.svg)
Skilled Santa Rosa, CA Lyft Car Accident Lawyers
Insurance coverage is consistently a principal consideration when making a personal injury claim after an accident in an Uber or Lyft vehicle. With the popularity of ridesharing services skyrocketing in Santa Rosa California, it is important to understand the insurance policies these companies offer for passengers.
The Law Offices of John C. Ye, A Professional Law Corporation specializes in personal injury law and provides an experienced team to handle rideshare accident cases.
Timing Is Everything: When an Accident Impacts Insurance Coverage
The specific scenarios surrounding an Uber or Lyft car accident determine how much insurance the driver has to carry and/or how much the ride share company will pay for an accident claim that is the rideshare driver’s fault.
- If an accident takes place when the driver is off-duty and does not have their app on looking for passengers, their personal insurance will cover the damages if they are at fault.
- If an accident takes place when a driver is on-duty but has not been paired with a passenger, their personal rideshare insurance or the company’s policy will cover an accident.
- If an accident takes place after a passenger has been paired with a driver or when the passenger gets in the vehicle, Uber or Lyft’s liability insurance is applicable to any damages that are the rideshare driver’s fault.
Uninsured Or Underinsured Motorists and Rideshare Accident Claims
What if the accident is the fault of the other driver? If they have sufficient personal auto insurance, the at-fault driver’s insurer should certainly pay your injury claim.
That said, if the at-fault driver is underinsured or completely uninsured, both Lyft and Uber have uninsured driver coverage.
Santa Rosa, California Uber and Lyft Accidents
Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare services are starting to become increasingly popular as a result of their simplicity and convenience. You realize you need a ride somewhere and, instead of calling a cab or trying to flag one down, you hop on your app and connect with a driver who’ll take you any place you need to go.
However, what happens if you’re in an accident with a rideshare or while getting a lift?
Does the driver’s insurance cover your damage? Does the company have a policy? Or, is it one of those fine print situations where you’re assuming all the risk yourself and relinquishing responsibility for any future harm? Simply because companies like Uber and Lyft are so new, it’s hard to know exactly what to do or expect if you’ve been in an accident. But, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
We’ll walk you through the most frequent types of Uber and Lyft accidents and what to do once you’ve been in an accident. Then, we’ll answer all those questions we asked about insurance and who covers what when an accident happens.
"If We Do Not Win, You Do Not Pay"
At the Law Offices of John C. Ye, A Professional Law Corporation, if we do not attain the funds you will need to recover from your injuries, you pay us nothing at all in legal costs. To find out how we can assist you, call our office at 866-771-8394 or use our online contact form. We serve clients in greater Santa Rosa and across California.
What are the most frequent types of Uber and Lyft accidents? There are many various types of accidents that rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft can be part of.For example, the driver of the rideshare may:
- Hit another car
- Be hit by another car
- Hit a pedestrian or bicyclist with their car
If you were injured by the negligence or carelessness of someone else, you are eligible to request payment for any injuries, loss of income, pain, and suffering, and long-term medical treatment resulting from the accident.
What should you do after your Santa Rosa, California Uber or Lyft accident?
Whether you’re struck by an Uber or Lyft or whether you’re a rideshare passenger when an accident occurs, it’s tricky to know exactly what to do. The best way to ensure that you don’t get stuck holding the bill for an accident that wasn’t your fault, follow these six steps.
- Start obtaining evidence immediately when the accident happens. If you are not gravely injured, take pictures of the scene of the accident, your injuries, the damage to your vehicle (or the vehicle you were riding in), the damage to the other vehicle, skid marks, and anything else you think might be important. You should also get the names and phone numbers of witnesses including the insurance information for the other party involved.
- Get emergency care. Have the medics who arrive at the scene of the accident examine you. Then, go to the hospital and have the ER doctor double-check. By doing this, if you have any kind of injury (even if it’s internal and you don’t notice any effects from it yet), the doctor can make a note and start treatment. Getting medical help is extremely important. Immediately following your accident, you may feel fine. You may very well be tempted to forgo an exam or trip to the hospital. However, you must receive complete medical care to ensure you don’t have a serious injury.
- Don’t talk to anyone about your case, especially anyone from an insurance company. If you get a phone call and the person says he or she is from an insurance company, stop talking. Whether this person is from your insurance company, the Uber or Lyft driver’s, or maybe even the other driver’s insurance company; you only have money to lose by chatting. Currently, the insurance company is looking for reasons your story is weak. They’re searching for ways to justify paying you less money. What you want is the best settlement possible to make sure all your accident-related expenses are covered.
