Newport Beach Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

Trusted Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney in Newport Beach, CA

When you get into a rideshare car, you expect that the driver will utilize appropriate care and get you to your destination safely. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. If you’ve been involved in a crash while in a rideshare vehicle, it doesn’t matter whether it was the driver’s fault or another party’s. You can work with a Newport Beach Uber and Lyft accident lawyer to get compensated for the harm you’ve suffered.

Work With Easton & Easton

There’s a reason Easton & Easton is recommended to clients with complex and serious personal injury claims by doctors and attorneys alike. . Our dedicated Newport Beach personal injury lawyer team has what it takes to get the results you need. We have a proven process that helps us improve the odds of getting you a fair settlement that covers all your damages. As a result, one in three of our clients wind up with settlements of $100,000 or more. Find out how the Easton & Easton legal team can help you with your case by contacting our office.

Reasons to Hire an Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

From 2021 to 2022, 153 fatalities occurred in 127 Uber crashes. From 2020 to 2022, there were 111 fatal crashes involving Lyft drivers. These numbers may be low when you consider the number of rideshare drivers out there on American roads, but they don’t take into account non-fatal accidents, which can still have a serious impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.

If you’ve been in an accident with a rideshare driver, you can hire an Uber and Lyft accident lawyer to help you hold the liable party responsible and get compensated for your injuries. Your attorney can handle all the details of your case for you so that you can focus on healing and moving forward. Working with an experienced lawyer is the most effective way to improve your chances of receiving a fair settlement from Uber or Lyft.

Common Causes of Rideshare Accidents

Most rideshare accidents are caused by some form of driver negligence. They can include:

• Speeding
• Aggressive driving
• Drunk driving
• Distracted driving
• Fatigued driving
• Ignoring local traffic laws

Not all rideshare accidents are caused by Uber or Lyft drivers. In many cases, third parties, such as other drivers, play a role in causing rideshare crashes.

When alcohol is involved along major coastal corridors, victims can take first steps to take if injured by a drunk driver on PCH in Newport Beach to preserve evidence.

What to Do Immediately After a Rideshare Accident

The steps you should take immediately after a rideshare accident are similar to those taken after any kind of motor vehicle crash. You should:

• Get to safety. Make sure you’re away from the flow of traffic and help anyone else involved who needs assistance to get to safety.
• Call 911. Reporting the crash to the police gives you access to an official police report, which can be helpful in establishing your case. You’ll also have the chance to request emergency medical services if anyone has sustained severe injuries.
• Exchange information. Get contact and insurance information for any driver involved in the crash, including your rideshare driver. If you were riding in the Uber or Lyft, you should also take a screenshot of the ride information.
• Talk to witnesses. If there were any witnesses to the accident, talk to them to get their accounts of what happened. Be sure to get contact information for witnesses, too. Your attorney may want to interview them.
• Gather evidence. Take photographs of the accident scene, the cars involved, the weather conditions, nearby street signs, and your injuries prior to treatment. These photographs can be helpful in establishing liability and the extent of your damages.
• Seek medical care. You should head to Hoag Hospital Newport Beach or another local medical facility as soon as the police clear you to leave the scene of the accident.
• Report the accident to Uber or Lyft. Once you’re safe, report the accident to Uber or Lyft using the app.
• Hire a lawyer. Once you’ve been medically stabilized, call a lawyer right away. Working with a skilled attorney from the very beginning can help you avoid mistakes that could impact your final settlement amount.

Whether you were riding in an Uber or Lyft or you were driving another car that was hit by a rideshare driver, you should avoid posting about the accident on social media or speaking with insurance companies before you have your initial consultation with a qualified attorney.

What Uber and Lyft Accident Cases Are Worth

Every rideshare accident is different, so there’s no way to say what your claim could be worth without first evaluating the evidence and your report of what happened. That said, there are some limits as to what you can expect to receive. Both Uber and Lyft carry substantial insurance policies to cover their drivers while they are on the clock, but they’re different depending on the circumstances of the accident. Here’s what you can expect:

• Up to $1 million in coverage for drivers who have passengers in the car or are on the way to pick up passengers.
• Up to $100,000 per accident or $50,000 per person and $25,000 for property damage for drivers who are on the clock and waiting for a ride request.
• No coverage for drivers who are not on the clock when they get into accidents.

The fact that rideshare companies carry substantial insurance policies doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a $1 million payout if you were riding in an Uber or Lyft and an accident occurred. Your actual settlement amount could vary depending on factors such as:

• The severity of your injuries
• The extent of the rideshare driver’s liability
• Whether you missed work as a result of your injuries
• Whether you’ve suffered permanent disability or disfigurement
• Whether there was substantial damage to your property
• How long it takes to recover from your injuries

It’s also relevant to note that Uber and Lyft’s insurance policies don’t cover drivers’ intentional acts. This can play a role in determining your settlement amount if road rage came into play in your accident. Uber and Lyft coverage does, however, cover not just drivers, passengers, and people in other cars, but also pedestrians and bicyclists. Learning about the average Uber and Lyft accident settlement in California can help you understand how damages are calculated.

