What Happens If A Pedestrian Gets Into An Accident With An Uber Driver?
As is the case with regular vehicles and drivers, accidents with Uber have become more common, and often the victims in such accidents are not the Uber drivers, passengers, or the driver of another vehicle, but also pedestrians as well that are just strolling about.
Uber hires independent contractors, so whenever someone gets involved in an accident with an Uber driver, there are a few things that should be kept in mind when seeking a claim for the fatalities.
Some accident practices
There are a few standard steps that must be taken by the victim when involved in a car accident. The common traffic accidents tend to differ from those that involve a pedestrian and an Uber driver.
Normal traffic accident
Some accident practices that are carried out in other car accidents may not apply to your case of an accident with an Uber. The general rule of thumb is to immediately collect every form of evidence you can that will eventually help you build your claim.
What this entails is extracting or exchanging information with the Uber driver, such as his/her social security number, taking photos of the accident, gathering information from the witnesses of any, and seeking surveillance camera footage.
Accident involving pedestrian and Uber driver
On the other hand, not every accident allows the victim to carry out all the procedures mentioned above, mostly due to the severity of the injuries as the victim is sometimes deceased or knocked unconscious.
Therefore, you should not worry about gathering any information or evidence since there are other parties that will have this covered. If you were involved in a fatal accident in the state of New York with an Uber driver and this scenario relates to you, then you are advised to get in touch with a Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer in Queens, NYC.
Uber’s policies on providing compensations
What determines the pedestrian getting their claim depends on the Uber driver and the particulars of the situation since Uber only takes responsibility and provides compensations when their drivers are in the following periods:
- Period 1 –Uber app is on, but there is no passenger riding along. Uber drivers are constantly on the road between different rides. As per the company, the drivers are not on the clock if there is no passenger. So if a pedestrian gets into an accident in this period, the company will only cover the liability and nothing else, including the driver’s injuries, any property damages, or the injuries of a pedestrian.
- Period 2 –Driver is en route to the passenger. When the driver is on his/ her way to pick up a passenger, their insurance is covered by the company. But if the ride is canceled before the accident, this sets the scenario back into period 1, which means Uber will not cover the accident.
- Period 3 –Driving with a passenger. If the driver has already picked up the passenger and is on the way to the destination when the accident occurs, then Uber will cover the insurance as per the company’s policy.
Conclusion
If you are involved in a car accident as a pedestrian with an Uber driver, then it is ideal for getting in contact with an experienced car accident lawyer, especially if your injuries are serious.
Getting into any sort of legal process can be a complicated and confusing process; hence you want to have professional legal counsel on your case to reach the desired conclusion.