Uber Accidents: Who Is At Fault?

uber accidentsHow to claim for compensation when Uber accidents happen in Tampa

Uber cars, the popular low-cost taxi services, make approximately one million rides daily. Since Uber cars offer services in a syndicated arrangement between the car owners and the Uber company management, many people do not know who is the at-fault party when Uber cars cause accidents.

First, what is the legal entity of Uber?

Uber is a taxi hailing app that enables people in need of transport to identify a driver of a privately owned car who moves the client to the preferred location. Uber is a product of the 21st Century digital technology revolution. Uber, as a car-for-hire company, is a “ride sharing” or “peer-to-peer” business arrangement whose legal status is vague. Ride sharing is a new business concept that some automobile insurance policies may fail to cover.

What next if you suffer injuries in an Uber car?

Typically, the victims of automobile accidents can hire a Tampa personal injury attorney to pursue a claim including medical bills and lost wages. Uber rideshare car drivers carry their individual driver’s insurance coverage. Uber also provides a maximum of $1 million coverage to uninsured or underinsured drivers.

Difficulties can arise when trying to force Uber to accept liability for an accident involving the driver of the privately owned car. With a Tampa personal injury lawyer as your legal representative, you can find it easier to make the at-fault driver pay for your bodily harm or car damage.

The Uber driver liable for the accident

A rideshare driver is not an Uber employee but an independent contractor. In Florida, a recent law requires drivers doing business on rideshare apps to purchase a $50,000 insurance policy to cover bodily injuries or death. Further, the driver must obtain a policy worth $25,000 to cover property damage and $100,000 for accidents.

Florida Ridesharing Law

Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore is here to help you recover any damages that an Uber driver has caused you, whether you were a passenger or a pedestrian. Since ridesharing arrangements often present complications, your Tampa attorney is your best source for advice as to whether to file for damages from the driver, the insurance company, the rideshare company, or another driver. Do not hesitate to call us today.