Irvine Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer
Irvine Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney
Thousands of people living in the Irvine area and throughout California use rideshare services like Uber and Lyft every day as accessible alternatives to taxis and public transportation. Since its inception, rideshare services have reshaped the transportation industry in many ways, including raising difficult questions concerning liability when accidents happen. An Irvine Uber and Lyft accident lawyer is a valuable resource if you experience such an accident.
Irvine Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer – Rideshare Accidents
The attorneys at Easton & Easton have years of professional experience handling a wide range of car accident cases in Irvine, including those pertaining to rideshare accidents. We know how challenging these cases can be to resolve and the many complex questions they can raise for victims seeking accountability and compensation for their damages. We can provide clarity and peace of mind as you seek compensation for the losses you sustained.
While it is technically possible to pursue your recovery on your own, having legal counsel you can trust on your side makes approaching your legal proceedings much easier in many ways. You will not only be able to rest and focus on recovery with peace of mind, but you will be more likely to maximize the compensation you obtain for your damages. Additionally, you can resolve your case more quickly than you would likely manage on your own.
Our firm takes time to learn as much as we can about each client we represent, addressing their individual needs and concerns as we develop their legal strategies. Recovery from your rideshare accident in Irvine is likely to begin with an auto insurance claim, and then you may need to build a personal injury case as well to secure maximum compensation for your losses. Whatever your case requires, Easton & Easton is ready to assist with your recovery.
Proving Liability for a Rideshare Accident
You must prove fault for any vehicle accident before you can recover compensation for your damages. This applies to rideshare accidents as well, and fault for such an accident may fall on your driver, the driver of another vehicle, or a combination of multiple parties. An Irvine Uber and Lyft accident lawyer can help their client gather the evidence needed to firmly establish fault for their accident.
Rideshare accidents in Irvine, CA happen for the same reasons that all other vehicle accidents happen. Distracted driving, speeding, and moving violations are common examples of negligence that can cause these incidents; it is also possible for illegal acts like intoxicated driving to cause a serious accident. Whatever the cause may be, proving liability will be an essential first step in your legal efforts to recover from the accident.
If you were injured while riding as a rideshare passenger, it is unlikely that you will be found at fault for the accident. However, if you were driving your own vehicle, it is possible for California’s pure comparative fault rule to apply to your case if you were responsible for causing the accident. If this applies, you will lose a percentage of your compensation to reflect your shared liability.
Recovering Compensation for a Rideshare Accident
The standard first step in recovering from any car accident is to file an auto insurance claim against the at-fault driver. Proving fault may require a combination of various forms of evidence, and once fault is established, you can proceed with your insurance claim. However, the insurance claim filing process after a rideshare accident is very different from what you could expect after an accident with an individual driver.
Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are required to have auto insurance that applies beyond what their driver’s individual policy provides. All rideshare drivers must have personal auto insurance, and if they cause an accident, this insurance will come into play first before the rideshare company’s policy applies. Their personal auto insurance also applies if they have an accident while not logged into their driver app and marked as available for a passenger.
Once a driver has logged into their driver app and marked themselves as available for a ride request, the rideshare company’s first tier of insurance coverage will apply if an accident happens. This level of coverage can provide up to $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage for a single person, up to $100,000 for bodily injuries to multiple victims, and up to $25,000 for property damage. There are special terms and conditions for this insurance to apply.
After a rideshare driver has picked up a passenger, the second tier of the rideshare company’s insurance applies until the passenger is delivered to their destination. This level of coverage includes up to $1 million in third-party liability coverage. The at-fault driver’s personal auto insurance applies first, and then any remaining damages this insurance cannot cover can be compensated by the rideshare company’s policy.
What to Expect From Your Irvine Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer
When you are injured in a rideshare accident, it is vital to find an attorney experienced in handling this type of vehicle accident claim. The attorneys at Easton & Easton are ready to help gather the evidence needed to prove fault and to establish the full extent of your claimable damages to help you recover from your recent accident.
