Uber drivers have completed over 1.8 billion trips across America between 2021-2022, and this number is growing. According to Uber's 2021-2022 Safety Report, 153 people died in crashes during this period alone, and 97% of these fatalities occurred in urban areas like Orlando. If you've been in a crash involving an Uber, reach out to an Orlando Uber accident lawyer at our law firm.
Our rideshare accident lawyers have handled Uber and Lyft accident cases across the State of Florida. We understand the complex insurance coverage issues in these cases. Additionally, our attorneys were insurance defense lawyers before representing injured people and have experience working on the side of the rideshare companies.
We handle every case on contingency, which means you pay nothing unless we win. Call 321-LAWSUIT today for your free consultation, and we will listen to your story and help you understand your legal rights.
What Insurance Coverage Applies to Your Orlando Uber Accident?
The insurance that applies after an Orlando Uber accident can determine how much money is available to pay your injury claim. Uber's insurance coverage operates in three distinct phases:
App is Off: Personal Auto Insurance Applies
If the rideshare app was off during your accident, only the Uber driver's personal insurance coverage provides protection. Many personal policies exclude commercial activity, which can result in dangerous gaps in liability coverage. Accordingly, some accident victims don't have access to insurance coverage after an Uber accident.
App on and no trip: Limited Insurance Coverage Applies
When Uber drivers have their rideshare app on but haven't accepted a ride, Uber provides minimal contingent liability coverage. This injury liability coverage is often $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Although some coverage is better than nothing, these policy limits often fall far short of the coverage needed.
App on and Active Ride: Maximum Insurance Coverage
Once an Uber driver accepts a ride or transports a passenger, Uber's $1 million commercial insurance coverage is typically available to pay injury claims. However, accessing this level of coverage often requires aggressive legal action.
When we handle these cases, we typically see the insurance company arguing that the driver was not en route. This is especially true when the driver is going to pick up a passenger and hits another vehicle. In these circumstances, we often just file a lawsuit so that we can use the court to force Uber to give us the app data and other information we need to establish liability.
What Compensation Is Available After an Orlando Uber Accident?
Florida law entitles accident victims to comprehensive compensation when rideshare drivers cause crashes through negligence. Our law firm fights insurance companies to secure maximum compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are damages with an objective and provable value. Typically, we can establish these types of damages with a receipt, invoice, or pay stub. Some common types of economic damages are:
- Emergency medical treatment and hospitalization,
- Surgical procedures and ongoing rehabilitation,
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity,
- Future medical care for permanent injuries, and
- Property damage to personal belongings.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are intangible damages that don't come with a receipt or invoice. These damages are often subjective and require experts or common-sense methods of calculation. Some common types of non-economic damages are:
- Pain and suffering,
- Mental anguish,
- Loss of enjoyment of life,
- Emotional distress, and
- Reduced quality of life.
Insurance companies systematically undervalue non-economic damages and tend to be willing to pay only for medical bills and other economic damages. Our Orlando Uber accident lawyers force insurers to choose between recognizing your full losses and going to trial. Jurors understand that an injury can have far-reaching effects on a person's life that extends beyond medical bills.
Common Causes of Orlando Uber Accidents
Rideshare drivers face unique pressures that create dangerous conditions on Orlando roads. Unlike traditional taxi services, Uber drivers operate with minimal oversight.
Additionally, they are forced to juggle rideshare apps and accept rides to maximize earnings. This environment breeds negligent behaviors that cause accidents. In our experience handling these cases, the more common causes of Uber accidents in Orlando, Florida include:
- Distracted driving from app usage: Uber drivers constantly interact with phones, accepting rides, following GPS, responding to messages. Studies show Uber drivers look at their phones 3-4 times more frequently than regular drivers. Clearly, this creates dangerous distractions for Uber drivers.
- Driver fatigue from excessive hours: Many Orlando Uber drivers work multiple rideshare companies simultaneously, driving 12-16 hour shifts. The Uber safety report shows increased accident rates during late-night hours when drivers are most exhausted.
- Aggressive driving behaviors: Pressure to complete rides quickly pushes rideshare drivers to speed, run red lights, blow through stop signs, make unsafe lane changes, and take dangerous shortcuts that endanger passengers.
- Poor vehicle maintenance: Personal vehicles used by rideshare drivers are often pushed beyond the normal vehicle. Brake failures and tire blowouts cause preventable accidents when drivers skip maintenance to save money.
How Can an Orlando Uber Accident Lawyer Help Me?
We understand how the rideshare companies and their insurance companies operate. Our attorneys have experience representing these companies prior to representing injured people. Additionally, Uber accidents are common in Orlando, and we've represented many people who have been injured in Uber accidents.
Below are some of the ways an Uber accident lawyer at our law firm can help you get the compensation you are entitled to under the law:
- Investigation: Our Orlando Uber car accident lawyers begin investigating the case right away to preserve evidence before it disappears. We work to secure surveillance footage, dash cam footage, witnesses statements, black box data, and anything else that could help build a strong case.
- Corporate Discovery: We subpoena Uber's internal records including driver histories, previous complaints, background checks, and algorithmic decisions that put dangerous drivers on Orlando streets. This often reveals patterns rideshare companies try to hide.
- Expert Testimony: Our network includes experts in critical areas, like accident reconstruction and data downloads and reporting. These industry experts can help us prove how an accident occurred and establish liability.
