Injured in an Uber or Lyft?
Getting legal help is almost as important as seeking medical attention.
Avoid common legal pitfalls and secure your right to injury compensation by contacting our experienced ride-share lawyers as soon as possible.
Your next steps after a ride share accident are important
1. Seek medical help
If you’ve been injured, seek help immediately! This won’t only preserve your health, but it’ll give you significant leverage and proof for filing your injury claim.
2. Call the police and remember the details
An official police report is crucial for your case. Also, try to remember, or write down key details such as license plates, names, time, and any other information.
3. Get a resourceful injury attorney
An experienced injury attorney will walk you through this difficult time and thwart attempts by insurance companies to minimize your claim.
Contact us right now!
4. Relax and recover
We’ve got this, and we’ll keep fighting on your behalf until we take everything you’re owed by insurance companies or the defendant personally.
Timing is essential: Act now or lose the right to compensation
File a claim within California’s Statute of Limitations time frame, and outsmart the defendant’s lawyers by getting the best injury attorney on your side.
The legal window of opportunity
The so-called statute of limitations in the State of California defines a small time frame under which Uber or Lyft car accident victims can file a claim.
A late application can make you lose your right to settlement altogether, or result in barebones compensation amounts barely enough to cover your medical expenses.
Beat insurance lawyers
Minutes after your accident, insurance agents and even Uber’s or Lyft’s lawyers are already at work to undermine your claim. They are experienced, driven, and NOT on your side. Lawyer up to protect yourself against them!
• Don’t give them more time to prepare
• Don’t risk making mistakes or admitting liability
• Don’t fall prey to their scare tactics
Uber and Lyft Accidents: The Legal 101
Ridesharing accidents are car accidents with extra complexity, but also opportunity. The good news is, Uber and Lyft drivers are protected with multiple insurance options. They are independent contractors that benefit from their own insurance as well as the ridesharing services plans. The bad news? Their lawyers are experts at minimizing claims with years of experience.
Being that their business model relies on the satisfaction and safety of their passengers, these multibillion-dollar tech corporations have multiple systems in place to protect against the tarnished image and costly proceedings of ridesharing accidents.
Both Uber and Lyft:
• Require drivers to have comprehensive insurance policies
• Cover up to $1 million in damages with their own injury liability insurance
• Have advanced monitoring and litigation processes in place
For you or your loved ones as victims of an Uber or Lyft accident, this has opposing effects:
• Better opportunity: You have a higher chance of getting the high compensation you deserve (there being multiple insurance options to file a claim with).
• Higher risk: you’re facing against a strong and experienced legal apparatus ready to contest your claim and fight your settlement.
This means you need expert legal representation to get the best you can out of this unfortunate situation. And now that you’ve found JT Legal Group, you can immediately access the best legal representation for your Uber and Lyft injuries. Below are the different periods where you are considered to be covered by your own personal insurance, or Uber & Lyft’s policy. There are different factors that determine if your policy is active, or the rideshare companies’ policy is.
California Accident Attorney: Uber and Lyft
If you are an Uber or Lyft driver, having proper auto insurance is vital. Some drivers assume that Uber and Lyft provide enough insurance to cover anything that might happen, but that is not the case. It’s important you learn what coverage Uber and Lyft offer and what coverage they don’t offer. Getting into an accident without this information can cause a lot of problems, but an Uber & Lyft accident lawyer can help. Your Uber & Lyft accident lawyer will have your back and give you peace of mind.
Period 1: Waiting for a Request
The first coverage period is when you are waiting for a ride request. During this time, Uber and Lyft do not provide coverage to you or your vehicle. Although the app is on, you are considered to be on your own time since you are not connected with a passenger yet. If you get into an accident without the right coverage, you can face lawsuits, time in jail and more. You will even lose your position as an Uber or Lyft driver. A California accident attorney can help you decide what option makes the most sense for you. During this period, standard car insurance meets all your needs.
Period 2: Driver Has Accepted the Request
Uber’s standard insurance covers you when you accept a rider request and are on your way to pick up the rider. You get coverage for your vehicle and any medical expenses if you get into an accident after you accept a ride request. The problem is, however, is that a rideshare company is not on your side. They want to avoid payouts at all costs. As a driver, you must remember that they might claim your rider canceled the request prior to your accident. This would bring you back to period 1, which means Uber and Lyft are not held liable. If that happens, the rideshare company won’t be responsible for your damages. It is important you gather as much evidence as you can during this period to protect yourself at all costs.
