Del Norte County Uber Accident Lawyers
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Del Norte County Uber Accident Lawyers Dedicated To Advocating For Injured Victims
In recent years, more people have been using Uber for safe and convenient transportation. However, accidents involving rideshare vehicles can still happen. Our Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers are here to help you pursue compensation for your losses. Call Arash Law at (888) 488-1391 to discuss your case in a free initial consultation.
Del Norte County is located in the far northwestern corner of California along the Pacific coast. The region is known for its unique plants and animals, pristine rivers, historic lighthouses, and rocky beaches. Unfortunately, even in such a serene setting, Uber accidents remain a concern.
Arash Law is dedicated to making legal guidance more accessible to victims after such incidents. We offer no-cost, no-obligation first meetings so our attorneys can review your claim. Our firm also operates on a contingency fee basis, under which clients do not pay our lawyers unless they’re awarded compensation. Though there may be other costs involved, we discuss them before agreeing to take on a case.
If you need legal assistance after an Uber accident in Del Norte County, get in touch with us so we can guide you through the claims process.
Settlement in motor vehicle accident in a Under Insured Motorist Claim against a ride share company; client suffered spinal injuries– JUDD ROSS ALLEN
Do You Need Experienced Del Norte County Uber Accident Lawyers After An Accident?
When dealing with Uber accidents or personal injury cases, in general, lawyers can help you understand your rights as an injured victim. The Del Norte County Uber accident attorneys at our law firm do precisely that. If you have a valid claim, we are also ready to negotiate with insurance companies and pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other losses on your behalf.
If you decide to onboard with us, we can:
- Cover specific costs upfront
- Review insurance contracts
- Negotiate with the insurance company
- Conduct legal research and document key points
- Manage paperwork and form submissions
- Gather and preserve critical pieces of evidence, like surveillance footage, photos, police reports, and medical records.
- Develop a comprehensive strategy tailored to the needs of your case.
- Create a settlement demand package to pursue compensation.
- Prepare for courtroom litigation in Del Norte County, if necessary.
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, California law allows injured parties to pursue compensation for loss of work, injuries, pain and suffering, and long-term medical treatment, among others. Our attorneys can guide you through the process of seeking these damages to help support your recovery after the accident.
Why Consult Our Del Norte County Uber Accident Attorneys?
If you’re injured in an accident with an Uber vehicle, you may wish to file a claim that closely reflects the extent of your losses. Since California’s relatively new rideshare laws can be more complex than those governing traditional car accidents, you may wish to seek the assistance of our experienced Uber accident lawyers in Del Norte County.
Our attorneys can work to pursue fair compensation by gathering evidence of your accident, as well as the severity of your injuries and how they’ve impacted your life, to argue who may be at fault. We’ll use this proof to support a claim that aims to have negligent parties compensate you for your losses.
Common Types Of Uber Accidents In Del Norte County, CA
Two types of Uber-related accidents are commonly seen in California. The first type is when a driver is rear-ended by another car. For example, this can happen due to the Uber driver stopping and the other driver not paying attention and rear-ending them. Another common type of accident is when an Uber driver hits a pedestrian.
Our personal injury attorneys in Del Norte have handled a lot of Uber accidents, including some with the following scenarios:
- The Uber driver hit another car.
- Another car crashed into the Uber vehicle with a passenger.
- The Uber vehicle collided with a stationary object.
Leading Causes Of Uber Accidents In California
Ridesharing services pose potential issues due to various factors, most of which are related to their drivers. Uber, for instance, often hires large numbers of drivers at once. If they are inadequately vetted or trained, they may be more likely to cause an accident. However, they aren’t the only road users who can be potentially held liable for a crash.
The following issues may also contribute to the risk of Uber accidents in California:
- Distracted Driving — Though anyone can get distracted behind the wheel, Uber drivers often use their smartphones for ride acceptance and navigation when the vehicle is in motion.
- Reckless Driving — Uber drivers may drive faster in an effort to complete more rides during their shift, causing speeding accidents. Certain drivers even weave through traffic carelessly, which adds another risk. Other motorists may also exhibit these behaviors.
- Inadequate Vehicle Maintenance — Neglected routine maintenance can lead to equipment failures, such as blown tires or brake issues.
- Weather Conditions — Drivers must adjust to inclement weather to prevent accidents. Traveling too fast during rainy days increases the likelihood of a crash.
- Operating While Intoxicated — There have been instances of both private vehicle users and Uber drivers driving under the influence, posing a severe risk to road safety.
If you’re facing medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering after an accident, consult with our experienced Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers. They can help you assess what may have caused your accident to identify who the at-fault parties might be.
