When your job is to provide safe transportation to others, this means you need to be good at avoiding accidents. So, can you still drive for Uber after you’ve been in an accident? The answer is that if you become injured and claim workers’ compensation with the Black Car Fund, then you are not to be working while you are claiming those lost wages.
If you are in an accident as an Uber driver, and you are unsure of what you can do to get back to work and recover damages from the accident owed to you, a lawyer can help.
Steps to Take After an Uber Accident
Those injured in a car accident must act quickly to both protect their health and capture the valuable information that could play a role in preserving evidence for their claim against the at-fault party. No matter if you were at fault or another party was at fault, what you do right after an accident is critical. You should take the following steps:
- Call the police. The police are an essential resource for getting help and documenting the evidence at the scene.
- Take photos of the surrounding area. Be sure to capture any damage to the vehicles involved and photos of your injuries.
- Get the names and contact information of any witnesses involved. This might include other drivers or passengers, or someone nearby who watched the accident happen.
- Get medical care. Even with minor injuries, medical care documents what happened and may be helpful later.
- Report the accident to Uber. You need to do this as an Uber driver, but keep in mind that this does not mean you need to file a claim with Uber directly or at this time. You can report the accident right in the app.
We suggest contacting an attorney as soon as possible, especially in the case of serious injuries and lost time at work. Uber may not provide you with fair treatment, but having legal representation minimizes the risk of losing the compensation you need. Do not accept a premature settlement offer, even if it sounds good, as it may be a fraction of what is actually owed to you.
Are Uber Drivers Required to Carry Insurance?
Uber drivers must maintain liability insurance to work for the company. Typically, this means the driver must maintain the legally required insurance for the state in which they operate. In addition, drivers must carry Uber supplemental coverage.
If a driver is online and available for a trip when an accident occurs, the supplemental policy may offer protection. This provides $50,000 per person, $100,00 per accident for injuries, and $25,000 in property damage per accident.
If an accident occurs while the driver is en route to a ride or they are on a trip, then Uber’s insurance kicks in to provide at least $1,000,000 in property damage and injuries to both riders and injured third parties when the Uber driver is at fault.
Will Uber Deactivate a Driver After an Accident?
Typically, the rideshare company will deactivate an Uber driver’s account after an auto accident. This happens once a rider or the driver reports the accident through the Uber app, and it is at that time that Uber will investigate the accident. Some drivers remain deactivated after the accident, while others may be allowed to get back to work after they are cleared to work again.
If you have been deactivated, you can seek help from our partners at the Independent Drivers Guild (IDG), who can help you appeal your case.
If you are an Uber driver and face deactivation but want to go back to work, you can contact our drivers’ benefits helpline for advice on how you can reclaim your right to rideshare earnings.
What if I Am the Uber Driver?
If you are an Uber driver who was involved in the crash, you may be facing legal action against you. In that case, we strongly encourage you to seek legal support as soon as possible.
What if the Uber Driver Wasn’t at Fault for the Crash?
Accidents are complex, and that may mean the Uber driver, someone else, or even multiple parties are at fault. If you are an Uber driver and you are now facing an accident claim that deactivated your account, this can be disheartening, but there is help available.
First, in any accident, the at-fault party is responsible for the losses. If you can demonstrate you were not at fault in the accident, then you do not have to worry about being unable to get back to work. The fact is, once you take the right steps, including working with an Uber accident lawyer, you can likely get back to work.
For drivers, we recommend getting accident support rather than trying to prove your lack of fault directly to Uber. This allows us to protect you as you seek to pursue compensation that may be owed to you.
If you were hurt in an accident related to any type of driver, whether it is an Uber driver behind the wheel or another person, call the police. This ensures that all the possible evidence in your case is collected. Later, you can refer to that information to prove you were not at fault.
Uber’s Policy on Driving After an Accident
After Uber receives an accident report, it investigates what occurred. It will gather information from all parties involved, the police report, and any other resources available. This is common in situations where there is significant damage, injury, or violations of traffic laws, and it is at this point that the company typically deactivates the Uber driver’s account.
Depending on the severity of the accident and the driver’s history with the company, the company will then determine whether to allow the driver to operate with the company again or to maintain the deactivation and permanently close the account. This is more likely to occur if there are indications that you were negligent in the accident, including engaging in unsafe behaviors.
Uber minimizes risks to its passengers by ensuring drivers are safe. Those who are proven to have engaged in reckless behavior do not meet that requirement and are less likely to be allowed to use the app.
Whose Insurance Pays After an Uber Accident?
Uber’s insurance coverage applies in situations where the driver was en route to provide a ride or was on a trip. The driver must be logged into the app while providing these services. This means that if an accident happens while the app is engaged like this, Uber’s larger and more comprehensive policies then go into effect to cover your losses.
If you are not en route or providing a ride at the time of the crash, then personal insurance policies become applicable, including the supplemental coverage Uber requires drivers to maintain. In situations where you are unsure which coverage applies, reach out to legal aid, as they can offer legal guidance to you throughout the process.
Claiming Workers’ Compensation via The Black Car Fund
If you are facing injuries, you likely have medical bills and lost wages from being unable to work. The Black Car Fund can provide you with the support you need to get the workers’ compensation owed to you. Reach out to learn more about how The Black Car Fund can help protect you when you are hurt while driving.
How IDG Legal Helps Uber Drivers After an Accident
When you partner with IDG Legal, you are not going up against the big rideshare company or the lawsuits coming from others after an accident on your own. Instead, you gain the resources and support you need from a legal team working solely for your benefit. IDG Legal provides a range of services to support you throughout this process.
This starts with connecting you to an attorney who knows Uber’s policies. Not only do we know these policies, but we also know how to ensure your rights are met throughout them. We handle much of the work for you during this process, including:
- Assisting you with insurance claims
- Helping you get reactivated on the Uber app when possible
- Seeking compensation for medical losses
- Collecting lost wages lost due to the accident
There is no cost for working with us for your initial consultation, and we can help you with your legal concerns, no matter how complex they may seem. We even help with traffic tickets earned while on the job.
What if My Claim Gets Denied?
It is not uncommon for insurance companies to try to deny a claim. Even if you know the claim is valid and have provided details about what happened, do not be surprised if you receive a denial of coverage. Other times, they may reduce the compensation paid to you and aim to underpay your claim.
To avoid this, do not file a claim without first speaking to an IDG Legal accident lawyer.
Talk to a Lawyer Today if You Were Involved in an Uber Accident
At IDG Legal, we help Uber drivers make sense of this complicated process. Contact us now for a free consultation to learn more. Fill out our form online now for a free consultation with our firm.
