Uber Accident Injury Attorneys In Washington DC.
As of December, 2014, there were 162,037 active Uber drivers, offering about 1 million paid rides a day in more than 250 cities around the world. With so many rides, crashes are inevitable. For people seriously injured in crashes involving an Uber driver—passengers, other drivers, pedestrians—recovering a fair amount for medical expenses, pain, and suffering is complicated by the multiple insurance policies at play as well as the varying hats of the driver.
Lawsuits by victims injured in collisions involving Uber vehicles raise important issues relating to insurance coverage.
Uber requires its drivers to have auto insurance. However, if the driver has a non-commercial insurance policy, their personal policy does not necessarily provide coverage for them while driving for Uber. Many private auto insurance policies specifically disclaim coverage for accidents that occurred while the driver was driving for pay. In many states, policies generally exclude coverage when the driver is “driving for hire,” and the company may try to deny the claim leaving the driver with no personal coverage.
Besides the driver’s personal insurance, Uber also maintains a $1 million insurance policy to cover driver liability. As of March of 2014, this policy kicks in from the time a driver accepts a trip request through the Uber app until the completion of the trip. In the past, however, including in the highly publicized case in California where an Uber driver struck and killed a six-year old girl who was in a crosswalk with her mother and brother, Uber has denied responsibility when the driver was not actually driving a passenger at the time of the incident.
If the driver was on the clock for Uber, $1 million in additional insurance may be available. If not, the victim may be limited to the driver’s own policy unless you can show that the driver was otherwise acting for Uber at the time of the incident.
If you were seriously injured or killed, successful navigation of these complex issues can mean the difference between a small recovery and one that will compensate you for all your injuries. Victims injured in accidents involving Uber vehicles need aggressive, creative lawyers who can navigate the insurance coverage issues that are at play, and who can uncover the facts necessary to show that the driver was actively working for Uber at the time of the collision. In Washington DC, Grenier Law Group has the experience necessary to help injured victims obtain full compensation for all their injuries, including the pain and suffering that results from any serious accident. We are an aggressive law firm familiar with the technology and issues involved and which has the resources to bring cases to trial, if necessary.
If you were injured in a collision involving an Uber vehicle and would like to discuss your rights, call Grenier Law Group at (202) 768-9607 or email sdoerrer@grenierlawgroup.com.