If you were injured in an accident caused by an Uber driver, you deserve compensation.

Uber is one of the most visible of the new transportation networks that allow people to request a ride with a mobile application, rather than hailing a cab.

Uber has become tremendously popular in Chicago. The company claims to have 20,000 active drivers on its platform, who have collectively earned more than $200 million since the company launched in 2013. Uber said it facilitates more than 2 million trips per month in Chicago. Since starting business in Chicago, the company has seen its share of controversy, finding itself at odds with traditional cabdrivers and city and state officials over regulation issues, as well as consumers who may wonder if Uber drivers are properly vetted and fully insured.

With so many drivers on the road, accidents are bound to happen. In August of 2014, a lawsuit was filed in Cook County by the son of a Hoffman Estates cabdriver who was killed when he was struck by an Uber driver who had just dropped off a passenger.

Uber drivers use their private vehicles to give people rides. Uber provides commercial insurance to cover damages and injuries when an accident occurs during a passenger ride, and drivers are required to carry their own insurance for when they are driving their vehicle for personal use. While there was some past controversy over drivers who attempted to drive for Uber while only carrying their own personal insurance, in December 2014 the Illinois Legislature passed the Transportation Network Providers Act, which set insurance requirements that Uber and its drivers must meet.

If you are injured in an accident with an Uber driver, you should take the same steps you would in another type of accident: seek medical treatment, get a police report and document the accident. If you are contacted by the other driver’s insurance company, you should not agree to give a recorded statement, and you should not sign anything or agree to a settlement offer. Instead, contact Briskman Briskman & Greenberg for a free consultation to learn more about your rights.