Car accidents happen every single day in the United States, for numerous reasons. With more and more car services like Uber and Lyft out there today, it is no wonder people are wondering what their rights are if they have been injured in an accident with an Uber driver. While Uber is designed to get passengers to their destination safely and without injury, accidents do happen, and Uber drivers are not free of fault. If you were injured in a car driven by an Uber or Lyft driver, you may be entitled to sue the company and recover compensation for your injuries.
As Uber, Lyft and other Transportation Network Companies (TNC) have risen in popularity, cities and counties across the country have been faced with the task of figuring out how to regulate the car-sharing companies. In most of the cities, officials have agreed that Uber and Lyft can operate freely. So what does this mean? One of the main points of contention when trying to determine how to deal with the rise of TNCs was insurance and determining responsibility in the event of an accident. Let’s say you are an uninsured passenger in an Uber and are injured in an accident. What are your rights? As you can imagine, the answer is not as straightforward as many would like. Uber and Lyft both have supposed one million dollar insurance policies in place that are designed to protect injured passengers or other drivers of other cars that they are involved in an accident with. However, this can still be a difficult thing to navigate, which is why we encourage you to contact a personal injury attorney if you are injured by an Uber driver.
How is This Different than Other Car Accidents?
In order to truly understand how to proceed following an accident with an Uber driver, it is important we go over how these types of accidents differ than those of other car accidents:
- Uber drivers are considered “independent contractors”, which means they are not actual employees
- If you are injured while riding in an Uber or Lyft car, you are entitled to compensation by both the driver’s insurance policy and the company’s policy
- Uber calls itself a “technology provider”, not a car or transportation service, which allows them to place more blame on the driver rather than the company itself
- This means it is more difficult for passengers, pedestrians, other drivers, and anyone else involved in an Uber accident to file a complaint or claim with Uber
These are just a few of the top considerations if you are ever injured in an accident with an Uber driver.
What Do I Do After An Accident with an Uber Driver?
Just like with other types of car accidents, it is important you collect the following from the Uber driver:
- The driver’s name and contact information
- The driver’s insurance information
- The name and contact information of any other drivers or pedestrians involved
- The names and contact information of any witnesses to the accident
If you have been injured in an accident with an Uber driver, please contact AMA Law today. Our Oklahoma personal injury attorneys are here to help and will go over your case with you and advise you on how to proceed.