself a technology company, not a transportation company or car service, it allows the company to place more blame on the driver, which makes it very difficult for other drivers, pedestrians and even passengers to file complaints with Uber. Uber is notoriously difficult to reach. There is no customer service phone number, only an e-mail address which makes communication difficult and frustrating.
Car Insurance if you are an Uber Driver
Being an Uber driver has its perks. You can set your own hours, meet lots of people, and drive all day if in the comfort of your own vehicle that is what you enjoy doing, plus you get paid for it. Even though Uber has a lot of upsides, there are downsides you need to be aware of, especially when it comes to your insurance policy.
Most personal insurance policies have an exclusion stating that the policy will not cover you if you are driving for hire. Uber does provide some additional coverage when you have an Uber passenger in your vehicle (1 million dollar additional coverage). Just recently, Uber now offers additional insurance when you are driving for Uber without a passenger in your vehicle. If you do not have the additional Uber coverage, you may want to consider adding a commercial policy or find an insurance company that offers a rideshare policy. With the popularity of Uber skyrocketing, insurance companies are now starting to offer additional rideshare coverage for these types of drivers. Since insurance policies can be difficult to fathom, you should check with your insurance agent to see what the best option is for you.
If you have been involved in a car accident with an Uber driver, contacting a personal injury attorney as soon as possible will make the claims process much easier. Attorney Charles V. Contrada will explain your legal options, guide you through the process.
To speak to attorney Charles V. Contrada about a car accident in Ohio or Michigan, call 419.841.4400. Charles has helped thousands of individuals with car accident claims and will explain the legal options that are available to you. Call Contrada & Associates for comprehensive legal guidance that will help you to receive the most favorable outcome.