Before Your Next Uber or Lyft, What You Need to Know About Ride Share

I am honored that the Illinois Trial Lawyer’s Association (ITLA) recently published my article for lawyers about the risks of the ride share industry in their Trial Journal.

Many of you have mentioned using ride sharing apps like Uber or Lyft. I have tried to keep everyone aware of the potential dangers. Here are a few things you should be aware of before requesting your next ride:

• If you use ride shares, just be knowledgeable that the driver has no formal training as a driver, has no chauffeur’s license, is using a private car not specially adapted to heavy-duty use, or checked for safety by a government entity.
• If you are a passenger in an Uber, Lyft, or Sidecar, you may not have any legal recourse under the driver’s insurance coverage or the company’s insurance.
• If you want to be a driver for a ride sharing company, think twice, as your auto insurance likely does not cover you using your vehicle for commercial use. Similarly, the ride share insurance may not cover you either, claiming you are an independent contractor.
• There have been hundreds, if not thousands of incidents nationwide involving ride share drivers (including many in Chicago). These “incidents” include sexual assault, unlawful use of a weapon, assault of passengers, to say nothing of getting lost, being rude, or not knowing basic traffic or safety laws.

Read the full article published in Illinois Trial Lawyer’s Association (ITLA)'s Trial Journal, Ride Sharing - Are You Being Taken for a Ride?