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Uber Accidents

Houston Uber Car Accident Attorneys

Houston Uber Car Accident Attorneys

Started in 2009, Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber) has quickly become one of the most popular, widely used ridesharing companies – or transportation network companies (TNCs) – in the U.S. While Uber has revolutionized the way some people work and travel, it has also presented some big challenges to motorists, riders and others, especially when Uber drivers are involved in car accidents.

The Houston attorneys at the Amaro Law firm thoroughly understand these challenges and how to advocate Uber accident victims’ rights when it is time to seek financial recovery. Resourceful, strategic, and highly-skilled, our lawyers can provide you with exceptional representation. If you have been harmed in an Uber accident.

Hurt in an Uber Car Crash?

Call (713) 352-7975, Text (281) 612-8024, or Contact Our Firm
for Your FREE Case Evaluation

During a FREE consultation, you can find out more about your rights, your legal options, and how we can help you recover. Virtual and mobile consultations are available to those who are unable to visit our offices.

What Rights Do I Have as an Uber Rider?

If you are one of the tens of millions of Uber riders in the U.S., knowing your rights is essential to effectively protecting them. In general, Uber riders have the right to expect qualified, sober, safe drivers. Riders also have the rights to:

  • Be covered by Uber’s insurance when accidents occur during a ride
  • Pursue legal remedies when they suffer harm due to a violation of their rights as Uber riders.

Whether Uber riders need help understanding, protecting or advocating their rights, they can turn to the experienced attorneys at the Amaro Law Firm.

What Rights Do I Have as an Uber Driver?

Like riders, Uber drivers have various rights, and understanding these rights is necessary to safeguarding and asserting them. This is particularly true when Uber car accidents occur because, if Uber drivers do not know their rights in these situations, it can be far more difficult for them to know:

  • What insurance company is (or should be) providing coverage
  • The options for financial recovery
  • Whether they are entitled to compensation and, if so, the amount of compensation they deserve.

If you were hurt in a car accident while driving for Uber, don’t hesitate to contact the Amaro Law Firm for important answers regarding your potential claim and recovery options.

Uber Driver Status & Insurance Coverage Impacts

When Uber drivers are not logged into the Uber app (i.e., when they are offline), they are considered to be off duty. When they are logged into the Uber app, they are considered to be available for rides.

Generally, an offline Uber driver is covered by his or her personal auto insurance policy, not the Uber policy. The applicable coverage can be far less clear, however, when a driver is online, as different coverages can apply, based on the driver’s precise status. Specifically, these different statuses can be:

  • A driver is waiting for a ride request.
  • A driver has accepted a request and is traveling to pick up a rider.
  • A driver is transporting a rider.

The first two situations can present a “gap” in insurance coverage. Insurance companies can (and often do) leverage these gaps to avoid paying valid Uber accident claims. This can create an uphill battle for Uber car accident victims seeking the financial recoveries they deserve.

After an Uber Crash: Can I Sue an Uber Driver?

When an Uber driver is at-fault for an accident, accident victims – like riders, other motorists, and pedestrians – typically seek financial recovery by filing a claim with the Uber driver’s personal auto insurance provider and/or Uber’s insurer, the James River Insurance Company (JRIC). There are, however, certain situations in which suing an Uber driver can be among the options (or the best option) for financial recovery.

James River Insurance Company: Who Are They?

Doing business since 2003, the James River Insurance Company provides commercial insurance to various ridesharing companies, including Uber. Though the company’s mission is focused on operating with integrity and accountability, these principles may not be apparent to drivers and accident victims who file claims with JRIC in the aftermath of Uber crashes.

This can be especially true:

  • When Uber accidents occur when online drivers are waiting for or responding to ride requests (i.e., the “gap” periods)
  • Because, even if JRIC provides coverage for a crash, it generally wants to act as a:
    • Primary provider only when the accident occurs during a trip (i.e., when the driver is transporting a rider)
    • Secondary provider, with the driver’s personal insurance (or another driver’s insurer) providing primary coverage, for crashes occurring in the gap periods.

Uber’s Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists (UM/UIM) Coverage

As part of its commercial policy with JRIC, Uber has coverage for accidents involving its drivers and uninsured or underinsured motorists. Uber’s UM/UIM policy:

  • Includes $1 million of total coverage for bodily injury when an uninsured or underinsured driver is at fault for an accident that occurs while an Uber driver is transporting a rider
  • Also provides coverage in the event of hit-and-run accidents that occur during a ride, as long as the at-fault driver cannot be identified
  • Covers all occupants of the Uber driver’s car (when the driver is transporting at least one rider)

While this coverage may seem robust, there are specific limitations and exclusions that apply. Understanding these is critical to knowing the recovery options in the aftermath of an Uber accident involving a UM/UIM or an unidentified hit-and-run driver.

Can I view Uber’s Insurance Policy?

Unfortunately, there is no current version of a complete Uber insurance policy document available to view online, according to our thorough investigation.

While Uber does generally discuss its coverage (here), this limited information does not point out the coverage gaps – and how those gaps can present significant difficulties for Uber accident victims when it is time to seek financial recovery.

This page presents the key provisions and limitations of Uber’s insurance policy that the company has not clearly delineated on its website – and that Uber drivers (and others) should know, especially after an accident occurs.

Protect Your Rights, Claim & Recovery: Contact a Houston Car Accident Lawyer at the Amaro Law Firm

If you or a loved one has been hurt in an Uber accident, it is time to contact a Houston car accident lawyer at the Amaro Law Firm. We are experienced at representing Uber drivers, riders, and others in Uber accident claims.

Call (713) 352-7975, Text (281) 612-8024, or Contact Our Firm for a FREE Consultation. During this case evaluation, you can get crucial answers about your potential claim and recovery options, as well as how to move forward.

The experienced attorneys at the Amaro Law Firm have prior experience in insurance defense and vast experience successfully resolving car accident claims. This combination of experience empowers us with the insights, knowledge, and skills to effectively:

  • Stand up to insurers
  • Diffuse their tactics for underpaying or denying our clients’ valid claims
  • Guide our clients through every step of the recovery process
  • Set our clients’ claims up for success.

We are focused on helping the injured obtain the compensation they need and deserve so they can focus on healing and restoring their lives.

While we understand that compensation can never reverse the permanent losses from serious Uber accidents, we also know that these recoveries can be the key to rebuilding lives.

The Amaro Law Firm’s record of superior representation and success in Uber accident (and other car crash) cases has earned us glowing testimonials from former clients and 5-star ratings on Google and Facebook.

Uber accident claims can be tricky because Uber drivers may or may not be covered by their personal insurer or Uber’s insurance policy at any given time. Here’s why.

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