Los Angeles Uber Accident Lawyers
- How Uber Works: A Breakdown by our Lawyers
- Common Uber Accident Scenarios
- Top Causes of Uber Accidents
- Our Lawyers Will Make Sure Uber Is Held Responsible for Your Accident
- Compensation for Your Injuries & Losses From an Uber Accidents
- The Expense of a Wrongful Death Accident Caused by a Uber Driver
- Uber’s $1 Million Insurance Coverage for Accidents
- Tips for Rideshare Passengers Who Are Involved in an Accident
- Call Our Firm Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With a Uber Accident Lawyer
- How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Uber Accident Lawyer Near Me?
Los Angeles Uber Accident Attorneys Helping Victims Obtain Compensation
Let our Uber and Lyft accident lawyers handle your claim so you can focus on making the best recovery possible.
California was the first state to legalize ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft back in 2013. The California Public Utilities Commission created a new class of “Transportation Network Companies.” These rideshare services operate under a separate set of rules from regulated taxi services.
This legislation created a new legal problem for consumers: who is legally responsible for accidents that involve a ride-share vehicle? Our experienced Uber accident attorneys can help protect your legal right to compensation after any rideshare accident.
Ride Share Company Accident
$1,550,000.00
2019: $27M confidential settlement in a case involving multiple plaintiffs.– Judd Ross Allen
How Uber Works: A Breakdown by our Lawyers
FOR PASSENGERS : Passengers use the Uber app to select a destination and pick up point. The request is put out to available drivers, and the passenger is alerted when one has accepted the ride request. (The passenger can cancel the ride if he or she is not comfortable with the driver that has chosen them.) The Uber driver usually arrives within minutes. This system generally saves riders time and money and is more convenient than taking a traditional taxicab.
FOR DRIVERS : Uber drivers choose when to work. They use their app to indicate that they are accepting fares. Then, when a ride request is made in their area, drivers can accept it and pick up the passenger. This is all done in the driver’s personal vehicle. Uber drivers are independent contractors who work their own schedule, other rideshare services in Los Angeles work in the same manner.
Common Uber Accident Scenarios in Los Angeles
Essentially, these technologies are used to connect people looking for a ride with freelance drivers. In order to determine who must pay you for your injuries, it is important to understand who is legally at fault (“liable”) for causing the accident.
Some Uber-involved type of accidents that our lawyers can help you with are:
Pedestrians Struck by an Uber Driver in Los Angeles
Non-uber Drivers Struck by Uber Drivers
Passengers in an Uber That’s Struck by Someone Else
Passengers in an Uber or Lyft Accident Caused by the Rideshare Driver
Speeding is one of the most common – and dangerous – causes of accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that speeding killed 9,717 people in 2017. This was 26% of all United States traffic fatalities that year. That means that more than one out of every four traffic fatalities are caused by speeding.
All drivers have a legal duty of care. This means they must take reasonable steps to avoid a collision. Running a red light or stop sign, failing to control speed, and tailgating can all cause a driver to fail to stop in time to avoid a collision.
As any Southern Californian knows, Los Angeles is a confusing place. We have dozens of major freeways and hundreds of winding side streets that don’t always follow a clear pattern. This can be a dangerous situation for any driver – especially one who is not familiar with L.A. and its surrounding cities. The infamous L.A. traffic only makes this situation worse.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than three thousand traffic fatalities occurred in 2017 as a result of distracted driving. Distracted driving has become a major problem in recent years. As mobile devices, navigation systems, and built-in entertainment systems have become common in almost every vehicle in California, drivers have more temptation than ever to take their eyes off the road. This is negligence. Distracted drivers are liable for the accidents they cause.
What Happens After an Accident?
The first and most important thing to do after an accident is to determine if you or anyone on the scene needs medical attention. Call 911 and let emergency medical personnel help determine who needs to go to the hospital. Be sure that everyone’s immediate safety is secured. Then, work with police on the scene.
Once your immediate needs are taken care of, the legal process can begin. An insurance claim can be opened at any time. Be aware, however, that any statements you make to the insurance company can be used against you. Insurance claims adjusters will often try to twist your words or claim that you didn’t mention a particular pain or injury. These are slimy tactics.
