According to officials Uber and Lyft (the two most widely utilized ride hailing services) have spent more than 4 million dollars in lobbying expenses pursuing legislation that would allow ride-hailing north of New York City.
Upstate lawmakers have yet to pass the bill largely due to insufficient insurance requirements. Many argue it is especially crucial that Uber/Lyft drivers have adequate protection because they are driving for extended periods of time, and they also rely on their phones to conduct business (a potentially dangerous distraction).
“… Senate and Gov. Andrew Cuomo want Uber and Lyft to have $50,000/$100,000 coverage for drivers as they wait to pick up passengers, meaning the policy would cover $50,000 in injury claims per person and $100,000 in total claims per accident. The Trial Lawyers Association wants much higher limits: $100,000/$300,000, which would force insurance companies to pay out more in major accidents. When a driver is on the way to pick someone up, the trial lawyers want $1.5 million in coverage — or $500,000 more than Cuomo and the Senate have proposed.” -WGRZ.com
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Mr. Finkelstein is the Managing Partner of Finkelstein & Partners, LLP. He has become a noted consumer activist through his representation of injured individuals against corporate wrongdoers and irresponsible parties.
An accomplished litigator, Mr. Finkelstein has represented Plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury cases. He has successfully handled dozens of multi-million dollar cases.