On the surface, Uber accidents look like car accidents. It’s Uber’s role in these accidents that complicates them, though. Because there are circumstances under which Uber may be liable for your losses, you need to approach your fight for compensation with care.
You don’t have to maneuver through the legal miasma of an Uber accident case alone. Morelli Law Firm’s Uber accident attorneys in Philadelphia know how to address rideshare services after your accident. And we’ll fight to protect your right to recovery.
Uber’s Relationship With Its Drivers
Uber offers rideshare insurance to all its drivers. However, the company is stingy when it comes to protecting its employees. Drivers only benefit from the fullness of Uber’s coverage when they’re on duty. This means that drivers must be on the road with passengers in the car – or on their way to retrieving passengers – to benefit from the company’s protection.
Drivers who are using Uber’s app to wait for passengers have access to a fraction of the coverage offered to active drivers. Employees who are waiting for passengers without using the company’s app aren’t protected by the company. The same can be said for drivers who want to use their cars for personal reasons.
How does this impact Philadelphia-based car accidents? Uber’s relationship to its driver will determine who you can hold liable for your losses. If an Uber driver was on duty at the time of your accident, you may be able to hold the company reasonable for your accident. Otherwise, you may take up a civil suit against an individual person.
Requesting Compensation for an Accident As an Uber Driver
Uber accident drivers who are not liable for roadway accidents may pursue compensation for their losses in civil court. At no point will Uber offer legal advice to its employees, nor will Uber’s legal team represent an injured driver in court – so long as that driver pursues compensation on their own terms.
With that in mind, most Uber drivers can pursue personal injury claims against other drivers, government officials, construction crews, and other allegedly-liable parties. Philadelphia’s Uber accident lawyers can help Uber drivers through this process.
Philadelphia Uber Accident Lawyer Near Me 877-751-9800
Filing Claims Against Uber Drivers
Individuals caught in accidents with liable Uber drivers may or may not find themselves contending with the rideshare’s legal team. Who an injured driver targets with their legal complaint will depend on whether or not the accused driver was on duty at the time of the accident.
Uber only offers insurance coverage to its on-duty drivers. In that same vein, only on-duty drivers are protected by the company’s legal team. With that in mind, you’ll bring a complaint against Uber only if you were hit by an on-duty rideshare driver.
If the person you believe to be liable for your accident was off-duty at the time, you can bring your complaint against that individual. Alternatively, you can work with an attorney to determine what other parties might be liable for your accident-related losses.
Filing Claims As an Uber Passenger
The insurance and legal protections offered through Uber are always available to passengers in active vehicles. That said, passengers that want to take legal action against an independent driver cannot request Uber to go to court on their behalf. Instead, passengers must find an Uber accident lawyer in Philadelphia, PA, on their own.
Those same passengers can hold an Uber driver liable for their losses, though. In accidents involving passengers’ injuries, those passengers can bring civil complaints against the company at large. Passengers can even compare Uber’s settlement offers against their court-based compensation during an initial case consultation with our team.
Uber Accident Settlements and Compensation
When you get into an accident involving a larger company like Uber, there’s a chance that the company may make you a settlement offer. These offers serve two purposes. For starters, they keep cases involving negligence or recklessness out of court. They also get you the compensation you need to recover from your losses.
Of course, a settlement offer doesn’t always cover the full extent of your losses. You’ll want to compare an offer issued by Uber against your own estimated compensation. This way, you can be sure as to whether or not you’re getting the financial support you need.
If it appears that a settlement offer is insufficient, you can take your concerns before a judge. Your complaint can outline economic and non-economic losses related to your Uber accident, including your medical bills, property damage, and pain and suffering.
When to File Your Uber Accident Complaint
Pennsylvania turns to Consolidated Statute §5542 to outline the state’s statute of limitations. This statute gives passengers and drivers alike two years to act on an Uber accident’s related losses. You’ll need to submit your complaint within this time block if you want to take civil action against another party.
If you’re not sure whether or not you can gather all your essential information within this timespan, you can go to work with a Philadelphia, PA, Uber accident lawyer. Make sure you check in with your own insurer first, though. Because Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, you must file an insurance claim before taking legal action against another party.
Other Parties Liable in Uber Accidents
There may be some cases in which neither a driver nor Uber at large bears the responsibility for a car accident. Construction crews, pedestrians, government officials, and even automotive manufacturers can all be held responsible for your accident.
If you’re having trouble establishing liability in your car accident case, let us know. We can assess the evidence left behind at the scene of your accident to determine which forces contributed to your losses.
Recover Your Uber Accident Damages Now
Contending with Uber’s legal team is no mean feat. Don’t bow to intimidation tactics or overly-generous settlement offers. If you have concerns about your rideshare accident losses, call on one of our Philadelphia Uber accident attorneys. The team with Morelli Law Firm can go to bat for you.
You can discuss your paths to compensation during a case evaluation. Contact us by phone or online today to learn more.