- Aggressive Litigation: When insurance companies won't pay fair value, we file lawsuits and push toward trial. Our willingness to litigate cases forces better settlements because insurers know we won't accept lowball offers.
Florida Statute of Limitations for Orlando Uber Accident Claims
Florida law imposes a strict two-year statute of limitations for filing lawsuits after Orlando Uber accidents. This deadline applies to all accident victims seeking compensation from rideshare companies, insurance companies, and negligent drivers. If you miss this deadline, you lose your right to recover money for your injuries.
For families who have lost a loved one who has been injured and died in an Orlando Uber car accident, Florida's statute of limitations is two years from the date of death. In Florida, only the estate's personal representative can bring a wrongful death action. Wrongful death cases are essentially the same as personal injury cases, except that the victim of negligence is deceased.
Waiting months to pursue a claim can cost you money. Over time, evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, and data gets deleted. Thus, pursuing insurance claims and getting a lawyer on your side as early as possible can help you get the best result.
Contact an Orlando Uber Accident Lawyer | No Fee Unless We Win
Our Orlando Uber accident lawyers have helped accident victims throughout Central Florida, including Orange County, Seminole County, Osceola County, and Lake County. Whether your accident involving an Uber occurred near the Orlando International Airport, Disney World, Universal Studios, or anywhere across Central Florida, we can help you.
Call 321-LAWSUIT now to get a free consultation with a lawyer at our firm. During this first call, we can help you better understand your legal rights, the insurance coverage available, and the steps to pursuing compensation.
Our law firm handles all Orlando Uber accident cases on contingency—you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us today and let us start fighting for the compensation and justice you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions for Our Orlando Uber Accident Lawyers
How much does it cost to hire an Orlando Uber Accident Attorney?
At our firm, you pay nothing unless we recover money for you. Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so you don't have to worry about upfront costs or retainer fees.
Can you sue Uber if they get in an accident?
Yes. You can sue Uber or make a claim against Uber’s insurance if the driver caused the accident and you were injured. Whether Uber is directly liable depends on whether the driver was logged into the app and actively transporting or picking up a passenger at the time of the crash.
How Many Orlando Uber Accidents Happen Each Year?
Uber's safety data provides us with data that can help us better understand the prevalence of rideshare accidents in Orlando. The company reported approximately 1.8 million safety-related concerns across their 1.8 billion trips. Thus, there's approximately one safety issue for every 1,000 rides. More critically, thousands of these incidents involve serious crashes resulting in catastrophic injuries or death.
The 2021-2022 report shows that Uber's motor vehicle fatality rate increased 40% from the previous period, jumping from 0.62 to 0.87 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. While Uber claims this remains below the national average of 1.35, the trend reveals increasing dangers for Orlando Uber passengers, as well as other drivers on the road.
Is drunk driving a common cause of Uber accidents?
Data shows that drunk driving is a major factor in Uber accident fatalities, and third-party drivers are most often to blame. In fact, third-party drivers cause 95% of the Uber accident fatalities involving risky driving behaviors. The data shows one-third of all Uber-related deaths involved third-party drunk drivers colliding with rideshare vehicles.
What happens if you get into a car accident in an Uber?
If you’re injured while riding in an Uber, you may be covered by Uber’s $1 million liability policy, depending on the driver’s status in the app. You should call 911, report the crash, seek medical treatment, and contact a lawyer to protect your rights. Uber’s insurance company may try to minimize your claim, so legal representation is extremely important.
How do I report an accident to Uber?
You can report the accident through the Uber app under Help > Trip Issues and Refunds > I was in an accident, or you can report it through Uber’s website. After you submit the report, Uber’s insurance carrier or claims team typically contacts you directly.
How long does an Uber accident settlement take?
Uber accident settlements usually take several months to over a year, depending on the severity of injuries, whether liability is disputed, and whether a lawsuit is necessary. Cases involving major injuries or large insurance limits often take longer because Uber’s insurers fight aggressively to reduce payouts.
Does Uber cover you in an accident?
Yes, Uber provides insurance coverage if the driver is logged into the app. The level of coverage depends on whether the ride was active at the time, with the highest coverage applying when a passenger is in the vehicle.
Is Uber liable for accidents?
Uber can be liable through its insurance coverage when the driver is actively using the app. However, Uber typically argues that drivers are independent contractors, so personal negligence claims against Uber directly can be challenging. Most claims go through Uber’s commercial insurance, not Uber itself.
What is the typical Uber accident settlement payout?
Payouts vary widely, from ten thousand to a million or more, depending on injuries, medical treatment, and available insurance limits. Serious injury cases can reach six or seven figures due to Uber’s high liability insurance coverage.
What is the Uber accident claims phone number?
Uber does not publish a direct public claims phone number for passengers. Claims are handled through the app or by the insurance company that contacts you after you submit an accident report.
How Do I Report an Uber Accident?
You can report an Uber accident on Uber's website. The website has instructions for drivers, riders, and third-parties who have been involved in an Uber accident to report a crash.
My Uber driver got in an accident — what now?
Stay calm, call 911, and get medical care if you feel any pain. Take photos, gather witness information, and report the crash in the Uber app. Then contact an experienced Uber accident lawyer to make sure the insurance company doesn’t undervalue your claim.