Trial Lawyers Group Slams Governor Over Insurer, Uber Ties

Association president backs bill to expand liability for self-driving car crashes.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 11:36pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A dynamic, abstract painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes and waves of bright blue, orange, and purple colors, conceptually representing the dispute over rideshare liability laws.A fractured, high-energy painting captures the tensions between trial lawyers and the rideshare industry over liability laws in New York.NYC Today

The president of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Andrew Finkelstein, has accused Governor Kathy Hochul of favoring car insurers and ride-hailing companies like Uber over consumer interests. Finkelstein voiced his support for a bill introduced by Assemblymember Pamela Baskin that would expand liability for self-driving car crashes.

Why it matters

This dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between the trial lawyers' lobby, which seeks to expand liability and legal recourse for consumers, and the insurance and tech industries, which have pushed for liability limits as autonomous vehicle technology advances.

The details

Finkelstein claimed that Governor Hochul has 'kowtowed' to pressure from car insurers and Uber, arguing that she has not done enough to protect consumers' legal rights in the face of emerging self-driving car technology. He expressed support for Baskin's bill, which would make companies that manufacture or operate autonomous vehicles liable for crashes, even if a human was not directly controlling the vehicle.

  • The comments from Finkelstein were made on March 30, 2026.

The players

Andrew Finkelstein

The president of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, a group that advocates for the interests of trial lawyers and seeks to expand liability laws.

Kathy Hochul

The current Governor of New York, who Finkelstein has accused of favoring car insurers and ride-hailing companies over consumer interests.

Pamela Baskin

A New York State Assemblymember who has introduced a bill that would expand liability for self-driving car crashes, which Finkelstein has voiced support for.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Governor Hochul has kowtowed to the pressure from car insurers and Uber, and has not done enough to protect consumers' legal rights in the face of emerging self-driving car technology.”

— Andrew Finkelstein, President, New York State Trial Lawyers Association

What’s next

The Baskin bill that Finkelstein supports will likely be debated in the New York State Legislature in the coming months.

The takeaway

This dispute underscores the ongoing battle between trial lawyers seeking to expand liability and the tech/insurance industries pushing for liability limits as autonomous vehicle technology advances. The outcome could have significant implications for consumer protections and the legal landscape surrounding self-driving cars.