Who Is at Fault for Causing an Uber Car Accident?
Our Lawyers Will Make Sure Uber Is Held Responsible for Your Accident
More importantly, injury victims are sometimes found to be partially at fault for causing their own injuries. Imagine that a pedestrian crosses outside of a crosswalk. A jury finds that this was 30 percent negligent, but finds that the Uber driver was 70 percent negligent for hitting the pedestrian. In that case, the pedestrian is owed 70 percent of all his losses from the Uber driver. This is an important reason to have your case reviewed by an Uber lawyer. Even if you were partially at fault for an accident, you may still be entitled to significant compensation.
In the case of a rideshare accident, the company itself might also be liable. Because Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, the rideshare companies are not liable for their negligence. But: Uber and Lyft can still be liable for negligently hiring bad drivers, or allowing drivers to remain on the app after they have had an accident. This direct liability occurs if the business itself does something negligent.
Finally, an auto accident can be caused by a defective vehicle. Negligent design or manufacturing can cause a vehicle to fail and crash. When this happens, the manufacturer is liable for accidents caused by its defective products. This is why car manufacturers will spend large sums of money on recalling parts. It is less expensive to replace the parts than to pay for personal injury lawsuits. In the case of a defective rideshare vehicle, the legal situation becomes complicated. The driver, the rideshare service, the manufacturer, and the other driver will all be trying to prove that the others are at fault. You need an aggressive Los Angeles rideshare lawyer to protect your legal rights in this complicated legal scenario.
Compensation for Your Injuries & Losses From an Uber Accidents
An accident can result in many types of damages. These damages may not be tangible, and they may not have a specific dollar amount, but they are very real. The law requires negligent drivers to compensate their victims for all of these losses:
Call (888) 488-1391
This can include bonuses, overtime, and other compensation that can be documented by your employer. It also includes all wages reasonably expected to be lost in the future. If, for example, you were unable to ever return to work as the result of an accident, the negligent driver would be liable for all the income you would have made over the rest of your career.
This includes large, dramatic losses (such as paralysis or amputation). It can also, however, include smaller disfigurements. A scar might be small, but it is still a permanent disfigurement caused by the defendant’s negligence. The amount of compensation will vary with the severity of the injury, but injury victims are entitled to compensation for all permanent changes - big or small.
A settlement offer is usually a cold calculation based upon the amount of the victim's medical bills. Insurance company software assumes that damages for pain and suffering are valued at one or two times the amount of the victim’s medical bills. This does not account for the ways in which an injury victim’s life is changed by an accident. More importantly, it doesn’t take into account an individual’s particular circumstances.
These intangible losses are very difficult to place a fair settlement value on. How much money will compensate a paralyzed victim for not being able to walk across the stage at her graduation? What about a parent who can no longer hold his children, or a concert pianist who no longer has arms? Even something as simple as not being able to enjoy sports as a hobby is a very real loss. Unfortunately, insurance companies don’t value them fairly.
The Expense of a Wrongful Death Accident Caused by a Uber Driver
In the worst Uber accidents, victims can die from their injuries. Surviving family members can pursue a wrongful death case against a negligent driver. In this case, the defendant is required to pay damages resulting from the death. This can include:
✓ THE VICTIM’S MEDICAL EXPENSES PRIOR TO DEATH.
✓ LOST WAGES THE VICTIM COULD HAVE EARNED HAD HE OR SHE LIVED, AND THE VALUE OF OTHER
BENEFITS THE VICTIM WOULD HAVE EARNED (SUCH AS HEALTH INSURANCE OR A PENSION PLAN).
✓ A SURVIVING SPOUSE’S LOSS OF COMPANIONSHIP, LOVE, AFFECTION, AND OTHER PLEASURES OF THE MARITAL RELATIONSHIP.
✓ A SURVIVING CHILD’S LOSS OF PARENTAL GUIDANCE AND LOVE.
✓ PROPERTY DAMAGE (SUCH AS A TOTALED VEHICLE OR BURNED BUILDING).
