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Uber's Investigation Unit

After an accident is reported to Uber, Uber will begin an investigation to find out what happened, who was at fault and have the insurance company handle any claims. An accident or incident is generally reported by either the Uber driver or an Uber rider. In some cases, a witness or a driver of another vehicle may report an Uber driver's involvement in an accident. 

Uber is not always transparent with the investigation process and riders and drivers may be left with questions about how they can get compensation for any injuries after an accident. Alternatively, a driver who is accused of causing the accident may want the opportunity to respond to the allegations and fight back against being held liable for any injuries. 

If Uber is not giving you the answers you need, your attorney can step in on your behalf. The attorneys at accidentdenver.com have represented drivers and victims injured in Uber accidents. We will investigate your claim, deal with Uber and the insurance company, and fight to get you the money to pay your medical bills and cover your lost income after an accident. Contact us today for a free consultation.

In Case of an Accident...

According to Uber's website, if you were involved in an accident, you should take the following steps: 

  1. Check that all parties involved are safe.
  2. Notify police and paramedics if necessary.
  3. Contact Uber.

Contacting Uber can be achieved through their app. On the Uber app, under Trip and Fare Review, there is a link for “I was involved in an accident.” This directs the user to provide more information about what happened. After submitting all available information, a member of Uber's Incident Response Team will contact the reporter to confirm that everyone is safe and gather any additional information. 

Uber will then follow up with an emailed Incident Report Form to be completed within 24 hours. The Incident Report generally requests photos of all four sides of the vehicle in proper lighting. The report may also have questions about:

  • Incident details, 
  • Trip ID,
  • Whether police or emergency vehicles responded,
  • Vehicle information,
  • Riders, 
  • Damage to the car, 
  • Other vehicles involved, 
  • Witnesses,
  • Incident drawing or diagram, 
  • Citations issued, and
  • Property damage.

Uber's Special Investigation Unit

Uber has a Special Investigation Unit (SIU) to respond to serious incidents, which can include accidents, dangerous driving, impaired driving, or sexual assaults. The SIU investigators report to the company first and foremost. Investigators generally do not report serious incidents to police or law enforcement. When their investigation finds a problem with a driver, the driver may be temporarily barred from the app or have their account deactivated. 

If law enforcement is already involved in a serious incident, Uber's Law Enforcement Response Team (LERT) may be used to deal with any investigations. LERT is made up of those with experience in dealing with law enforcement investigations, including lawyers and former police officers. 

Insurance After an Uber Accident

After the investigation unit reviews the incident report, Uber will generally notify the appropriate insurance carriers. The driver may need to report their specific insurance coverage under the declarations page. This provides specific coverage for the vehicle, including whether there is collision coverage and/or comprehensive coverage. 

The insurance company will investigate the incident and try to determine if coverage is to be provided. The insurance company or Uber should contact the driver within a few days after the incident report is returned. The insurance coverage may depend on whether the Uber driver was transporting a rider, responding to a ride request, or had the app turned off. 

Colorado requires all drivers to have minimum liability insurance. This applies when an Uber driver has not yet accepted a ride or has already finished a ride. The mandatory minimum coverage required for drivers in Colorado includes: 

  • $25,000 for bodily injury or death to any one person in an accident;
  • $50,000 for bodily injury or death to all persons in any one accident; and
  • $15,000 for property damage in any one accident. 

After making the app active but before picking up a rider, contingent coverage applies. Under Colorado's Transportation Network Company (TNC) laws, Uber must provide coverage over the minimum individual liability. Once the TNC driver is available on the app but has not yet accepted a ride request, Uber coverage must provide a minimum of: 

  • $50,000 for bodily injury or death to any one person in an accident; and
  • $100,000 for bodily injury or death to all persons in any one accident

Once the driver accepts a ride request, is on the way to pick up the passenger, or has the passenger in the vehicle, Uber's policy coverage is for up to $1 million. 

Police and Insurance Investigations

An Uber accident may involve multiple investigations, including the Uber investigation, police investigation, and insurance company investigations. 

Drivers in Colorado are required to report any accident that involves property damage or injury. When the police respond to a crash involving an Uber driver, the police will gather information at the scene and file an accident report. If the police did not respond to the accident, the driver should file an accident report online

Insurance policies generally require drivers to report any accidents to the insurance company. The insurance company may request more information about the accident to file a claim. The insurance company may investigate the accident to determine whether coverage applies. 

Denver Uber Accident Attorney 

When drivers or riders are dealing with Uber, they may find it frustrating that they cannot get a response to their accident or injury claims. Uber generally tries to handle any incidents internally, without police, law enforcement, investigators, or lawsuits involved. However, you need to protect your interests and your rights, even if Uber does not think they are important. Contact an experienced Denver accident attorney to understand your rights and options after an accident involving Uber. 

The attorneys at accidentdenver.com have successfully represented their clients involved in accidents with Uber and Lyft in Denver. Contact us today for a free consultation. 

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