The uncomplicated car accident is rare but some are more complicated than others. In most cases, Uber passenger accidents are more complicated than other types of accidents – but why? Read on to find out the reasons this is true. If you have been involved in one, or another type of car accident, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
Uber is Not a Taxi Service
First of all, Uber is not a taxi service – it is a ridesharing service. It may be similar to a taxi service in some ways, but it is different in key ways. Instead of contacting a company who will then dispatch a taxi to you, Uber is designed so that you can connect directly to a person using their personal car to get you to your destination.
The way it works is simple. You use the app to request a ride. Any driver who has marked themselves as available and is within a nearby radius will see the request. One of those drivers picks up the ride and then picks you up. You pay via the app and then tip via the app (or don’t tip). This is such an easy service to use that it has quickly gained tens of thousands of users on a daily basis.
The Difference Between Ubers and Taxis
After reading the description of what Uber is, it may sound as though it is a taxi service but there are key differences. First, Uber drivers are private citizens – they do not have to complete training or licensing the way a cab driver does. Second, they are not employees. This means that Uber has limited liability or responsibility if their driver causes issues.
An Uber driver uses their own personal car. It is true that there are a few taxi drivers who use and drive their own taxi vehicle, but most use company owned cars. A company owned car is covered by the insurance company of the company, which ensures that passengers and third-parties (like pedestrians) are covered.
It is true that Uber carries at least $1 million in accident insurance for each driver. That said, they are notorious for denying accident claims. They may use a variety of excuses to do so, including arguing that you or the Uber driver did not exactly follow protocol to begin the ride. If Uber denies that the claim is covered by their insurance, then you are left with the personal insurance policy of the Uber driver, which generally will not cover any accident that happened when the car was being used for commercial purposes.
Now you can see just how complicated these cases can be. The good news is that the right personal injury attorney can help make the process much easier. At The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker we are very experienced in helping with these and other similar cases. You can contact us at 800-333-0000 for your free legal consultation.