Period 3: Passenger Is in the Vehicle
If you are in this stage, you have accepted the request and picked up the rider. You have coverage for yourself and your passenger during this stage. You must still keep a few things in mind before you factor Uber into your standard policy. If you only use Uber coverage while on a trip with a rider, you could end up in a bad situation. A California personal injury claim lawyer will help you decide what option is right for you. Your California personal injury claim lawyer reviews your case and gives you the best results possible.
Types of Uber or Lyft accidents
In a multitude of scenarios, you could receive very high compensation for the accident that you were involved in with a Lyft or Uber Vehicle.
You can tap into the significant insurance premiums of Uber, Lyft, AND their drivers. You very likely have a right to compensation if you’ve suffered injuries, property damage, or the wrongful death of a family member.
Here are your options if you’ve been in one of these types of Uber or Lyft accidents:
Pedestrian struck by Uber/Lyft driver
Pedestrians enjoy a high degree of protection under Californian law.
If you or a loved one were struck by a Lyft or Uber driver, even if you crossed outside a crosswalk, you can most likely file a claim on both the driver’s insurance policy and the companies’ injury insurance. Ride-sharing companies often pay passenger injury claims even if the driver wasn’t actively servicing a ride at the moment.
A driver struck by Uber/Lyft driver
In traffic, Uber and Lyft drivers are subject to the same California state laws when it comes to accident liability.
If you’re a driver hit by an Uber or Lyft driver, you’re entitled to seek compensation from the drivers’ policy and in some cases from the insurance of the rideshare company – usually, if the driver was transporting an Uber or Lyft passenger at the time of the accident.
Passenger struck by another driver
Even when another driver is at fault, you can be entitled to tap into Uber or Lyft’s insurance policies for compensation, in addition to that driver’s own insurance – especially if the driver is uninsured or has low coverage.
The right California auto accident attorney will help you tap into Uber’s and Lyft’s injury insurance if you were a passenger who suffered bodily injury.
Passenger injured by a rideshare vehicle
Uber and Lyft usually require their drivers to have the highest insurance coverage, to protect against many types of accidents. In addition to that, they protect their customers (the passengers) with additional policies.
If you’ve been injured as an Uber or Lyft passenger in California, our Glendale legal Studio will mobilize resources to get you very high compensation.
Why you need an Uber accident lawyer by your side
Lawyer up right the first time, and take all the stress off your shoulders.
Whatever the scenario of your injury, it’s very important you lawyer up first! Insurance adjusters and corporate lawyers (from the insurance company or even Uber or Lyft for more serious cases) will try to minimize your claim or offer you a very low sum immediately, hoping you sign a waiver on future claims.
That won’t happen when you have the premier Los Angeles area auto and ridesharing accident firm behind your back to fight on your behalf in your personal injury case.
We’re well-versed at navigating the intricacy of auto accident law and experienced with ridesharing accident cases. In fact, we regularly fight them in the name of our plaintiffs and have won millions in compensation already.
• Get a head start with your ridesharing accident claim
• Be protected from Uber’s, Lyft’s, and the driver’s insurers and lawyers
• Receive timely information and understand the legal options for your auto accident injury claim
• Focus 100% on your recovery and responsibilities as we fight for you
• Take the stress of legal thinking off your shoulders
• Get the highest possible compensation for your pain and suffering
Compensation Settlements
You’re entitled to much more than just medical bills and lost property. These are the common categories of damages under California Law regarding Lyft and Uber accidents
Physical Injuries
Severe cuts and bruises, disfigurement, impaired mobility, spinal damage, or brain injuries can permanently worsen a victim’s quality of life.
Professional legal representation can at least recover medical expenses and damages in compensation – and provide closure.
Economic Losses
Lost wages, reduced productivity, and long-term career impairment are all too common consequences of injury.
A properly filed claim can make the perpetrator answer for these damages, as well as immediate medical conditions and expenses.
Emotional Distress
Less obvious than physical harm, but no less serious, emotional damages like trauma or anxiety can be an incredible detriment to life quality.
It’s important to conduct thorough investigations and collect expert reports to assess the extent of distress. We have the resources to hire the best experts and prove your emotional distress in court, or private settlements.
Loss of Life’s Pleasures
Injuries can result in the deterioration of personal relationships, loss of consortium with a significant one, or the loss of enjoyment out of life.
An experienced personal injury attorney and accident lawyer can navigate the laws and get compensation for these insidious types of damages, with expert reports, detailed collection of evidence, and targeted interviews.
