Proving Liability in Uber Accidents

Ride-sharing and car service company Uber is quickly being the preferred method to taxi cabs in Atlanta, as well as in 300 cities across the world. Uber is known as reliable and convenient, as it connects you with drivers in your area via a mobile app, shows you their exact proximity and arrival time, displays their picture and car make/model, and allows you to pay automatically via your smartphone so there are no cash transfers or credit card transactions inside the vehicle. Uber also requires passengers and drivers to rate one another in order to encourage a respectful and safe environment for all parties involved.

Unfortunately, anytime you are on the road—whether you are driving or are a passenger in an Uber vehicle—there still exists the risk of auto collisions and injuries. If you are injured while using Uber, who is liable for your injury-related losses? The following are some of the parties that may be held accountable:

Uber

In many cases, a company is responsible for the negligent acts of its employees. However, Uber has been very careful to classify all of its drivers as “independent contractors”¹ instead of as “employees.” This means that the company can often effectively eliminate liability if a driver is negligent and causes an accident. Uber does provide insurance coverage for of its drivers but may try to avoid liability if faced with a legal claim.

Uber driver

If your Uber driver caused the collision and Uber’s insurance will not cover your costs, you may try to make a claim against the driver’s personal insurance policy. However, many personal policies do not cover drivers when they are driving others in exchange for payment. This may require you to file a claim directly against the driver to obtain compensation.

Third party

In many cases, another driver may have been negligent in causing the accident. In such a situation, your claim will be against that driver and their insurance policy.

Ultimately, injury claims for Uber accidents can be complicated so it is always wise to discuss your situation with an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer.

Reference:

1. https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/whd/flsa/docs/contractors.asp