✓ PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE SUFFERED BY THE SURVIVORS.
✓ THE VICTIM’S FUNERAL AND BURIAL EXPENSES.
The types of damage that surviving family members can claim depends on their relationship to the person who died. Surviving children and spouses have claims for “loss of consortium”, which is the loss of the relationship. More distant family members do not have this claim. An executor cannot maintain this claim in a personal injury lawsuit on behalf of the victim’s estate.
Uber’s $1 Million Insurance Coverage for Accidents in L.A.
Anyone who drives on the public roads of California is required to carry liability insurance by state law. Uber and Lyft also require their drivers to provide proof of this insurance coverage. In addition, rideshare companies also carry their own insurance policies that can supplement drivers’ individual policies. Uber, in particular, provides a $1 million policy to cover passenger injuries. This policy pays for any damages not covered by the at-fault driver’s policy (up to Uber’s $1 million policy limit). Here is when Uber’s additional coverage applies:
Driver is Offline and Not Working
During this period, a driver is not working for Uber in any capacity. Insurance coverage is limited to what the driver carries for themselves on a personal policy. No additional Uber policy will apply.
Driver is Waiting for a Ride Request
If an accident occurs before a driver accepts a ride request, Uber’s insurance covers bodily injury damages up to $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 in property damage.
Driver has Accepted a Ride Request
During this period — which includes both en route to a pickup and traveling with passengers — the $1 million Uber policy applies. The amount of the victim’s damages is reduced by the available insurance coverage from the at-fault driver. The remaining damages (up to $1 million) are covered by the Uber policy.
Tips for Rideshare Passengers Who Are Involved in an Accident
SCREENSHOT OR DOWNLOAD YOUR TRIP INFORMATION. Transportation companies like Uber and Lyft provide passengers with certain information prior to their trip. The name of their driver, the route they are expected to take to their destination, departure and arrival estimates, and vehicle information can all be helpful to your Uber accident attorney.
CONTACT A LOS ANGELES UBER ACCIDENT LAWYER ASAP. The sooner you are represented by an attorney, the better protected your legal rights will be. This can also save you from being harassed by the insurance company. As soon as they are notified that you are represented by an attorney, they are legally required to stop contacting you about the accident.
KEEP TRACK OF MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, RECORDS & EXPENSES FOR TRAVEL.You have the legal right to be compensated for any expense that is incurred as a result of an accident. This includes medical bills, prescription medications, medical devices, over the counter medications, Ace bandages, and anything else you have to buy because of your injuries. It also includes mileage reimbursement for traveling to your medical appointments.
DOCUMENT ALL OF YOUR INJURIES RESULTING FROM THE ACCIDENT. It can be difficult to describe your pain and suffering months to an attorney or jury months after the accident occurred. It is helpful to have a record of the pain and discomfort you experienced, when you were unable to sleep, days you missed from work, and other details. Take photos of bruises, cuts, and other visible injuries. The more evidence for your case, the better!
Call Our Firm Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With a Los Angeles Uber Accident Lawyer
The rideshare accident lawyers at Arash Law led by Arash Khorsandi, Esq. knows how to protect your rights after an accident involving an Uber or Lyft. Don’t deal with the insurance company on your own – let an experienced attorney negotiate a fair rideshare settlement. Schedule your free attorney consultation by calling (888) 488-1391 or contacting us online. Our award-winning Uber lawyers in Los Angeles fight hard to protect your legal rights.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Los Angeles Uber Accident Lawyer Near Me?
You might be overwhelmed at the idea of hiring a lawyer. After all, TV shows show lawyers dressing nicely and driving expensive cars. Their hourly rates are said to be $500 or $1000 per hour – even higher here in Los Angeles. Luckily, this is not how personal injury lawyers are paid. Our experienced personal injury attorneys work on contingency. This means that we do not get paid unless you get a settlement or an award at trial. When you hire us, you agree to pay us a percentage of your settlement or jury award. Our fee comes out of this award. If you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid. This shows how much we believe in our clients and their rights to compensation.
