For those of us living and working in San Diego the rush to get anywhere on time can be a challenge. Sometimes a quick request to a rideshare driver makes the most sense as you try to start or end your day. You may be late for work or for a class in University City or you could just be wanting to hit the beach without getting sand in your own car. All great times to open up the Uber app.
Uber drivers can find you in any neighborhood and make sure you get to your destination in a reasonable amount of time, but no matter how high their driver ratings they can’t guarantee your safety. Uber drivers must work and drive with a lot on their plates at once, and that can lead to distraction and the elevated risk of a collision.
Protecting Yourself After an Uber Involved Accident in San Diego
There may be hundreds of rideshare and food delivery workers on San Diego streets at any given moment. Those fleets of vehicles take up lane space and only add to the chances you’ll be in an accident when you venture out. What’s more, Uber drivers can be some of the most distracted motorists on the road as they navigate their frantic jobs and traffic at the same time.
Distracted driving has become a massive problem in every corner of San Diego. NBC7-TV reported on the issue and a recent surge in the past few years. Over a four year span, the San Diego Police gave out 637 tickets to distracted drivers in the downtown area along a single block of 10th Avenue. Many of those citations involved cell phone use. Rideshare workers, of course, can’t transport anyone without the help of a cellphone.
If you find yourself the victim of a crash involving a distracted Uber driver, it’s vital to know you’re rights as a victim. You may face thousands of dollars in hospital bills and weeks of missed work and suddenly realize that the at-fault driver and the rideshare company he or she works for may be trying to avoid helping you in your recovery. Don’t let them make you a victim a second time. Talk with a San Diego Rideshare Accident Lawyer who knows how rideshare companies operate after an accident and knows how to protect you from falling for their corporate tricks.
Compensation for Victims in Uber Accidents
While you heal from your injuries and may even still be in the hospital you might wonder just how likely it is that you’ll be seeing help from Uber with your recovery costs. Fortunately, the rideshare giant does offer coverage to victims but it’s only offered in certain situations and only after other options have been exhausted.
What that means is you’ll first have to take your claim for help to the Uber driver’s personal car insurance company. Uber won’t be involved until you try this route with the at-fault driver. The driver’s insurance coverage may lead you to zero coverage because drivers aren’t always covered by their policies while they drive for a rideshare.
If a claim against the driver’s policy fails or doesn’t offer enough coverage to reimburse all of your medical costs, Uber can then be called upon. They offer insurance coverage for their employees and their victims but the amounts can vary greatly depending on what phase of their shift a worker is in when he or she causes an accident. Their days are broken up into these periods:
- Period 0: A driver isn’t officially on the clock and not logged into the Uber app. Uber doesn’t take responsibility for collisions in this phase. Victims are left depending on the Uber driver’s own insurance policy.
- Period 1: The driver is logged into the Uber App and in “driver mode.” They are looking for customers but don’t have a ride request yet. During this period, Uber provides $100,000 total injury liability per accident.
- Period 2: A driver has accepted a ride request and is on the way to the pick-up point when the accident occurs. Uber offers up to one million dollars in liability insurance and one million dollars in uninsured/under-insured motorist coverage.
- Period 3: The passenger is in the Uber vehicle. If an accident occurs at this point victims are covered by up to one million dollars of insurance protection. The coverage continues until the passenger exits. There’s also limited coverage for damage to the driver’s car and uninsured motorists coverage.
If you, unfortunately, face the prospect of being denied by both insurance options, you may also try filing a claim against your own car insurance policy. This compensation would be provided by the uninsured motorist provision of your coverage. This can be a frustrating process, however, because even though you’re dealing with your own insurance agency, they may still try to get you to accept lowball offers that don’t cover all of your expenses and hardships after an accident.
Contact A San Diego Uber Accident Lawyer
If you are injured in an accident involving an Uber car as a passenger, as a motorist in another car, as a pedestrian contact us for a free and confidential consultation.
After all the pain and worry you’ve been through you should be treated fairly and receive enough compensation to get your back on your feet again. This won’t always be the case when you deal with a giant rideshare corporation and its team of lawyers. Talk to a Rideshare Lawyer serving San Diego to make sure your future is protected.
