On Wednesday, May 27, SFGate reported on Uber’s proposed new headquarters to be built in San Francisco’s Mission Bay. Meanwhile, as Uber is planning the move, its legal status across the United States is far from settled. Many jurisdictions have banned Uber and other ridesharing services from operating. We’ve already discussed some of the aspects of Uber, and other ridesharing services, to be aware of in a previous blog post. We’ve discussed the danger that can be posed by Uber drivers who haven’t been properly screened, and some of the ways that criminals have used Uber to prey on unsuspecting passengers. But what happens in a situation that is less nefarious – that is almost ordinary? What happens if you’re in an Uber and you get into an accident?
Cities and States Reject Ridesharing
Portland, Oregon sued Uber in December of 2014 for operating illegally. According to Forbes, the lawsuit alleged that Uber was operating illegally and asked that the court declare that Uber would be subject to Portland’s taxi regulations, as well as to order that Uber stop operations until the City could update regulations to address ridesharing. According to the Los Angeles Times, the city of Portland dropped its lawsuit after Uber agreed to suspend ridesharing in the city until April of 2015. In the meantime, the city administration crafted new regulations for ridesharing regarding issues such as pricing, insurance, and inspections. NBC reported that in April, Uber and Lyft launched a four month pilot program in Portland.