by Matt Williams

Personal InjuryFebruary 23, 20210 comments

Can I File a Personal Injury Claim If I Get Hurt During a Car Accident with Uber?

Yes, you can file a personal injury claim if you are injured as a result of a car accident involving Uber.  In most cases, the Uber driver and their personal insurance policy will cover your injuries and your vehicle damage.  In some situations, you may be able to recover from Uber’s $1,000,000 insurance policy also. Here is the breakdown:

Uber and other rideshare companies, like Lyft, have thousands of drivers who work for them.  The drivers use the Uber app (or other rideshare app) to connect with potential riders and the riders then pay the driver through the app.  Uber, or the other rideshare service, receives a percentage of the payment and the driver continues to use the app to pick up other riders, but the driver is not a “employee” of the Uber or the rideshare service for legal purposes.  In fact, companies like Uber and Lyft benefit off of their drivers not being considered employees because it means Florida’s “vicarious liability” rules protect Uber from being sued when their drivers get into car accidents.

That being said, Uber is only required to cover their drivers when their driver gets in an accident while actually working for Uber at the moment of the crash.  For example, if the driver gets into an accident while the driver’s app is turned on and the driver is actively looking for a rider to pick up, then Uber (or any other rideshare company) can cover up to $100,000 per accident and $50,000 per person for injuries.  Along those same lines, if the Uber or rideshare driver gets into an accident at any time between the point where the driver accepts a ride to the moment they drop off the passengers, then the $1,000,000 insurance policy would cover the incident (the $1,000,000 policy covers people in the Uber, people in another car, pedestrians, bicyclist or anybody else injured by the Uber).  However, if the driver is off duty and not using the app then Uber is not required to cover the crash at all.

Just because you may not be able to sue Uber or Lyft directly doesn’t mean that you can’t recover money.  Their insurance can still cover injuries and damages for any accident that their driver is involved in, so make sure you speak to an attorney before dismissing your claim.  You should also speak to an attorney if someone from Uber or Lyft tries to settle the claim with you.  Uber and Lyft policies can supplement payments and provide significant compensation for you, so don’t settle your claim until your attorney has confirmed that you are receiving your maximum benefits.

If you have been injured in a car accident involving Uber or some other ride share company, then you should contact The Law Office of Matthew C. Williams to determine how to move forward with your claim against Uber.  Uber’s insurance representatives will oftentimes claim you are at fault, argue your injuries are superficial, or they will delay their case until you are willing to settle for less than your case is worth, but with the help of Attorney Williams, you will have the same resources, financial backing and experience that Uber has, and you will never feel alone in your fight for justice. 

The Law Office of Matthew C. Williams focuses primarily on personal injury matters and we take pride in having a personal relationship with their clients.  Attorney Williams treats his clients like family because he knows what they are dealing with is always more than just a case, and he refuses to let big companies like Uber, defense lawyers, or big insurance stand in the way of getting his clients what they deserve. He obtains results for his clients and he’ll do the same for you, so give The Law Office of Matthew C. Williams a call to find out what your case is worth today.