What Happens When a Pedestrian is Struck by an Uber Driver?
Uber remains to be the most popular ridesharing app, with Lyft following closely behind. There’s no doubt that Uber has changed how people get from one place to another and has definitely made commuting easier for millions of people worldwide. However, the rideshare company is not without its share of controversial legal dramas, and accidents involving the company’s drivers can be very complicated.
If you have suffered injuries as a pedestrian due to an Uber driver’s negligent actions, you are entitled to seek financial compensation for your damages.
Understanding How Uber’s Insurance Policy Works
Uber attempts to classify their drivers as independent contractors instead of employees. This technicality gives the rideshare company an opportunity to get away with insurance-related trickeries, which can make insurance claims, whether as a pedestrian, passenger, or another driver, harder for injured victims. Uber will only take on liability (usually, limited liability) for accidents that occur when their driver is on the job, and it breaks down this status into different periods. Uber also has different coverage limits for these different periods:
- No passenger, but the driver is logged on to the Uber app – Uber drivers naturally spend some of their time driving as they wait for passenger requests. Although this may seem like a normal part of any driver-for-hire’s job, Uber doesn’t agree. Although Uber does not cover its drivers for injuries or property damage during this waiting period, it provides them with liability coverage, which covers pedestrian accidents.
- Uber driver en-route to a ride request – When drivers are on their way to fetch passengers, they are technically on the job and will be covered by the company’s insurance policy. On the other hand, this is not as simple as it seems. Let’s say that you get into a pedestrian accident with an Uber driver during this time. But if the ride request was canceled at this time, the driver might not be covered by Uber during your accident. This might make a huge difference in how the company covers (if it even agrees to do so) your accident claim.
- Fulfilling a ride request – In the event that the negligent Uber driver was fulfilling a ride request at the time of your pedestrian accident, the driver is on Uber’s clock and is covered by Uber’s liability insurance coverage.
When it comes to accidents involving Uber drivers, nothing is ever straightforward. This applies to another driver, an Uber passenger, other motorists, and pedestrians. Determining an injured pedestrian’s source of recovery, whether the driver’s insurance coverage or Uber’s coverage, may not be easy.
Talk to an Experienced Cumming Uber Accident Lawyer Today
Pedestrian accidents are among the most dangerous and devastating accidents. This is why it’s important that pedestrians who have suffered injuries due to an Uber driver’s negligent acts receive the financial compensation they deserve. To learn more about your case and your legal options for recovering compensation, don’t hesitate to reach out to us here at Banks, Stubbs & McFarland LLP. You can reach our office to arrange an appointment with our Cumming Uber accident lawyers by contacting us online or calling 770-887-1209.