Steps to Take After A Car Accident with A Food Delivery Driver
An estimated one-third of US workers work in a position that is considered a ‘gig’ economy. One of the most popular types of gig employment is food delivery. With providers like DoorDash, UberEats, and GrubHub taking over the food delivery world, it’s important to know your legal rights if you’re in an accident.
When the Accident Occurs Is Important
The details of a car accident usually determine who’s at fault, and who’s responsible for paying for damages. This is the case with food delivery accidents. A food delivery driver is only considered to be working when they’re logged into the app and working on an order. This means that the food delivery company typically won’t be included in the claim unless the driver was actively working on an order. This includes driving to the restaurant to pick up the order or driving the order to a customer’s house.
Food Delivery Insurance Policies
Many of the larger food delivery companies have insurance policies, including DoorDash or UberEats. These policies range but are typically somewhere around $1,000,000 of medical expenses with no deductible and up to $500 a week in disability coverage.
Most food delivery insurance policies don’t cover any damages to your vehicle or bicycle. Some delivery providers also require the driver to first use their primary vehicle insurance before claiming compensation from the companies. UberEats, for example, offers commercial auto liability of one million dollars with a $1,000 deductible and $50,000 for injuries. However, UberEats requires drivers to first turn to their personal injury provider for compensation.
What to Do If You’re in an Accident
Navigating a car accident when you’re delivering food as a gig worker can be overwhelming and confusing. Your insurance company may try to deny benefits because you were working. Meanwhile, the food delivery provider may try to also deny benefits, claiming that you need to first turn to your insurance provider.
In the meantime, you’re left covering the medical costs and property damages of the accident out of pocket. There are a few things that you should do immediately following a food delivery car accident:
- Receive medical treatment: It’s important to receive medical treatment as soon as possible. Be sure to document all medical care.
- File a police report: You also want to file a police report. A police report documents the accident, creating evidence in case you need it later.
- Collect over evidence: Other types of evidence may also be important to your cases, like photographs or video evidence.
- Notify the food delivery provider: You also want to notify the specific food delivery provider of the accident as soon as possible.
If you’re finding it difficult to receive the compensation that you need to deal with an accident, it may also be beneficial to reach out to a lawyer. A personal injury lawyer can evaluate the details of your case and help you decide if it’s worth it to pursue legal compensation. The laws around food delivery driver accidents are still relatively new, making a lawyer’s knowledge valuable.
Contact an Essex County Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in New Jersey
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Birkhold & Maider, LLC represent clients injured because of a car accident in Essex County, Union County, Mercer County, Nutley Township, and throughout New Jersey. Call (973) 947-4670 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 189 Franklin Avenue, Suite 1 Nutley, NJ 07110, as well as a satellite office in Hamilton, NJ.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
