Getting into the back of an Uber requires trust in the driver, but since you have never met the driver, A Tallahassee car accident lawyer knows your trust is actually in the vetting process that Uber has in place to approve and retain drivers on their platform. Vehicles must be inspected and approved for safety purposes, drivers submit to a background check, and passengers rate each rider after arriving at their destination. Negative reviews or bad experiences with a driver may result in the contractor being removed from the app to maximize safety for riders and maintain the trust that keeps rideshare services operating smoothly.
These safety measures and more make many of us choose to use Uber on a routine basis, but no amount of safety measures will guarantee that a driver will never be involved in — or cause — a car accident. Uber drivers are categorized as independent contractors, meaning that they are not employees of Uber Technologies, Inc., and therefore are not covered by employer-provided insurance like a taxi driver or livery service driver would, meaning that an accident in an Uber may be complicated as you try to determine how to move forward with an insurance claim. An experienced Tallahassee personal injury lawyer can assist you through this process.
Contact Fasig | Brooks To Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Uber Accident Attorney
The award-winning legal team at Fasig | Brooks offers free consultations for people who have been involved in Uber accidents where we can discuss the specifics of the situation and provide legal advice on how to move forward with our support and representation. This consultation is an excellent opportunity to get some context to your situation, as insurance claims and personal injury law can be confusing and overwhelming for someone unfamiliar with these areas of the law.
As you try to make sense of your injuries, get the medical care you need, deal with lost wages, and try to work towards a full recovery, also trying to handle your insurance claim can feel nearly impossible, especially if you are planning to do what it takes to get a fair settlement. Insurance companies know that claimants are typically struggling to balance many different stressful needs and priorities at once after an accident and use this to their advantage as they work towards settling claims as quickly and inexpensively as possible.
While you focus on your recovery, your Uber accident attorney will prioritize your legal needs and work towards getting the compensation you rightfully deserve. Read more about Uber accidents below, and contact us as soon as possible to schedule a free consultation.
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Where To File an Insurance Claim After an Uber Accident
Since Uber drivers are independent contractors, they are required to carry their car insurance, and depending on how they are using the Uber app at the time of the accident, third-party claimants may either need first to file a claim with the personal policy, and Uber’s supplemental policy will cover any overages, or, in the case of an accident while a driver is committed to a ride, third-party claims will go directly through Uber’s policy.
If you are in an accident with someone who drives for Uber but is not actively using the app at all (meaning that they are not online waiting for a ride request or actively responding to or giving a ride), they are not considered to be associated with Uber at all, and this situation will be entirely handled as a personal claim.
As a Passenger
If you are a passenger in an Uber during an accident, the good news is that you will not need to spend much time wondering about where to file your claim. Uber’s third-party liability policy will cover you with a limit of $1 million and a range of coverage areas. However, a high policy limit does not mean that it will be any easier to get the money you deserve, so working with an attorney through this process is an essential step to getting a fair settlement.
In most cases, there will be no question of a passenger contributing any fault to the accident (although this is not always true), so you typically will not need to worry about pure comparative fault or assuming any liability for the crash.
As Another Driver
If you were in another vehicle that collided with an Uber driver, you will need to go through a few additional steps before filing any claim. First, you will need to determine which type of extended coverage they have based on the step they were on in the Uber app. If they were transporting a passenger, then you will be able to initiate your claim with Uber’s liability policy, but if they were waiting for a ride request, then you will need to file your initial claim with their personal policy.
If your damages exceed their policy limits or there are any issues with filing, the next step will be to open another claim with Uber’s third-party liability insurance. At this point, you may have two separate claims open at once, which will only further complicate your situation and require more of your attention and care. Again, this is why partnering with the team at Fasig | Brooks is such an important step before even initiating your claim.
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Calculating and Negotiating Damages After an Uber Accident
Whether or not you are working with a personal injury lawyer after an Uber accident in Tallahassee, you will need to go through the process of identifying, cataloging, and calculating all of the damages you have suffered as a result of your accident. Economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage are the most obvious, but non-economic damages like pain and suffering or depression can be confusing to make sense of.
Once you have calculated your damages, you will submit a demand letter to the insurer stating the amount you believe you are owed. It is unlikely that they will respond in agreement and typically offer a substantially lower settlement amount as a one-time payment. At this point, you (or your lawyer) will go through a series of negotiations in hopes of reaching a settlement agreement. If the two parties cannot reach an agreement, the next step may be to file a lawsuit with the Florida courts. If you have been working with a lawyer since the start, they will already have all of the facts and details about your case and will easily file your case.
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Contact Our Firm Today To Get Started On Your Tallahassee Uber Accident Claim
As soon as you speak with an attorney during a free consultation, you will have a better sense of what the future holds for you, and can focus on your recovery with confidence that a proven legal professional is fighting to get you the money you are rightfully owed. As your insurance claim moves forward and you start getting medical bills and dealing with other costs and expenses, it can be stressful to think about how you will manage your financial obligations.
When you have a personal injury lawyer available to answer questions about your unique situation, you can rest easy knowing an experienced attorney will help you navigate this process and manage your debts and obligations until you receive a settlement. Insurance companies can often convince claimants to accept a low settlement early into the process to alleviate their short-term financial concerns, but finding a way to hold out is one of the best ways to increase your leverage through negotiations and get the money you are owed. We are ready to help as soon as you contact us.
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