- Stay off social media. You know the saying, “Loose lips sink ships?” The exact same is true when you speak about your auto accident. Don’t post in regards to your accident on social media. Keep your lips shut and let your lawyer speak on your behalf.
- Don’t accept any offers or checks from the insurance company. If the insurance company is offering you a check or trying to negotiate a settlement, they presume you have a solid case. And, even though the idea of receiving a fat check right now may sound good, think about their motives. If they’re offering you a check, they’re guessing the amount you really ought to receive would likely be a good deal higher than that amount.
- Talk to knowledgeable Uber and Lyft accident lawyers. There are many highly trained personal injury lawyers out there, but most haven’t successfully helped clients who’ve been in rideshare accidents. By interviewing successful Uber and Lyft accident lawyers, you can select who’s the best for your case. Be certain to ask whether the lawyer has helped clients who were riding in the rideshare, clients who have had a collision with a rideshare, or both.
It's possible you’re hesitant to hire a lawyer. It’s understandable. But, here’s the situation: right now, the insurance company that’s liable for the accident is doing its very best to minimize (or completely eliminate) the amount of money they need to pay for the accident. The fact is, they have a whole team of lawyers working to make certain that you don’t see a dime of their company’s money. Pretty scary, right?
But, what if you had your own experienced lawyer? Suddenly, it doesn’t seem quite so terrifying when you’ve got a person who knows California laws on your side.
If you’re in an accident in Santa Rosa with an Uber or Lyft, who pays for the damage?
First of all, it’s extremely important to understand that California follows a traditional fault system. This means whoever is at-fault for the accident is the one who pays. One party could definitely be held solely responsible for the accident, or it can be determined that both parties are partially at fault.
You need to know that under the traditional fault system in order to receive compensation, the injured party must also prove that:
- He or she was owed a duty of care by the other party
- The other party breached the duty of care
- The breach directly caused the accident
- The accident resulted in damages like medical care or suffering
So, if you’re going to accept compensation for being in an accident with a Lyft or Uber, you need to prove the other person is at-fault, that you aren’t, and that you had injury or damage because of the accident. When the judge reviews your case, he or she decides which percentage of fault each party holds. That helps determine who’s paying for what.
Uber and Lyft insurance Coverage for Drivers in Santa Rosa CA
Insurance requirements for Uber and Lyft drivers are different than for regular automobile drivers.
Rideshare companies require their drivers working in the Santa Rosa area to have a minimum of liability insurance for:
- $50,000 in bodily injury per person
- $100,000 per bodily injury per accident
- $30,000 in property damage
If a driver doesn’t have a passenger yet, he or she is also required by the state of California to have an additional $200,000 of liability coverage in case of a severe accident. However, once a driver picks up a passenger, the driver’s company adds extra insurance. In fact, Uber and Lyft provide their drivers with $1 million in liability insurance per incident and $1 million in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident.
Would you like to speak with some experienced California Uber and Lyft lawyers? After you’ve been in an accident, it’s perfectly normal for you to need help. There’s no need for you to have to work through the complexities of personal injury law on your own. And, there are many skilled and qualified lawyers ready to help you.
By getting help right now from an experienced lawyer—someone who has successfully handled your type of case—it will be significantly more likely that your settlement will totally cover any expenses you have from:
- Property damage
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
Right now, you need help from someone who has already helped others who have been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident receive the financial settlement they deserve. You need someone who can see the big picture and foresee what other surprise expenses may very well be headed your way. You want someone to carry the weight of successfully handling your case.
Since reading all of this, you might wonder why I would spend time telling you that there are tons of qualified lawyers waiting to help you. Why wouldn’t I just say, “Hire us! We’re the right lawyers for your case!”?
Truthfully, you should know that you have plenty of options. Look around and see what the other personal injury lawyers have to offer. Question them and really listen to what they say. Check their results from settling cases synonymous to yours. Then, confirm how successful they are when the case heads to court and they have to present before a judge and jury.
However, after all the Googling, reading, and interviews; I’m certain you’ll end up right back here. That’s because I’m positive we’re the right Uber and Lyft accident lawyers for you.
Regardless of whether you decide to work with our firm as your Santa Rosa, CA personal injury law firm or someone else, we wish you all the best in your case.
