Uber Guests Aren’t Bound By Uber’s TOS–Walker v. Uber

A section from my Internet Law casebook’s chapter on online contracts is titled: “Uber’s TOS Formation Madness. An entire chapter could be dedicated solely to Uber’s TOS dramas!” Here’s another dramatic entry in the annals of Uber’s TOS history. The opinion summarizes: As part of its ubiquitous ride-hailing service, Uber permits a user to order “guest rides” for third parties remotely. Guest riders can travel unaccompanied by the user and need never have downloaded Uber’s app orcreated an account themselves. This case concerns what legal obligations a guest rider owes to Uber by virtue of using the service. In this case, Cheryl ordered an Uber ride for her husband Carroll. Carroll suffered significant personal injuries on the ride. Uber sought to direct Carroll’s claims to arbitration. The court says Carroll never agreed to Uber’s TOS, so no arbitration. The court summarizes its legal conclusion: Uber relies on its having sent Carroll a text message before the guest ride that included…