The insurance claim filing process is likely to be the most challenging aspect of your recovery. While most insurance companies process claims in good faith, they will generally do everything they can to limit their liability for a claimant’s damages. Our team can help complete your proof of loss forms and gather any supporting documentation you need to file to the insurance company, and we can verify that your claim is handled in good faith.
Depending on the specific details of your accident, you could have grounds for further legal recourse against the party responsible for your accident. California’s personal injury laws allow the plaintiff to seek full compensation for their economic losses along with fair compensation for their pain and suffering. When we handle your personal injury case in Irvine, CA, you can count on us to do everything we can to maximize your case award.
FAQs
Q: How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Rideshare Accident Claim?
A: It is difficult to determine the average time that a rideshare accident case takes to conclude due to the fact that all cases are unique. If you have an experienced Irvine Uber and Lyft accident lawyer on your side and the fault for the accident is perfectly clear, it may only take a few weeks for you to receive compensation for your damages. In more complex or contested cases, litigation may be required, and this can significantly increase your case’s timetable.
Q: How Do You Prove Fault for Rideshare Accidents?
A: Proving fault for a rideshare accident is the same as proving fault for any other type of vehicle accident and may require various forms of evidence. Your attorney can help secure video footage from traffic cameras near the accident site, testimony from witnesses who saw the accident happen firsthand, vehicle computer data, cell phone records, and more to help build your case and identify the party responsible for your damages.
Q: Does California Require Rideshare Insurance?
A: Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft are required by law to have specific insurance coverage that will apply in addition to or in place of a driver’s insurance under certain conditions. California law requires every driver to have personal auto insurance coverage, and state law also requires that any driver for a transportation company such as Uber or Lyft have additional coverage from their employer beyond their personal policy.
Q: Can You Sue Uber or Lyft for a Rideshare Accident in California?
A: When you use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, you must agree to the company’s terms of service, and typically, this includes a release of liability should you experience an accident as a passenger. However, rideshare company auto insurance is still applicable to your situation, and an experienced Irvine Uber and Lyft accident lawyer can help determine the full scope of your options for legal recourse after any such accident.
Q: How Much Does It Cost to Hire an Irvine Uber or Lyft Accident Lawyer?
A: The attorneys at Easton & Easton use a contingency fee policy for billing our personal injury clients. With a contingency fee agreement, we only take a percentage of your final case award as our fee, and only if we win your case. We do not charge upfront or ongoing fees for legal representation, and you owe nothing if we cannot secure compensation for you.
You have a limited time in which to pursue your recovery from a rideshare accident in Irvine, and the sooner you connect with a trustworthy attorney, the more likely you will be to succeed with your efforts. The attorneys at Easton & Easton have helped many past clients recover from rideshare accidents, and we can put this experience to work for you. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with an Irvine Uber and Lyft accident lawyer you can trust with your case.
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The superior client service Easton & Easton provides has earned the firm an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018.
Doug and Brian Easton have been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California each year since 2014 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Brian and Matt Easton were recently honored for their efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client in 2016, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California by TopVerdict.com.
Doug and Brian have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Matt Easton has been selected among Super Lawyers' Up-and-Coming Top 25 in Orange County and Top 100 in Southern Califonia, an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys under 40 years old.
Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen as one of the "10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms” in all of Southern California" each year Since 2015 based on client satisfaction — one of the highest honors we could ever hope to achieve.
Easton & Easton received the “People Love Us On Yelp” award in 2016 due to the exceptional client satisfaction reviews given by our clients over the years.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been featured as Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for California since 2015 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Brian and Matt Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in AmericaTM through the results achieved for their clients. This is an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys in the United States.
Doug Easton has held the “AV Preeminent” Rating for over 30 years and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The "AV Preeminent" rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, and is based on the legal profession’s oldest peer review rating system, dating back to 1887.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.
Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.
Matt Easton has been selected each year since 2014 as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.
Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.
Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.
Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.
Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.
“We look for the human story behind every injury or wrongful death. We prepare our cases for trial; reaching out to the jury with the most compelling evidence possible for the best verdict possible. Insurance companies know this and come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith. Call us to see how we can turn your story into fair compensation.”
Partner W. Douglas Easton
What Our Clients Say
Coming out of my first auto accident as an adult, a very difficult and scary time to navigate and understand, I was so incredibly thankful to have been put in contact with Easton & Easton. I honestly was lost with how to handle paperwork, doctors, medical costs and what next steps were, and from the moment I spoke with Travis Easton and my case manager Katie, my mind was put at ease. They have made the entire process stress free for me as I recovered, and I am so grateful for them and their genuine care for my case. Communication from the start has been fantastic, especially making clear what my expectations for the entire process would look like, and I truly believe they have my best interest at heart. 100% I would recommend their firm for anyone that is needing representation! Read more…
My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!! Read more…
Ive used them twice and never been disappointed. Read more…
The Easton & Easton Law Firm is amazing! The entire team is very helpful and caring. They were always there to answer all my questions. They directed me through the entire process and stayed with me every step of the way. This team is outstanding and were wonderful to work with. Because of the tremendous effort they put on my case they were able to win my difficult personal injury case. I couldn’t have asked for a better law firm to handle my case. They are the Best! Thank you for your patience, professionalism, & guidance! I definitely recommend this firm to handle your case. They go out of their way to fight for your rights. THANK YOU… Read more…
I could not be more pleased with the services provided by the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton. The senior partner Mr. Easton took the time to meet with me and my wife while I was still in the hospital, where he gave my family hope that there was light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. Matt Easton then worked my case, and because of his dedication, experience and expertise I received a settlement that was larger than I EVER thought possible. It was truly astounding! Matt and the entire team at Easton & Easton looked out for me throughout my recovery, and in the end they gave me my life back. Five stars is not enough. Thanks Matt! Thanks Easton & Easton! Read more…
Brian and everyone at Easton and Easton are simply the BEST at what they do. Brian is thorough, easy to talk to, and truly cares about his clients. If you want a family of attorneys with perseverance and determination to fight for you, give Easton and Easton a call. I am glad I did. Read more…
What an amazing law firm, talk about going above and beyond to make such a painful experience go so well. I have referred a co-worker and a family member to them as well and everyone had such a great experience as I had. Read more…
I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!
-Allee
Retaining Easton and Easton was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! From the initial consultation to our final meeting, they were nothing short of exceptional. I was forced to retain their services after firing my previous attorney for not handling the case properly. I dealt with Gabriel and Brian (partner) exclusively throughout the case. They did as promised and were great communicators throughout the entire process. I will recommend them to anyone I know going through a personal injury case. They were ultimately able to untangle the mess caused by my previous lawyer and get a result that I was extremely happy with. Their staff is exceptional as well and provided top notch customer service. Amera was also extremely helpful and easy to deal with as well.
I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!
They are the best law firm in Orange County period. Choosing them to represent me was the best decision of my life.
My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
I was treated with utmost respect and I felt like I was being represented by a close family member. The responses to my questions were quick and clear. What E & E has done for me is phenomenal.
My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.
Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.
They are the BEST!
I have nothing but good things to say about Easton and Easton. Brian handled my case professionally and communicated with me effectively throughout the process. He made sure that the process was effortless and as hands free as possible. This was super important for my busy schedule. I highly recommend Easton and Easton if you are ever found in a situation that you need an attorney.
I would highly recommend Easton & Easton.
I was rear ended on my home and pushed into a semi-truck. I was not sure how to go about even using an attorney.
Brian, Gab and Amera were so good about helping me thru the process and representing me.
I was able to concentrate on getting myself better knowing they had my back, taking care of the details and keeping me informed along the way
The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!
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