Uber Accident Lawyer in Clovis

Your day in Clovis may take you to some familiar places. To Work, school, or a shopping and eating destination on Shaw Avenue, or anywhere else. For some that are making do without a vehicle, Uber may be counted on to provide the wheels for the day.

Some think that the rollout of an Uber fleet each morning in Clovis and across Fresno County actually cuts down on traffic, but that’s debatable. What’s not debatable is that Uber drivers have to worry about a lot of stuff as they work, and their shift is all spent behind the wheel and dependent on a cell phone. You can see why they’d often be distracted drivers and potentially a big hazard on the road.

If a distracted Uber driver gets too close to you and causes a collision, or if you are a passenger in an Uber crash, it’s time to talk to a local Uber Car Accident Lawyer.  Contact our experts to find out just how many people have been in your position, injured and wondering just how to hold Uber accountable. Reach out to us for a free consultation and a free lesson on how to deal with Uber representatives who will call you after an accident.

Uber Accident Coverage in a Clovis Accident

After a serious injury in an accident caused by an Uber driver, you may think you can ask Uber directly for help. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Because their employees are classified as contract workers, you must first try a claim against the driver’s personal car insurance protection. This may be a fruitless effort because insurance companies can often deny claims made over accidents that happened while their drivers were working for a rideshare company.

If a claim against the driver is unsuccessful, you can then target Uber in a civil lawsuit to try to get help with your hospital bills, lost wages at work, and other losses resulting from the accident. The determining factor will be what phase their employees were in during the accident. They must be logged onto the app and on-the-clock for Uber’s insurance coverage to apply.

When they are logged on but don’t have a customer lined up, Uber offers drivers and their victims up to 100,000 dollars in accident protection. If the driver has a passenger in the car or is on the way to pick one up when a collision occurs, Uber can offer up to one million dollars in accident coverage.

Uber Accident Dangers in Clovis

As you can see, there are holes in Uber’s and their drivers’ coverage plans. You could end up getting nothing from both parties. You might even be forced to file a claim with your own insurance policy, treating the Uber driver like an uninsured motorist.

This might all seem like something most drivers don’t need to worry about. But you have to look around you as you drive to see all of the rideshare and delivery vehicles all using the same roads you do. Then consider all of the distractions they battle as they also try to drive safely.

These are just a few of the things in their job descriptions that might lead to inattention or other unsafe actions:

  • Reckless Driving – Rushing to a pick-up or hitting the gas to get a fussy passenger to their destination on time. Uber drivers can also be the slowest vehicle on the road while they look for an address, veering over lane lines. They may be looking at street signs and not paying attention when a traffic light turns red.
  • Distracting Customers – Riders may require special attention or need information forcing the driver to take his or her eyes off the road. They may also be demanding and drivers may be a bit scared to ignore them.
  • Phone Distractions – Uber drivers partner with their Uber app to make their jobs possible. They get notifications when a nearby passenger hails a ride. They must also tap to accept a rider’s request. All of these seconds are a time that eyes are taken of the road.
  • Driver mood and physical state – We have all been at work feeling overwhelmed but Uber employees must deal with all of these personal issues while driving. A bad experience with a passenger or a fight with a loved one may have them preoccupied. Drivers may also be driving for too many hours in a row, veering into another danger on the road. Drowsy driving.
  • Drug or Alcohol Use — Uber doesn’t tolerate drug and alcohol consumption, but some drivers do make bad decisions. Rideshare drivers are actually under stricter limits when they work. Normal drivers must keep their blood alcohol content (BAC) under .08% but most delivery and rideshare drivers must stay under.04% BAC to stay within the law while working.

Contact a Clovis Rideshare Accident Lawyer

After an accident involving Uber, a member of their corporate team may contact you for a statement. Speak to an attorney before giving any statement of any kind. These statements can come back to haunt you when insurance agents turn them around to use as evidence to try to pin your accident on you.

If you or a loved one sustained a serious injury and the accident involved an Uber in Clovis, contact us for a free and confidential consultation. Whether you were hit by a Uber driver, injured as a passenger, or injured as a Uber driver we can make sure you find the best path to getting the compensation you need to recover your health and your life.