Can You Sue Uber if You Get In an Accident?

In any claim against Uber, you’ll hope to be offered a fair settlement for your medical bills, pain, suffering, and lost time at work. Settlements are by far the most common outcomes for accident claims filed against Uber. Uber doesn’t want to risk the cost of going to court over a lawsuit you file.

Who Can You Sue if You Get Into an Uber Accident?

You can sue Uber in some situations after a car accident. Uber is responsible for the safety of the passengers its drivers pick up and any victims in traffic accidents their drivers cause. Their drivers may have their own ridesharing insurance and Uber supplements this coverage with a $1 million policy.

Having a skilled personal injury lawyer with The Law Offices of Steers & Associates in Los Angeles presents a strong threat to Uber and their lawyers. Uber will know the lawsuit threat is real if you have aggressive legal representation. They’ll remain motivated to provide you with a settlement offer that satisfies you, rather than be dragged into a courtroom.

However, a lawyer with Steers & Associates will always have evidence and testimony prepared in case a lawsuit is necessary. If Uber refuses to provide fair support to you for your injuries, we’ll be ready to meet them in front of a judge and jury.

Uber Car Accident Dangers for Los Angeles Motorists

Uber-involved accidents are much more common than one might think. According to Los Angeles Almanac, Los Angeles County was home to over 7 ½ million registered cars, trucks, and motorcycles in 2020. That’s a lot of people on the freeways and boulevards. And for those that don’t own cars, a call to rideshare like Uber is usually the easiest option.

Uber drivers make these added trips on already crowded local roads. If you think about it, Uber drivers are often the most distracted motorists in the lanes. Any driver can be tempted to look at a cellphone screen or a social media account, but Uber drivers are required to use their phones on the job.

Uber drivers are notified when nearby rideshare is available. They also rely on voice and visual assistance to locate unfamiliar streets and thoroughfares. It’s all substantial time that their eyes are off the road. They can fail to notice their cars veering into another lane or when traffic has slowed in front of them.

Cell phone usage is the leading cause of car accidents for all motorists everywhere. Pedestrians accidents and cycling accidents can also be caused by distracted Uber drivers.

Uber Car Accident Coverage for Drivers

Uber backs its driver with a $1 million insurance policy. Unfortunately, that coverage is dependent on the circumstances of the accident. It’s also not easy to get Uber and their corporate lawyers to admit blame and pay victims what’s fair even when the fault is clear.

Getting an Uber settlement check should be an easy process for victims in need, but that’s not always the case. It’s often apparent when an Uber driver is to blame for your traffic accident involving your car, or when you’re hit as a pedestrian or cyclist. No matter how obvious the fault is, Uber may still make you jump through hoops to secure what’s fair.

Uber Accident Insurance Coverage

After an accident, there are a few insurance policies that come into play. It is important to understand which policy you need to pursue coverage from for your particular case:

• Uber Driver’s Insurance: All Uber employees are required to maintain their own auto insurance. Your case begins with a claim filed against the driver’s coverage. Unfortunately, insurance companies typically don’t cover policyholders while they drive for rideshare unless supplemental ridesharing coverage is purchased. If your first injury claim is rejected due to lack of coverage or the driver’s insurance has low policy limits that don’t cover all of your damages, a claim against Uber’s supplemental insurance is allowed.
• Uber Coverage: Uber maintains up to a million dollars in liability insurance for accident victims. However, it only applies to accidents that occur when drivers have their Uber apps open. The other requirement is that the driver must be riding with a passenger or on the way to pick up a passenger. If a collision occurs while an Uber driver is logged in but doesn’t have a customer lined up, the maximum coverage drops to $100,000 in an accident.
• Your Car Insurance: If your injury settlement has reached the policy limits with the third-party insurance on an Uber claim and you have underinsured motorist bodily injury limits that are for a higher amount, you can make a claim with your own insurance company for additional compensation. Your Los Angeles Uber Car Accident Lawyer should pursue this option, if applicable.