What To Do After A Del Norte County Uber Accident
It’s normal to feel lost after getting injured in an Uber crash. Despite this, remaining calm and collecting yourself together is essential to managing this stressful situation effectively. After the accident, some things you can do to ensure your safety and potentially uphold your rights to pursue compensation may include:
- Move to a safe spot if possible and check for injuries.
- Call the police and request medical help if needed.
- Stay at the scene and talk to authorities, but don’t admit fault.
- Take pictures of the scene, your injuries, and other damage caused by the accident.
- Get contact details from all drivers and witnesses.
- Seek immediate medical attention, even if you feel okay, and follow prescribed treatment.
- Report the accident to your insurance, but don’t make recorded statements or accept offers without legal help.
- Report the incident to Uber.
- Connect with our Uber accident lawyers in Del Norte County for support in seeking compensation from the negligent parties.
Damages Available In Del Norte County Uber Accident Cases
After being injured in an Uber accident, victims may be able to seek compensatory damages through legal action. These can generally be categorized into economic and non-economic damages. Our Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers can help assess your case to see which ones you may be able to pursue. These can include:
Economic Damages
These are tangible losses that have a direct financial impact on the victim, including:
- The costs of hospital bills, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and other necessary medical treatments.
- Compensation for the income lost due to the inability to work during the recovery period.
- Damages to the victim’s vehicle or personal property, including repair or replacement costs.
Non-economic Damages
In contrast, these damages are intangible losses that are more subjective, including:
- The emotional distress experienced as a result of the accident.
- Lasting impacts on the victim’s quality of life.
- Loss of consortium or relationship.
Special Damages
Additionally, punitive damages may be awarded in rare cases where the defendant’s actions were particularly reckless. These damages aim to punish the wrongdoer and discourage similar conduct in the future instead of compensating the victims.
Wrongful Death
In instances where an Uber accident results in a fatality, wrongful death claims may become applicable. Damages sought in such claims may include covering the costs associated with the funeral and burial of the deceased, as well as compensating surviving family members for the financial contributions the victim would have provided.
Uber’s Insurance Coverage For Accidents In California
Insurance rules for rideshare companies are different from regular drivers. That’s because Uber’s insurance coverage depends on the driver’s status during an accident, which is separated into distinct periods:
- Period 0 is when the driver is offline and not working. When not working for Uber, coverage is limited to the driver’s policy, with no additional Uber coverage.
- Period 1 is when the driver is logged in on the app and waiting for a ride request. Once the driver is logged in on the app and an accident happens, Uber’s insurance covers bodily injury damages up to $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 in property damage.
- Period 2 is when the driver accepts a ride request. When driving for Uber, the $1 million liability policy and $1 million uninsured/underinsured motorist (UI/UIM) coverage apply from the moment the driver accepts a ride request and travels to the passenger’s location. The at-fault driver’s insurance coverage is subtracted from the victim’s damages, and Uber’s policy covers the remaining damages.
- Period 3 is when the driver is transporting a passenger. The coverage in Period 2 also applies when the Uber driver is transporting the passenger until the drop-off is completed.
Our Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers can help you understand your legal options amid the fine print of these policies. However, note that the aforementioned amounts Uber may provide in certain instances only indicate the maximum compensation their policies allow for. This will not necessarily be how much victims can potentially receive.
Who Should Be Held Liable In An Uber Accident?
The process of determining liability in an Uber accident involves various factors. The challenge in resolving claims involving Uber collisions arises due to the multiple insurance entities that may be involved, such as Uber’s insurance, the driver’s insurance, and potentially other drivers’ insurance.
- Uber Driver – The Uber driver can be held liable if their negligence and recklessness directly contributed to the accident.
- Other Drivers – In the event that another driver is at fault in an accident, their insurance may cover damages.
- Rideshare Company (Uber) – Uber may be held liable for accidents caused by issues related to the app, driver screening, corporate negligence, or when its driver was actively working during the accident. Their insurance policy could cover damages beyond the driver’s coverage.
- Insurance Entities – Various parties, including Uber, Uber drivers, and potentially other drivers’ insurance, may share liability based on the circumstances of the accident.
- Local Authorities – In cases where poor road conditions or inadequate signage contribute to the accident, local authorities may be held liable for negligence in maintaining safe roads.
Can You Sue Uber For An Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident, you may have the right to sue Uber for injuries or wrongful death, whether you were in the car, a pedestrian, or in another vehicle. However, you have to prove that the company was directly responsible for the conditions leading up to the crash.
For example, you can file a claim against them if it turns out that they hired a driver with a history of driving under the influence, and that person caused your accident. Our Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers can conduct an independent investigation to see if you have a case.
