Contact a Personal Injury Attorney if you’ve been involved in an Uber Auto Accident

Uber and other ride-sharing services have grown at incredible rates in recent years. In fact, Uber reports having 40 million monthly riders. But with the increased traffic, more accidents for people using the service are inevitable. If you have been injured in an accident with an Uber driver–whether driving you or hitting the car you are in–you may be entitled to compensation.

Uber’s Independent Contractor Model

One difficulty in suing for damages after an Uber-related accident is that Uber does not treat the drivers as its employees. Instead, its drivers are independent contractors, which may prevent you from getting to the company itself in a lawsuit. While claims for agent relationship are possible, often you are left with only the Uber driver to sue.

On the other hand, Uber has recognized the problems this can create, and has recently begun providing liability insurance on all its vehicles. This coverage comes with limits of $100,000 per person or $300,000 per accident. It is separate from any liability coverage the driver may carry. If the driver and the company are found to be at fault, this provides more money from which to collect a damages award.

Determining Liability

Wisconsin law for personal injury works under the tort system, so if a driver is at fault for your injuries, he or she is responsible for damages. In an Uber accident, if you were a passenger, this means the court or insurance companies will have to decide whether your driver or the other driver was at fault. If an Uber driver causes an accident when you are driving another vehicle, fault will be determined between you, the Uber driver, or possibly Uber as a company. The facts of the accident will determine who is responsible, and from whom you can recover damages.

This can become a complicated issue, and the insurance companies involved will try to direct blame away from their insured whenever possible. If you have been injured in an Uber-related accident, contact Eisenberg Law Offices for the experienced personal injury representation you need.