Uber driver upset with company’s insurance after he says crash left him partially paralyzed

CHARLOTTE — Michael McIntosh was an Uber driver. He was in northeast Charlotte in June when his life changed.

Police say a drunk driver hit him at full speed and flipped his car once.

McIntosh is home from the hospital, but he told Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke that he’s bedridden and paralyzed from the waist down.

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“I’m trying to roll with the punches and hope that something … better comes out of this situation. But as of right now, I don’t know. I feel like I’m out there on a limb,” he said. “I went through all the emotions already. But it’s definitely life-changing. It’s definitely hard. Every day’s definitely a challenge.”

His lawyer, Joe Volta, says the bills are a challenge too. “He’s going to end up needing potentially lifelong care,” Volta said.

Normally, the other driver’s insurance should pay because she’s allegedly at fault.

But McIntosh says she doesn’t have enough coverage. And that’s key.

If you’re an Uber driver or passenger and someone hits you (causes the wreck), and he/she is uninsured (or underinsured), Uber used to cover you up to $1 million. But North Carolina lawmakers changed the law. Now, Uber only has to cover you up to $35,000 (and does).

In South Carolina, Uber has to cover at least $50,000, but only for uninsured drivers, not underinsured drivers, and does.

“They’re relying on Uber, whether they know it or not, to take care of them in case something happens to them,” Volta said.

As you’d expect, Uber supports the change from $1 million down to $35,000. It gave Stoogenke three reasons:

1. Other drivers in North Carolina only have to carry $35,000, so it’s fair.

2. The $1 million policy was extremely expensive.

3. More people sued when they could get $1 million. $35,000 is less tempting.

The same rules apply to all rideshare companies, including Lyft. Stoogenke asked Lyft if it covers the same amounts as Uber. He did not hear back in time for this report.

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There are a lot of drivers on the road without insurance or enough insurance. According to a study the Insurance Information Institute did in 2019, 7.4% of drivers in North Carolina didn’t have insurance, and 10.9% in South Carolina didn’t. It’s not clear if anyone tracks drivers who are underinsured.

Bottom Line:

If you’re in a Lyft or Uber and in a crash that’s the other driver’s fault and he or she doesn’t have enough insurance, rideshare companies may not cover all your medical bills. You may have to turn to your own insurance for help.

McIntosh could have, but he told Stoogenke he was part of a special Uber program with a rental car company, so he didn’t need his own coverage and didn’t have it. He started a GoFundMe to pay for his medical bills here.

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