When Should I Contact an Uber Lawyer? – Uber Accident Lawyers in Chicago
Are you an Uber driver in Chicago? Were you involved in an Uber accident? After experiencing an Uber accident as a driver in Chicago, you might be currently dealing with recovering from your injuries, addressing the property damage to your vehicle, and even possibly returning to drive for Uber. Depending on the details surrounding the incident and your claim with Uber, this might be an uncertain time for you.
You might have some of the following questions:
- Will Uber compensate me for the injuries that I suffered in the Uber accident?
- Will Uber compensate me for or cover the property damage to my vehicle?
- Will Uber reactivate my driver account after deactivating due to the accident?
- Will I need the assistance of an Uber accident lawyer to help me during this process?
- When should I contact an Uber lawyer?
Are you interested in learning more about the questions listed above? If so, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with an experienced Uber accident attorney at your earliest convenience. Even if you do not believe that you need legal representation, speaking with a knowledgeable attorney can help you get a better understanding of your rights after suffering an Uber accident.
Would you like to speak with a Chicago Uber accident attorney? If so, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with the experts at our firm as soon as possible. At Downtown L.A. Law Group, our Uber accident attorneys are ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to gain a thorough understanding of your situation and proceed legally against Uber. If you would like to discuss your Uber accident claim with our Chicago Uber lawyers, do not hesitate to seek legal assistance with our experts as soon as possible.
Uber Accidents – Frequency and Harm
On average, there are about 6 million car crashes every year in the U.S. This translate to more than 16,000 car accidents every day. An estimated 37,000 people in the U.S. die as a result of a car accident; this means that approximately 90 Americans die every day due to car crashes. In addition, about 3 million people suffer injuries due to car crashes every year. According to data shared by the University of Chicago, the traffic death rate has increased 2 to 3% in cities after the introduction of rideshare apps, like Uber. This is not because Uber and other rideshare services are inherently dangerous; rather, with the increase of Uber drivers on the road, the instances of Uber accidents also increases.
Like all other car accidents, Uber accidents could result in significant harm, including but not limited to the following: head injuries; traumatic brain injuries; neck injuries; back injuries; spinal cord injuries; broken bones; crushing injuries; internal injuries; organ damage; lacerations; sprains and strains. Without a doubt, some of these injuries could be fatal. If the affected driver survives his or her injuries, there will likely be a long road towards recovery and, ultimately, towards life before the incident.
In addition to dealing with the injuries suffered in the accident, Uber drivers will likely have to deal with additional issues. For instance, they could be unable to drive for Uber for some time due to their injuries and the damage to their vehicles. It is also possible for their driver accounts to be deactivated for a prolonged period after their accidents. Additionally, Uber could also refuse to cover medical expenses and costs associated with property damage.
Will Uber Compensate Me for Damages/Expenses?
Will you recover any form of compensation for the harm that you suffered in an Uber accident? The answer to this question will depend on the details surrounding your Uber accident claim. Because what you could recover will be based on Uber’s insurance company and how it applies to your incident, you should have a thorough understanding of Uber’s insurance policy.
Uber famously has a one-million-dollar insurance policy. However, this does not mean that your incident will automatically be covered by the insurance policy. It is important to note that Uber’s insurance policy does not apply under all circumstances.
Consider the following points:
- Uber’s insurance policy does not apply when an Uber driver is in an accident but is not active (or logged on) the Uber app. The incident should be covered by the Uber driver’s personal insurance coverage (which is required) or the at-fault parties’ insurance coverage.
- Uber’s insurance policy applies partially when an Uber driver is in an accident while active on the app (logged on) and waiting to accept a ride request. Under these circumstances, the Uber driver will be covered by the policy with up to $50,000 in liability and $25,000 in property damage.
- Uber’s insurance policy applies fully when an Uber driver is in an accident while active on the app and on the way to pick up or drop off a passenger (on an active ride). Under these circumstances, the Uber driver will be covered by the policy with up to $1,000,000 in liability as well as uninsured/underinsured driver coverage.
Based on the points mentioned above, could you be covered by Uber’s million-dollar policy? Depending on the details surrounding your claim, your accident could be covered. But what if Uber refuses to acknowledge the validity of your claim and pay you what you are owed? Unfortunately, insurance companies can exercise bad faith and act against you to prevent claimants from recovering what they are owed. They can resort to tricks and deceit to prolong the claim process, deny your claim, and get you to withdraw your claim willfully. They could fail to communicate with you regarding your claim; they could also elude your questions and even provide you with misleading information. Without a doubt, filing an accident claim and recovering compensation can be a lengthy process; however, your insurance company should be making the process clear.
