Find A California Personal Injury Attorney for Ride-Sharing Accidents
Uber / Lyft accident cases are significantly more complex than other sorts of accidents. In addition, these cases are fiercely defended. To take on large companies like Uber or Lyft, you'll need an experienced and skilled Personal Injury Lawyer in California.
What Causes Lyft and Uber Accidents?
The following are the most typical causes of collisions involving Uber or Lyft vehicles:
Driver fatigue is caused by prolonged driving hours, poor scheduling, and a lack of sleep. Many ride-sharing drivers are students or work full-time elsewhere. They supplement their income by driving for Uber and Lyft.
Distractions. The constant need to look at their phones to see Uber / Lyft apps and navigation screens is a major distraction for ride-sharing drivers.
Driving drunk. Alcohol and drug use impairs drivers' focus, judgment, and ability to respond swiftly in an emergency. As a result of opioid and psychotherapeutic medicine addiction, accidents are widespread.
Traffic infractions include speeding, aggressive driving, and running stop signs, and red lights.
Mechanical failures. Critical mechanical components, such as brakes, can fail if Uber / Lyft drivers neglect automobile maintenance.
Drivers were not thoroughly vetted. Before permitting potential drivers to use their online platforms, ride-hailing companies examine their driving histories and conduct criminal background checks. If an assessment is not conducted correctly or at all, a careless driver with a history of recurrent convictions may be allowed to transport people.
Whatever the cause of your accident, contact a California Personal Injury Lawyer to help you sue.
Uber and Lyft's Responsibilities
Like any other vehicle operator, Lyft and Uber drivers have a general obligation to take reasonable steps to prevent causing harm to others. Victims have the right to initiate a negligence claim if they fail to uphold this duty of care and someone is harmed or killed as a result.
Others claim that Uber and Lyft have a more considerable duty of care because they are common carriers. A "common carrier" is a transportation service that charges a fee to transport people (as well as goods and property). Thus, their duty of care extends beyond the conventional "reasonable care" need to avoid injuring others.
Of fact, whether ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft are considered "common carriers" is an open matter. At present, there is no easy answer to this question. Ride-hailing companies (officially known as transportation network corporations) have yet to be recognized as common carriers by the California legislature.
Contact a California Personal Injury Attorney to help you understand the legalities related to rideshare accidents.
Uber and Lyft Accident Insurance
The minimal minimum of insurance coverage, typically $15,000 in liability coverage, is becoming more popular among drivers. When an accident occurs, insurance policies with unfavorably low coverage limits restrict those who have been injured the opportunity to get adequate financial compensation. Ride-hailing firms like Lyft and Uber have very different insurance statuses.
Like other ride-sharing companies, Uber and Lyft have insurance plans that cover their drivers and give significant liability coverage to private entities such as passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians. On the other hand, the insurance system is confusing. For example, the time period in which the event occurred determines the type of insurance coverage and policy limits that apply.
It would help you to remember that it is in the interest of insurance providers to give you the least possible payout. Consult a California Personal Injury Attorney before talking to insurance providers.
How Do You Determine Who's At Fault?
When cars in the ride-sharing industry collide, the consequences can be dramatic and devastating, ranging from catastrophic injuries to fatalities. Such collisions are similar to other forms of car accidents in this way. At the same time, fault analysis may be complex due to the multiple components and possible fact patterns.
The vital variable to any Personal Injury Lawsuit is to show proof of causation. This is the only way to pinpoint who you can sue and who has to pay you damages.
Consider the case below:
Ride-hailing service passengers, other motorists, and pedestrians are injured or killed due to a crash caused by an Uber or Lyft driver.
An accident between a Lyft or Uber driver and another motorist ends in severe injury or death.
Multiple drivers' actions/decisions result in a collision.
In California, several elements of recoverable damages are dependent on the parties' relative degrees of responsibility and carelessness. "Comparative carelessness" is the term used to describe this situation.
It is a crucial part of case evaluation in ride-hailing accident cases since the amount of compensation recovered by victims is determined by the assessment of fault.
In many cases, even though the injured motorists contributed to the collision's occurrence, they may be entitled to financial compensation. In addition, the recuperation time will be reduced depending on the severity of the problem.
Can Passengers Be Blamed for Rideshare Accident?
Passengers in Lyft and Uber can't be held responsible for their behavior because they aren't involved in the actual driving procedure. However, there are exceptions to this general norm. Passengers, for example, can cause a rideshare accident by being loud, belligerent, or violent, upsetting the driver.
If this is the case, the passengers may still receive monetary compensation for their injuries. Even if a person were somewhat at fault in the accident, a California Personal Injury Attorney would be able to navigate these complicated issues and obtain compensation.
How Can A California Personal Injury Attorney Help You?
A ride-hailing service is a relatively new concept. Several aspects of this nascent sector are still unregulated and dangerous. Lyft and Uber accident claims can be complicated to resolve. As a result, you must choose a knowledgeable California Personal Injury Attorney.
The decisions you make after the accident and afterward affect the value of your Lyft or Uber accident claim. They can significantly impact the result of your case and the amount of money you can get back.
Find A Rideshare Accidents Attorney in California
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