Hayward sits in the middle of the amazing Bay Area and that means there are a million destinations to consider on any given day. The Bay offers plenty of public transportation options, but your needs may be better suited to a rideshare trip with an Uber driver.
The Uber concept was born in San Franciso and now their busy drivers scour the region looking for those in need of wheels day and night. Uber cars can be seen zipping around Hayward at all hours and that’s part of the problem. They can’t help but add to local traffic, and at times their jobs turn them into bad and even hazardous drivers.
If you are hurt in a collision caused by an Uber driver you might have to face multiple insurance companies and an international corporation to try to get even basic help with your recovery. It seems like a no-brainer that a transportation company would be on the hook for every damage their employees cause, but that’s not always the case. Reach out to a rideshare lawyer to find out just what happens when you’re in an accident involving Uber and how to avoid getting taken advantage of.
Uber Accident Hazards Around Hayward
Residents can be late for work in Hayward or prepping for a commute into San Francisco or anywhere else in the East Bay region. They may be rushing to catch a class at Cal State East Bay. They may also be looking for lunch and some shopping on Winton Avenue. Uber is down for any ride once you tap their app.
That constant availability can be the problem though. With or without passengers, Uber drivers remain on local roads adding to the notorious Bay Area traffic congestion. And it’s easy to see why Uber workers would also be taking their eyes off the road constantly. They depend on those notifications on their cell phones and have their attention drawn to those screens dozens of times a day.
There’s no doubt about the dangers distracted driving presents for motorists. The Zebra collected data on distracted driving and found that in a single year, 3,477 lives were tragically lost in accidents involving distracted driving in the U.S. and another 391,000 people suffered injuries. In 2019, 8.5% of fatal crashes involved a distracted driver.
What’s more, around 20% of injuries in car accidents in an average year involve an inattentive driver. And remember, these are only the cases that get reported as distracted driving-related. Drivers don’t always admit when their distraction led to a crash.
Uber Insurance in a Hayward Accident
Uber keeps its employees designated as contract workers and that not good news for you if you’re in an accident. You’ll first be forced to file a claim with their drivers’ personal insurance policies. Don’t get your hopes up though because insurance providers usually pull their support when they find out their policyholders were on-the-clock for Uber at the time of an accident.
If the driver’s coverage fails or doesn’t provide enough support then victims can attempt to call upon Uber’s insurance. They have up to a million dollars in coverage for each accident, but the amount of compensation you receive depends greatly on where the driver was in their workday when the crash occurred.
Uber employees enter different phases of their shifts as they drive. These are divided up into periods and can greatly affect the coverage you have access to:
- Period 1: When Uber drivers are signed into “driver mode” on the app and are waiting on ride requests Uber will provide a maximum of $100,000 total injury liability per accident, and $25,000 property damage liability for accident victims.
- Period 2: Once an Uber driver accepts a ride request they enter period 2. If an accident happens while they’re on the way to pick up a passenger Uber offers one million dollars in liability insurance and one million dollars in uninsured /under-insured motorist coverage.
- Period 3: With the passenger in the car, the one million dollar coverage continues and stays in effect until the passenger gets out. Uber also provides limited coverage for damage to the driver’s car and uninsured motorists’ coverage.
A driver is not covered by Uber insurance if they’ve logged out of the app. At that point, if you are the victim of careless Uber drivers you are dependent on their insurance. You can also be left to try a claim with your own insurance provider. Compensation can be granted from your uninsured motorist protection.
Do I need a lawyer after an accident involving Uber?
Yes. Your case could involve three different insurance policies, the driver’s, your own, or Uber’s. These can be complex cases made even more confusing when Uber’s lawyers are brought in to try to discredit your accident claim or even turn the blame on you. Don’t face their insurance adjusters and lawyers without your own legal representation.
A local rideshare accident attorney has experience dealing with insurance agents and the tricks giant corporations try to play to shortchange victims. You’re likely to see lowball offers and stall tactics from the very first moment you deal with insurance representatives. Your lawyer can make sure you don’t fall into their trap.
Contact A Hayward Rideshare Accident Lawyer
You weren’t to blame for your accident or your injuries and you shouldn’t be left to fend for yourself as hospital bills pile up and you continue to miss work. Uber makes billions of dollars a year using local drivers and our roads. They should also be responsible when their business practices end up getting people hurt.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury caused by an Uber Driver or if you are an employee who got injured and is being treated unfairly by Uber, it’s time to contact a rideshare accident attorney protecting victims in Hayward and Alameda County. We can find help for you.