$900,000
$600,000
$1.5 Million
$5.5 Million
$460,000
$1 Million
$750,000
$3 Million
What Should Uber Driver Do after Accidents?
There are a number of things that Uber drivers should do to after being involved in an accident. Following the recommended actions ensures that affected parties have the tools necessary to process their claims and eventually recover compensation. What should you do? Consider some of the recommendations listed below:
- Check your condition and the condition of all other parties involved in the accident
- If necessary, contact emergency services
- Take photos of the scene of the accident
- Take photos of any injuries suffered
- Take photos of the property damage caused by the accident
- Contact the authorities to file an accident report
- Take a screenshot of your Uber app (to show that you were logged on or on an active ride at the time of the accident)
- Contact Uber support to report the accident (there is an option for this on the Uber app)
- Collect relevant insurance information (of all parties involved in the accident)
- Collect contact information of parties involved in the incident
- Collect witness contact information
- Seek medical care for all injuries suffered by the incident
- Gather all medical records associated with the harm suffered in the incident
- File an insurance claim with Uber’s insurance (stick to the facts and do not say anything that could be used against you)
- Contact an Uber accident lawyer as soon as possible
Do I Need Legal Representation?
You might have noticed that one of the points listed above recommends that affected Uber drivers contact a lawyer as soon as possible; but do you really need the help of an Uber attorney? The answer to this question will always be based on the details surrounding the incident and the claim. In a large number of cases, the situation is simple enough and legal representation is not necessary. In other words, your accident claim could be processed by the insurance company without any issues whatsoever. However, this does not always happen – both Uber and their insurance company can be uncooperative and actually work against their drivers.
As briefly mentioned above, although Uber has a one-million-dollar insurance policy, they could refuse to pay. They could exercise bad faith and essentially take action against you and your claim to avoid paying you what you deserve. This could lead to you unjustly being denied compensation for medical expenses, property damage, and other damages resulting from the incident. When insurance companies exercise bad faith, they are breaching their legal obligation to you – and they could be held legally accountable with the assistance of an attorney.
Whether Uber is trying to avoid paying you what you are owed or making the entire process more complicated than it should be (by failing to communicate with you, giving you false information, etc.), your claim could be down the wrong path. Having the assistance of an Uber attorney can redirect your claim towards a successful outcome.
When Should I Contact an Uber Lawyer?
You should not wait until your claim seems helpless to contact a lawyer – because it simply might be too late to do anything to redirect your claim. Instead, you should contact a lawyer as soon as possible. That is, as soon as the first signs of issues arise. For example, your insurance company being unable to provide you with the information that you need regarding your claim should be a sign that your claim is not being taken seriously; speaking with a lawyer and allowing them to handle your claim will ensure that your best interests are represented and that your claim is acknowledged and taken seriously by the insurance company from the start. What if your situation was complicated from the beginning? In some cases, it is best to simply contact an attorney immediately after the accident.
Without a doubt, it can be difficult to know exactly when to contact an Uber attorney. You might want to wait to see if you could handle your claim independently before looking for legal assistance; however, that might ultimately do more harm than good. In many cases, the best option is simply to have legal representation throughout the entirety of the claim; in most cases, affected parties have nothing to lose from hiring an attorney.
Contact Downtown L.A. Law Group Today
If you would like to learn more about how you could benefit from having legal representation during your Uber accident claim, do not hesitate to contact our Chicago Uber accident lawyers as soon as possible. Our experienced attorneys are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to hold Uber accountable for the damages resulting from the incident. You can trust that the experts at our firm are ready to handle your claim and help you reach a successful outcome. If you are ready to speak with our Uber attorneys, contact our firm today.
We offer free legal services – which include both free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our lawyers will be available to provide you with answers to all your questions and address all your concerns. Our Uber accident lawyers will provide you with the information necessary to pursue your Uber accident claim and eventually reach a successful outcome. Would you like to benefit from the free legal services offered by our firm? If so, do not hesitate to contact our firm today and request to schedule to speak with our lawyers.
We also offer a Zero-Fee guarantee, which ensures that our clients are never required to pay anything for any upfront expenses for any of our legal services. Our law firm is also based on contingency, meaning that our clients will not be required to cover legal fees until after the claim is successful; in other words, you will not have to pay anything until you win.
If you are ready to discuss your Uber accident claim with the Chicago Uber attorneys at our firm, contact us at your earliest convenience.
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