When Uber and their legal team don’t seem to want to do the right thing, there are techniques your Steers Personal Injury Lawyer can use to make them reconsider their position.

For example, an examination of Uber’s hiring and training practices might dig up enough problems with Uber’s business model to show they should be liable for the injury incident.

The Uber driver’s driving history could also be used against the driver and Uber to convince a judge and jury that Uber owed you more care than they demonstrated. This damaging evidence can be used against Uber in litigation to help compensate you for the pain you’ve suffered.

What to Do After an Accident With An Uber Driver?

After a collision, you may be in too much pain to move, or you may remain in shock over what’s happened. But if you are physically able, you should try to collect valuable evidence on the scene of your crash.

Any claim you file against Uber and their insurance representatives may be hotly contested. The more evidence you provide showing their driver was to blame, the sooner they’ll realize it’s best to give up their defense and provide what’s fair.

Try to gather these important details in the moments after your accident with an Uber driver:

• Call 911. Report and tell officers everything you can remember about what happened. Let EMTs check out every pain you have. Go to the hospital if necessary.
• Take photos of the crash. Get shots of the damage to cars and skid marks on the road. Show traffic signs. Take pictures of any signage that identifies the vehicle as an Uber. As a passenger also take pictures of the interior of the Uber vehicle. If you must leave the scene, ask someone with you or a helpful witness to take photos.
• Look for any security cameras at homes or businesses nearby that might have recorded what happened.
• Talk to witnesses about what they saw. Find out what they observed if the Uber driver engaged in reckless or careless behavior. The passenger in an Uber car may also provide powerful testimony. Get everyone’s contact information.
• Exchange information with the Uber driver.
• Get your injuries checked out with your physician. Do everything your doctor recommends. Save all medical invoices.

Depending on the area of your accident, you might need different steps on filing a car accident report, here are some helpful links:

• Burbank Car Accident Report
• Encino Car Accident Report
• Beverly Hills Car Accident Report
• San Fernando Car Accident Report
• Lancaster Car Accident Report
• Santa Monica Car Accident Report
• Sherman Oaks Car Accident Report
• Winnetka Car Accident Report
• Culver City Car Accident Report
• Lake Balboa Car Accident Report

What Makes A Personal Injury Lawsuit with an Uber Driver Different Than with A Regular Driver?

As mentioned previously, Uber’s insurance company plays a large role in your personal injury case and in your prospective settlement. Uber accidents are backed by a policy worth more than one million dollars, but the insurance coverage doesn’t apply to every situation.

This coverage might only apply when the driver actively uses the app and carries passengers. Even when fault is clear to see, Uber’s insurance coverage may not be willing to shell out a settlement. Drivers are also referred to as independent contractors. Independent contractors are not employees, so Uber is legally not required to treat them as such following Uber accidents.

How Can A Lawyer Help You Navigate The Insurance Process?

This is where the help of a personal injury lawyer is crucial. Figuring out Uber’s insurance policy, filing an insurance claim and even understanding the fine details of your own personal insurance policy can be tricky. At our law firm, we liaise back and forth with the driver’s insurance company and yours, taking the burden off of you and handling this tough leg work on your behalf.

Understanding insurance coverage is always one of the most challenging parts of a personal injury case, but especially when you sue Uber directly. Uber drivers still must be held accountable, no matter how difficult it might be. In addition to Uber’s insurance policy, liability can be more complex in cases like these, due to the involvement of multiple parties: the Uber driver, the rideshare company, other drivers, and passengers.

Determining who is at fault and to what extent can be more difficult, especially to do on your own without the help of a lawyer. This can impact how compensation is distributed among the parties involved. Uber itself will, of course, try not to admit fault, but an experienced lawyer from our team will stop at nothing to hold them, and Uber drivers, accountable.

What Kind Of Compensation Can You Get If You Sue An Uber Driver?

If you’re in a car accident and want to sue for compensation, the amount you can get depends on a few things.

Your Injuries

First, your bodily injury and how much damage your car suffered. Your serious injuries after an Uber accident will play a key role in your case. Serious injuries after an accident, such as a traumatic brain injury, are not to be overlooked.

