Lake Worth Uber Accidents

Uber has revolutionized the transportation industry. In the last few years, Uber has become a regular and accepted mode of travel in many cities including Lake Worth, Florida. This has led to an increase in the number of Uber cars on Lake Worth’s local roads and highways especially following restoration of Downtown with the addition of new restaurants/bars. The increase in tourists visiting Lake Worth has also made the area popular for Uber drivers servicing guests at local hotels, our beautiful beaches and golf courses. In turn, the number of Uber-related car accidents have also gone up. As such, it is important to know what happens in the event of an Uber car accident including that Lake Worth Uber Accident Lawyer David B. Datny is available 24/7 at 561-221-7474 to assist you.

Types of Lake Worth Uber Accidents

Uber car accidents can occur when a driver is negligent or careless in operating his or her vehicle too fast for roadway conditions or while not paying attention to traffic control devices due to distraction from the radio, phone or texting. In each of these situations, The Datny Law Firm is available to help you recover physically and financially whether you were a driver, passenger, pedestrian or bicyclist hurt by an Uber vehicle.

Some of the other types of Lake Worth Uber Accidents The Datny Law Firm handles include:

• Rear End Crashes involving Uber
• T-Bone Accidents involving Uber
• Pedestrians hurt by Uber
• Bicyclists hurt by Uber
• Rollover Accidents involving Uber
• Car Accidents by Drunk Uber Drivers

Regardless of how your Uber accident occurred, it is imperative that you seek immediate legal representation to protect your rights and shield you from overzealous insurance companies and defense lawyers looking to take advantage of you prior to retention of counsel. For this reason, Uber accident victims can call us 24/7 at 561-221-7474 for legal assistance.

Uber Insurance Coverage – Lake Worth, Florida

A major challenge in handling Uber accident claims in Lake Worth and throughout Florida is which insurance carrier is responsible for the accident, injuries and property damage involving a driver. It can become frustrating for an unrepresented claimant trying to navigate the maze of insurance after an accident. Uber routinely will try and redirect claimants to another insurance carrier or party to avoid primary responsibility.

There is also a complicated scheme of insurance for Uber accidents depending on timing of engagement with the rideshare platform. We have tried to simply summarize the availability of coverage for Uber drivers following a car accident.

1. Offline. If the driver is offline, which means not engaging with the rideshare platform, Uber has no responsibility for your accident. The driver’s personal insurance policy would be responsible for the accident. If the driver’s policy denies coverage, which often happens when the driver does not let his or her insurer know he drives for Uber, there may be no insurance available for your accident unless you have your own automobile insurance policy. If you have your own automobile policy, it will provide you with PIP and medical coverage up to $10,000.00. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, that may apply as well.
2. Available or Waiting for a Ride Request. If the driver is engaging with the rideshare platform, and is available for a ride request, Uber provides coverage for subsequent car accidents including $50.000/$100.000 in bodily injury and $25,000 in property damage. The coverage provided by Uber is generally secondary to the driver’s own personal policy. If the driver’s policy is not enough or does not apply, Uber covers the claim. As we discussed above, few drivers add rideshare coverage to their personal policies, which results in denial of claims, and Uber taking responsibility.
3. En Route to Pick Up a Rider & During Trips. When the Uber driver accepts a ride request, and is either en route to pick up the rider or driving with the rider, Uber maintains the highest level of insurance for subsequent car accidents. There is $1M in bodily injury coverage (combined single limits) once the driver has accepted a job and is either on his way to pick up or in the process of driving with a rider. In addition to bodily injury coverage, in Florida, Uber provides uninured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage for passengers in the amount of $250,000. Uninsured motorist coverage protects passengers in the event the at fault driver has no insurance or does not have enough insurance to fully compensate you for your injuries. This coverage also is available for hit and run accidents where there is no available third-party to pursue.
4. Uber Does Not Provide Medical Coverage in Florida: Notably absent from Uber’s insurance policy is No Fault medical coverage (PIP) to pay for injured passengers bills for treatment. If you own a car, your PIP will cover your medical bills up to the $10,000 limit. If you live with a family member with a car, their PIP should cover your medical bills up to the $10,000 limit. However, if neither applies to you, Uber will not provide the necessary medical coverage for you to treat. Uber will also not pay for emergency medical bills, which is important as a single visit to the hospital can result in thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. In these situations, The Datny Law Firm will pursue Uber to recover your damages and out of pocket medical expenses.

Establishing Fault in Lake Worth Uber Accidents

If you have been involved in a car accident in Lake Worth with an Uber vehicle, proving liability can be difficult as the driver rarely admits fault. Even if the Uber driver’s liability is clear cut, his or her insurance carrier may still deny responsibility or defend the claim by arguing you were also at fault in whole or in part for the accident in order to minimize or reduce Uber’s financial responsibility.

As you can see, it is incredibly important after an accident to retain a skilled and experienced Lake Worth Uber Car Accident Lawyer like David B. Datny. Trying to present a claim on your own or hiring an inexperienced lawyer or one that does not specialize in personal injury will put you at a great disadvantage. The Datny Law Firm has extensive experience dealing with Uber claims and knows how to preserve and present the necessary evidence to prosecute your claim including the following.

• Photographic evidence. We advise all clients following a crash to take clear pictures of their injuries as well as the accident location before leaving the scene as the conditions existing thereon can change or be lost forever if not timely preserved (e.g., vehicle damage, roadway debris, skid marks, signage, traffic control devices / roadway signs, weather conditions, traffic). Documentary evidence is useful in establishing fault and proving key elements to prosecute your claim and rebut defenses presented by Uber.

• Video footage. Following an Uber crash, we demand preservation of all video and dashcam footage which may have captured the crash or the events inside the Uber vehicle leading up to the accident. We also search for other sources of surveillance footage that may have captured the accident which can be used to establish fault including buildings or homes near the loss location.
• Preservation of Physical & Electronic Evidence. In cases where liability may be disputed, or where there are conflicting accounts of the accident, we demand preservation of all physical and electronic evidence. We photograph the vehicle which sometimes provides support for one account of the accident over the other. We may also have an expert download the black box data in the opposing vehicle that can be used to establish fault. For instance, the black box can confirm whether a driver was speeding, used a turn blinker, was accelerating or braking prior to impact.
• Police Report. Whenever you are in a car accident, it is important you report it to the nearest law enforcement authority. A police officer will conduct preliminary investigations and write an accident report that may indicate the at-fault party in the accident, the causal contributing factors for the accident, tickets/citations issued as well as the identity of potential witnesses. The Police Report is part of any initial claim evaluation and, although not admissible, helpful in the early stages especially when the Uber driver is found at fault or cited for the crash.
• Witness Statements: While at the scene, we strongly encourage clients to take the name and contact information of all eyewitnesses to the crash. If this information is not obtained at the scene, it may be lost forever. In cases involving conflicting accounts of the crash, a favorable eyewitness statement may tip the scales in your favor in establishing fault. In addition, after a potentially contested accident, our office may canvas the area for potential witnesses and obtain their statements.

Work with an Experienced Lake Worth Uber Car Accident Attorney

The complexities of Uber car accident claims make it necessary to hire a top-tier, experienced attorney to help you through the claim or litigation process. If you have been injured in an Uber car accident in or around Lake Worth, or anywhere in Palm Beach County, before reporting the incident to Uber, or talking with the insurance companies, call David B. Datny at 561-221-7474 for a FREE consultation. We are available to meet with Clients by appointment at our The Lake Wellington Professional Center office, at our main office, by phone or virtually. We will even come to you if you are unable to travel. There is no fee unless you make a recovery.