That early morning alarm can go off and the first thought can be how you’re going to get to where you need to be. Residents in Atwater may hop in their own cars to get to work or make it to class on time. They could also trust the trip to an Uber driver.
Rideshare drivers seem to always be circling waiting to lend you some wheels when you need a ride. That circling should concern you though. If you’re driving the roads yourself, you may see an Uber car traveling along with no passenger. That’s because they can be cruising, waiting on someone to request a lift. They can travel with little direction, distracted by notifications on their apps, and providing an increased risk of a collision that might involve your vehicle and your family.
You can be hit by an Uber driver as a motorist, a motorcyclist, a pedestrian, or while on a bike and suddenly be experiencing the worst pain of your life. In a perfect world, your injury should be covered by that driver’s insurance and Uber’s policy. But what if neither decided to help with your recovery? Contacting a Merced County Uber Accident Lawyer will be your quickest path to sorting all of this out and making sure aren’t stuck with the bills from an accident that wasn’t your fault.
Rideshare Accident Hazards in Atwater
Atwater residents could be late for a shift or might find they need to make a short trip to Bellevue Road to grab a bite or do some shopping. Uber is usually the first app that gets tapped when people need to be someplace.
But each and every callout to Uber puts another vehicle on the road around Merced County. Those vehicles start to add up after a while. A significant number of the cars you see veering from lane to lane on your commute to Modesto or Fresno may end up being distracted rideshare and food delivery drivers. Each Uber driver may be checking the app they rely on to earn money, they may also be taking a lunch break from behind the wheel. All are distracted driving dangers that can end up forcing you and your vehicle into a collision.
Uber drivers may have a passenger who is keeping them distracted with questions or being argumentive. They may not have any passengers but are still using the roads as they cruise waiting for their next ride request. You deal with accident threats from normal traffic, but rideshare drivers work from behind the wheel and can become even bigger hazards to you and your family’s safety when you travel.
Does Uber provide insurance coverage if I am injured by a driver?
Uber does provide assistance to victims in accidents involving their drivers, but there’s a couple of catches. Your first stop when trying to get compensation for your injuries won’t be with Uber. And Uber only covers accidents that meet certain criteria.
Generally, victims that have been injured in an accident involving a rideshare driver have three paths to getting help:
- The Uber Driver’s Insurance Policy: Uber hides behind their drivers when accidents happen. You’ll first have to file a claim with the driver’s car insurance through whatever company he or she uses. This isn’t always a successful claim because many insurance firms toss out claims when their drivers were working for a rideshare at the time of an accident. If the claim is denied or if the driver’s coverage limits don’t cover all of your damages, you can then file a claim against Uber.
- Uber’s Policy: Uber only covers employees and their victims if the accident meets certain standards. Uber will provide up to one million dollars in coverage if an accident happens while their drivers have customers in their cars or if they are on the way to pick up a customer. If an Uber driver is logged into their app and working but doesn’t have a ride request when an accident happens Uber maintains up to a $100,000 liability policy for victims. That’s the extent of what Uber will cover although an attorney working on your case can try to call Uber’s denial of liability into question. Your attorney can dig up the Uber employee’s driving record to see if there were warning signs Uber should have caught. An attorney can also question Uber’s training and safety policies.
- Your Own Insurance Coverage: If no one will take responsibility for the accident an Uber driver caused, it may be necessary to try to get help with your medical costs through the uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your personal car insurance policy. This may not be an easy process. Your own agents may still try to withhold compensation or try to get you to accept a lot less than what you need to get back on your feet. Your attorney can monitor your claim’s progress and double and triple-check that you are being treated fairly.
Contact an Atwater Uber Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury caused by an Uber employee it’s time to contact a rideshare accident attorney protecting victims across Merced County. If you were struck by an Uber driver or were a passenger in an Uber car and were injured, we can help you. You might have been an Uber driver who has been treated unfairly by your employer after an accident. We can help you.
Please make time to talk to an attorney with experience dealing with big corporations and their lawyers. Your first consultation is free and comes with no obligation. As a victim of Uber, you deserve to know all of your options for getting help with your recovery.