As your Uber accident lawyers, we’ll take a look at the medical care you’ve been given after the accident. If you’ve needed serious medical attention due to your bodily injury and will likely also need future medical care, we will factor these expenses into your case. Both what you’ve already spent on medical care and what you might spend in the future are considered.

How Much The Other Driver Was At Fault

If an Uber driver caused the accident, they may have been distracted due to the fact that they were working and “on the clock” while they were driving. Some Uber drivers circle the streets for hours waiting for new rides, and could be tired and mentally preoccupied, causing a car crash. If the Uber driver, in your case, was driving especially recklessly or carelessly, this may affect how much compensation you receive.

Your Lost Wages

Lost wages are also a key component of your Uber car crash case. If you missed work because of the motor vehicle accident, you can also get money for the wages you lost. If you’ve been injured in an accident with an Uber, you might be facing many weeks or even months out of work. At our law firm, we make sure your personal injury claim considers your lost wages and time spent away from work after you’ve been injured in an accident.

Additional Compensation: Property Damage and Wrongful Death

Your personal belongings can be just as important and sentimental as your health and wellbeing. If you suffered property damage due to a crash with an Uber driver, a personal injury lawyer from our team will fight to factor this into your compensation. In some cases, property damage coverage is included in your personal insurance policy. Ask a lawyer if you’re unsure about your insurance coverage.

In especially egregious Uber accidents, the surviving family members of an accident victim can sue for their loved one wrongfully dying. If the Uber driver or other drivers involved operated in such a way that negligently, recklessly and carelessly took another person’s life, those left behind can sue Uber for a wrongful death.

In some unique car accident cases, you can even get money for how much pain and suffering the Uber driver caused you. If you sue an Uber driver after an accident, you may be suffering from depression, anxiety or even post-traumatic stress. If applicable to your case, our law firm will help you sue Uber to win compensation for your pain and suffering.

How Do I Know How Much Money I Can Get from an Uber Accident?

If you believe you might have an Uber accident case, and are interested in potentially filing a personal injury lawsuit, schedule a free consultation with our team today. Your Uber accident case could be worth a life-changing amount of money, and you deserve a chance at a full recovery.

No two Uber accidents occur in the same way. However your accident happened, we’ll take the time to listen, and will let you know as soon as possible if you’re eligible to receive fair compensation.

What Can I Expect In My First Meeting With An Uber Accident Lawyer?

The attorney-client relationship is important to us. An attorney-client relationship should be rooted in trust and confidence, and we work hard to achieve that. Any experienced attorney should take the time to listen to your concerns regarding the car accident, from worries about your insurance coverage to how you have been injured in an accident.

We may look over your personal insurance policy, discuss liability coverage and your medical bills, and talk about how the accident occurred.

If you sue Uber with the right lawyer, you could get the maximum settlement owed to you with the help of an experienced attorney. The only way to truly know how much money you may receive if you sue an Uber driver is if you contact our law firm and schedule a free consultation.

In your free consultation, you can tell an experienced attorney from our firm what happened to you. You can discuss how much money you’ve been forced to spend to recover, and how the accident has changed your life. You deserve fair compensation, and our law office will fight to grant it to you.

Contact an Uber Accident Lawyer Serving Los Angeles Victims

If you or a loved one suffer a serious injury due to an Uber driver’s mistake, don’t waste a minute wondering whether you have a case against Uber.

Contact us for a free case evaluation for all victims in Southern California. We want to hear about what happened to you. We’ll help you determine what your injury is worth and inform you of the rights you have. You may, in fact, be able to earn financial support from more than one insurance company, including Uber’s own $1 million dollar policy.

If you decide you’d like us to represent your Uber accident case, we don’t require any money upfront. We don’t earn any attorney fees unless we win your case.

Allen Vaysberg

Allen Vaysberg practices personal injury law and works tirelessly to defeat the tactics of insurance companies and large corporations who try to deny justice and fair compensation to injured people.