Is Uber Trying to Make It Harder for Accident Victims to Sue?

A recent report by Consumer Watchdog has raised eyebrows in legal circles. The report highlights the different ways Uber is trying to limit their legal exposure by encouraging state tort reform and putting dangerous self-driving “autonomous” vehicles on the road. If successful, Uber could limit the amount of compensation injured victims receive when they are hurt in an accident, even an accident caused by Uber. Our rideshare accident lawyer highlights this troubling project.

How Uber Weakens Accountability

As of 2026, Uber has a market capitalization of more than $153 billion, and it has more than 1 million drivers across the country. A company like Uber doesn’t get that large by acting like a nonprofit. Instead, the company has aggressively advocated for itself in various states.

Recently, Uber is pushing “tort reform” in different states like California. Currently, Uber is liable whenever a passenger is injured in an accident that is the driver’s fault. The company’s insurance policy should pay for all reasonable medical care and other expenses. However, Uber is trying to tie the reimbursement rate for medical care to Medicare rates. Consequently, the full cost of an accident victim’s medical care might not be covered by the company. A patient might end up having to pay out of pocket for medical expenses.

Uber also is trying to make it harder for victims to hire experienced lawyers. Currently, most rideshare lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. We agree to a percentage of your settlement and provide all legal work upfront free of charge. However, Uber wants to establish in law that victims must keep 75% of their total recovery. Although that might seem like a good deal for injured victims, it would leave very little left for lawyers. And we know that victims receive more on average when they have a lawyer handle their case.

Uber is also deploying “robo taxis,” which are self-driving vehicles. They are set to launch in 15 cities around the nation. Unfortunately, as Consumer Watchdog notes, we know very little about the prototypes that Uber is planning to unveil. What we do know is not good: many of these vehicles get into more accidents per mile driven than other technology, which means that passenger safety could be compromised. More injured passengers, and less ability to obtain compensation.

These are only some of the initiatives Uber is launching around the country. Although no initiatives are in South Carolina, they will come shortly if Uber is successful in California. Injured motorists could struggle to obtain a reasonable settlement if the rideshare industry is successful at changing the rules that govern motor vehicle accidents.

Speak with Our Law Firm Today

Snyder Heitman Injury Attorneys believes that companies like Uber should pay settlements when their drivers are at fault for an accident. Call our firm to schedule a free, no risk consultation with a Greenville rideshare accident lawyer. Our firm has also served the Spartanburg and Upstate South Carolina communities for decades.

Source:

companiesmarketcap.com/uber/marketcap/