A Massachusetts man is being sued by a bicyclist after his Uber driver double parked in a bike lane, causing the vehicle door to trap the bicyclist when the rider was exiting his Uber ride.

Jake Lester opened the back door to get out of his Uber and in doing so a cyclist was pinned between the Uber and a parked car. The cyclist is now suing both Lester and the Uber driver for damages ($4,000 in medical bills) and fees.

"Obviously, I knew we were double parked but wasn't aware that we were parked in a bike lane," Lester said.

According to news reports, Lester, who didn't have a car and thus no insurance of his own, was surprised to learn he would not be covered under Uber's insurance policy. But Uber's insurance company - James River Insurance - sent him a letter denying him coverage saying, "You do not qualify as an insured under the James River policy... Opening a door into a bicylist does not constitute 'use' of a covered auto."

It's "just mind-blowing that they're taking a step back from this and saying they have no responsibility," Lester said.

Under Massachusetts law, rideshare companies are required to maintain a million dollars in liability insurance for "bodily injury to others" while their drivers are engaged in a ride. Uber maintains that Jake Lester isn't covered.

"It just seems ridiculous, frankly, for a company as big as Uber to deny a rider coverage like that," Lester said. "If I'm getting in an Uber, I'm putting my financial security at risk. Who knows what could happen and Uber's not going to provide the coverage."

—Source: wcvb.com