Trusting a rideshare to get to work, to class, or to the store in Bakersfield is a common choice each day. Uber drivers are never far away, but that’s part of the problem. There are dozens of rideshare drivers out and about all using the same lanes and adding to Bakersfield traffic jams each morning and evening. They can also end up more focused on their customers than on safe driving.
If you or a loved one are hit by a careless Uber driver or if you are a passenger when a serious accident occurs, be sure to talk to a personal injury lawyer before speaking with an Uber insurance representative. Insurance agents for Uber and their driver may say your injury and hospital stay are worth very little, but they stand to save thousands of dollars when you sign off on their “lowball” settlement offers.
Contact a Rideshare Accident Attorney serving Bakersfield to find out what your injury is really worth. We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation session to help you determine the quickest path to getting your hospital bills and your lost wages covered.
Uber Insurance Coverage After a Bakersfield Car Accident
Uber supports their drivers when they bring in profits, but they can quickly leave employees and their victims high and dry when accidents occur. Their rideshare drivers are considered contract-workers so Uber gets away with sending you to the driver’s personal auto insurance provider as your first stop after suffering a serious injury.
In fact, you may make several insurance stops while trying to find injury support after an Uber involved accident:
- The Uber Driver’s Insurance: Filing an insurance claim against the driver’s own policy can often be just a symbolic gesture. Insurance companies like to reject accident claims when they find out their policyholder was transporting Uber passengers when the accident occurred. Agents don’t always feel they need to cover drivers while they make money for Uber. Insurance firms may also decide to offer you a small percentage of what you truly need in financial support. A rejection or getting too little in compensation will have you reaching for Uber’s corporate number.
- Uber’s Insurance Coverage: Uber offers victims up to a million dollars in liability insurance, but it’s not accessible in every situation. Uber provides coverage when an accident takes place while a driver is on the way to pick up a passenger or the passenger is already in the car. If the accident happens while drivers are logged in on the Uber app but don’t have a customer, Uber’s coverage tops out at much less.
- Your Uninsured Driver Coverage: If attempts with both insurance policies prove fruitless, you can hope to recoup some of your damages with a claim against your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Be aware that your own insurance team can make things difficult for you simply because they like to limit the compensation you receive in these sorts of claims. As in all the cases above, a personal injury attorney can present a strong case to insurance agents and leave them no options but to pay for your recovery in full.
What advantages are there to having a lawyer after a rideshare accident?
Accident cases involving Uber can quickly become complicated. They may involve several different insurance firms and even Uber lawyers. They’ll be working to discredit your account of what happened and also be checking into your driving and medical histories looking to cast doubt on your testimony.
These are all common insurance tactics to protect their profits, but they come at the expense of injured victims. Victims may be in urgent need of support to pay medical bills and their normal monthly costs while they may also be losing paychecks while missing work hours. An attorney can leave a victim to focus on recovery while handling all communication with Uber and its insurance representatives. A lawyer will seek the most compensation possible so you can quickly restore your former life.
An attorney will also be able to turn the tables and investigate Uber’s commitment to hiring safe drivers and the lack of training given to employees. This evidence can cast Uber in a negative light and force them to step up and offer you a fair settlement.
Contact a Bakersfield Uber Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident involving an Uber driver, please don’t trust a giant corporation to treat you fairly and readily offer support for all of your needs. Contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free consultation session to find out how insurance companies will chip away at the compensation you’ll receive if you let them.
Mr. Gasparian works closely with clients and their families to secure what’s fair from those responsible. If you’ve been injured while driving for Uber and don’t feel they are taking your injury care seriously, we also encourage you to contact our law firm to determine how you can earn the assistance you need.
