07-21-2015, 08:43 AM
(07-20-2015, 12:20 PM)ookpik Wrote: As I understand it the Uber driver wasn't actually driving an Uber passenger. He was simply logged in to the app. What's interesting is that nevertheless Uber settled, i.e. their insurance seems to have covered him.
Is that the case that their insurance covered him? Does Uber self-insure, or do they have a real insurance provider? The details of the case and settlement are often kept confidential as a term of the settlement- in this case it says at the request of the plaintiff, but likely both parties would be interested in confidentiality. And a settlement does not mean that the company accepts liability. At this stage, they might be willing to settle cases like this to avoid added publicity.
It seems like a no-brainer that, if you are killed by a driver employed by a company to drive, the company shares in the negligence and liability. But this company insists that they don't employ their drivers, but rather they are "independent operators" (or whatever terminology), so who knows how liability is shared.