If you want a clearer idea of how much money you can expect to recover, you should schedule a consultation with a rideshare accident attorney.

Who Pays for Injuries and Damages?

It’s not always Uber or Lyft that pays for injuries and damages. They only pay if a rideshare driver held some amount of liability for the crash, and the amount they pay out depends on the level of liability their driver was assigned. If another driver was at fault, you’ll have to file a claim with their insurance company, and your settlement amount may be impacted by their insurance cap.

If the liable driver did not have insurance, you may be able to file a claim through Uber or Lyft’s Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) policy. This insurance coverage acts as a safety net for both injured passengers and drivers. Understanding how rideshare accident claims for Uber and Lyft injuries work is critical when pursuing complex financial recovery.

While it’s usually the case that the fault for an accident lies with one or more of the drivers involved, there are sometimes other third parties that can be held responsible. If a vehicle defect contributed to the crash, you could file a claim against the auto manufacturer. If a negligent repair played a role, the mechanic who performed it could be held liable.

The City of Newport Beach Public Works Department can also be helpful if poorly maintained roads caused your crash. However, you should note that under the California Tort Claims Act, you have just six months to file a formal administrative claim and another six months to file a civil claim if the city rejects your initial claim. That’s significantly less time than the standard two-year statute of limitations that applies to other personal injury and car accident claims.

Can You File a Claim Against Uber or Lyft Directly?

You may be wondering if rideshare accident laws allow you to file claims against the rideshare companies directly. While these companies have insurance policies that cover their drivers, they are not usually considered to hold vicarious liability for their actions because Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, not employees.

There’s a second hurdle to filing a civil claim directly against a rideshare company. Uber and Lyft have arbitration agreements built into their terms of service, and these require riders to resolve most legal disputes through the company’s binding arbitration. While there are exceptions to this rule, such as individual claims made in small claims court and individual claims of sexual harassment, they don’t generally apply to car accident cases.

When to File a Claim Against Your Own Auto Insurance Policy

If you have medical payments (MedPay) coverage, you may want to file a claim with your own insurer following your accident to get quick access to money to pay medical bills as they come in. In most cases, Uber or Lyft winds up reimbursing your insurance company for these payments in the long run, but you won’t have to worry about that. You’ll just get access to the money you need to avoid paying for medical bills out-of-pocket until your settlement arrives.

You may also have to file a claim against your own insurance if you were driving another car and an accident involving an uninsured or underinsured motorist and a rideshare driver occurred. While Lyft and Uber provide UM/UIM coverage for rideshare passengers in the event that an uninsured third party causes a crash, this coverage does not apply to people in other vehicles involved in the accident.

When to Hire a Rideshare Accident Attorney

You should hire a rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible after your crash. Uber and Lyft claims can be more complicated than ordinary car accident cases. A lawyer can help you evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your claim and gather the evidence required to prove your case, making it easier to negotiate a fair settlement with the liable driver’s insurance company and get you the money you need to pay for necessities and make up for your suffering.

FAQs

Q: How Much Time Does a Lyft Accident Settlement Take?

A: How much time a Lyft accident settlement takes depends on the specifics of your case. A simple case in which liability and the extent of the injuries are clear can usually be resolved relatively quickly in negotiations. If your case is more complex or it has to go to trial for a resolution, that can extend the expected timeline significantly.

Q: What Are the Four Proofs of Negligence?

A: The four proofs of negligence are duty, breach, causation, and damages. You must show that the liable driver had a duty to drive safely, failed to do so, and caused an accident that resulted in compensable damages. Your attorney can help you gather the evidence required to prove these four elements of negligence.

Q: What Evidence Is Needed to File a Claim Against Lyft?

A: The type of evidence needed to file a claim against Lyft is similar to that required for any car accident. A copy of the police report, your medical record, photographs from the scene, witness statements, surveillance videos, and pay stubs to show lost wages can all help you file a successful claim. Your attorney can help you gather this evidence.

Q: Has Anyone Successfully Filed a Claim Against Uber?

A: People successfully file claims against Uber relatively frequently. Uber has an insurance policy that covers all of its drivers whenever they are on the clock, and its lawyers often make fair settlement offers to avoid the expense and hassle of going to trial. Contact a Newport Beach Uber and Lyft accident attorney to find out if you have an actionable claim.

Your Newport Beach Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

Having a skilled Newport Beach Uber and Lyft accident lawyer on your side can make all the difference when it comes time to file your claim. The team here at Easton & Easton can help. We have a reputation for taking on complex injury cases and getting clients large settlements.

We’ve recovered over $2 billion for clients over our years in practice. However, past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own merits. Let us help you, too. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.

Newport Beach, CA Uber and Lyft Accident Legal Resources

• Orange County Superior Court – Harbor Justice Center & Civil Filings
• California Department of Motor Vehicles – Financial Responsibility & Traffic Accident Report (Form SR-1)
• California Highway Patrol – Collision Report Request (Form CHP 190)
• Newport Beach Police Department – Traffic Collision Records Request