Proving Liability In Del Norte County Uber Accident Cases
Uber is different from regular taxi companies because its drivers are considered independent contractors, not employees. This can complicate the task of proving liability for an accident, estimating how much responsibility Uber has for its drivers’ actions, and assessing who should pay for damages in accidents caused by Uber drivers. Other drivers may also be responsible for your crash.
Additionally, California follows a comparative negligence system. This means that fault can be distributed across one or more negligent parties, with all compensating the victims for their losses depending on how much they contributed to an accident. To pursue compensation, the injured person needs to show:
- The at-fault party owed them a duty of care.
- The at-fault party breached that duty of care.
- The breach directly caused the accident.
- The accident resulted in actual damages like medical expenses.
Because California follows this system, all drivers, including Uber drivers, must have liability insurance. In case of an accident, the at-fault party or their insurance may be held responsible for covering the damages of the plaintiff.
When in doubt about the process, consult with our skilled Uber accident lawyers serving Del Norte County.
April 2019: $14M settlement in a traumatic brain injury case involving a defective piece of equipment at a factory.– BRIAN BEECHER
What Are My Options After An Uber Crash?
Your options for pursuing compensation after a collision with Uber depend on what happened during the accident. For example, if you were walking when you were hit by an Uber vehicle, you could file a claim under Uber’s liability coverage. If no settlement is reached, you can file a lawsuit. If you are driving when you get hit, you may also follow a similar procedure. Should you need clarification on how to proceed in your situation, let our Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers lay out your legal options.
Statute Of Limitations For Uber Accident Claims In California
While the general time limit for filing personal injury claims in California is two years, exceptions exist that can either shorten or extend the timeframe for legal action.
For instance, if your accident resulted from the negligence of state or city road maintenance, your claim against the local government faces a significantly shorter statute of limitations, namely a six-month deadline.
Meanwhile, here are situations where the statute of limitations may be extended in California:
- Claims Involving Minors — If a minor is injured in a car accident, the statute of limitations starts when the child turns 18.
- Lack of Mental Capacity — For individuals lacking mental capacity, the statute of limitations is delayed until they regain legal competency.
Given the varying circumstances that can affect the statute of limitations, you can speak with our Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers to learn when you can file your claim.
Uber Accident Statistics
According to the NHTSA, there were an estimated 31,720 traffic fatalities from January to September 2021. Common causes of motor vehicle accidents include:
- Inexperienced Drivers
- Intoxicated Drivers (DUI)
- Speeding
- Poor Road Conditions
- Poor Vehicle Maintenance
However, as Uber services become more prominent, their suggested benefits also show promise:
- Reducing DUI-related accidents by 15% to 62% per year.
- Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that by 2019, Uber rides were associated with about a 6% reduction in alcohol-related driving deaths.
- Studies examining rideshare services in urban areas have found mixed results regarding their impact on traffic safety outcomes.
FAQs About Del Norte County Uber Accidents
What If I’m A Passenger In An Uber Accident?
If you’re a passenger and have sustained significant injuries in an Uber accident, you may be eligible for compensation. Consult with our skilled Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers to discuss your case.
I Don’t Feel Any Pain After My Uber Accident. Should I See A Doctor?
Injuries can sometimes take hours or even days to develop. It’s advisable to seek prompt medical attention from a professional after any accident to ensure your well-being. This also helps document any potential injuries.
An Uber Driver Struck Me. Are They Liable?
Whether you were walking or in your vehicle when struck by an Uber, the ridesharing company’s insurance policy may be responsible for covering the damages. Consulting with our Uber accident attorneys in Del Norte County can guide you through the process of pursuing compensation.
Get Legal Help From Our Uber Accident Lawyers In Del Norte County
Arash Law handles different personal injury cases, including those involving Uber vehicles. We recognize the challenges involved in accidents with rideshare companies. The claims process may have to consider multiple insurance entities, such as that of the company, the rideshare driver, a third-party driver, and possibly your own.
An experienced attorney can offer guidance when dealing with the complications of determining liability, filing claims, negotiating damages, or taking the case to court. Our Del Norte County Uber accident lawyers will work to bring our knowledge of personal injury and rideshare laws to your claim. Contact us at (888) 488-1391 or fill out our “Do I Have A Case?” form for a free initial case review.
We represent clients beyond Del Norte County and throughout California, including nearby areas like Etna, Eureka, Rosewood, Trinidad, Clam Beach, Willow Creek, Weaverville, Covington Mill, Callahan, Fort Jones, Hamburg, Mt Shasta, Orleans, Salyer, Montgomery Creek, Burney, Helena, and Greenview.
