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Call Us (866) GO-SEE-SAM
Feb 23, 2022
Chances are you’re familiar with Uber or Lyft ridesharing services. Hailing a rideshare can be convenient, cost-effective, and even environmentally friendly when sharing rides with others.
But what if you’re injured in an Uber or Lyft accident? Can you recover financial compensation directly from Uber or Lyft after a crash, or do you need to pursue the at-fault driver? What happens if you’re injured by an Uber or Lyft driver as a pedestrian? These are all common questions that Dordulian Law Group’s experienced car accident lawyers hear on a regular basis.
Accordingly, we’ll review what your legal rights entail following an Uber or Lyft accident injury below. Additionally, we’ll take a look at what your Uber or Lyft rideshare accident lawsuit may be worth, discuss what sort of damages may be recoverable for your injuries, and provide all the information you need to file a successful claim.
The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business conducted a frequently-cited study which analyzed how the onset of ridesharing apps and ride-hailing popularity has increased the number of car and motor vehicle accidents involving injuries as well as fatalities. The study indicated that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have led to a 3% increase in overall car accident fatalities.
Researchers determined this figure by reviewing the eight financial quarters for both companies before and after their rollout dates, taking into consideration the popularity of rideshare usage between 2010 and 2016 and analyzing various data sets, such as:
The University of Chicago’s rideshare accident report also included statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and compared accident rates in various major cities where the rideshare apps were first launched (relative to the total number of vehicle miles traveled).
The rideshare accident study’s findings reveal some concerning statistics:
Overall, the rideshare accident report indicates an increased likelihood of experiencing a serious or fatal crash, regardless of whether you’re a rideshare driver, passenger, or traveling in a third party vehicle. Although rideshare apps can be convenient or even essential modes of transportation for many of us, the increased popularity has effectively made our nation’s roads more dangerous through an increased number of fatalities due to both Uber and Lyft car accidents.
Some other important takeaways from the rideshare accident report include:
Moreover, the study seems to indicate that an increase in rideshare accidents is due not just to more rides being hailed by app users, but also to Uber and Lyft drivers simply spending a greater amount of time on the roads. Remember, Uber and Lyft drivers don’t merely work countless hours driving passengers from place to place. Roughly 40% to 60% of the time, Uber and Lyft drivers are either traveling to pick up passengers or searching for new passengers (waiting for a rider to purchase a trip).
Additionally, rideshare users in major cities are actually more at risk for accidents, with 90% of Uber crashes occurring in urban areas. And in cities like Los Angeles, the increase in rideshare traffic isn’t always a substitute for what would otherwise have been a trip in a car (i.e. rideshares are often taken in place of what would have otherwise been public transportation trips).
“Surveys report that fewer than half of [rideshare] rides in nine metro areas actually substitute for a trip that someone would have made in a car,” according to the University of Chicago rideshare accident study.
How liability is determined in an Uber or Lyft car accident case can vary from state-to-state. In California, liability for injuries or fatalities caused as a result of a car accident is determined according to fault (whether intentional or unintentional).
Both Uber and Lyft mandate that drivers carry private liability coverage and uninsured/underinsured insurance up to $1 million per accident. In addition, Uber and Lyft carry third party liability insurance coverage that pays up to $1 million per accident for any personal injuries or property damage that you may sustain in a Los Angeles, California, car accident. However, it’s important to keep in mind that Uber and Lyft’s third party policies are only applicable after your rideshare driver’s own insurance has been exhausted.
In other words, if the rideshare driver was not actually logged into his or her respective Uber or Lyft app, or off even duty during the accident (i.e. not driving a passenger/customer), damages for injuries or fatalities would likely be covered by the driver’s personal insurance policy. But if the rideshare driver was logged into the app and was transporting you as a passenger, Uber or Lyft’s company insurance policy would likely cover any injury or fatality resulting from your accident.
For Uber or Lyft accidents involving injuries – regardless of whether minor or severe – the experienced and dedicated rideshare lawyers at Dordulian Law Group (DLG) can help you file a personal injury claim. When DLG’s rideshare lawyers file an Uber or Lyft accident injury claim on your behalf, we will aggressively pursue the recovery of various types of financial damages for things like medical bills, pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, emotional or physical trauma, lost wages, vehicle damage or replacement, and much more.
If an Uber or Lyft claim involves a tragic fatality, eligible surviving family members or dependents may wish to file a wrongful death lawsuit in pursuit of financial damages. Some common wrongful death damages that may be pursued in an Uber or Lyft rideshare accident claim include:
The wrongful death lawyers at DLG have extensive experience successfully handling various types of negligent fatality claims, including those due to Uber or Lyft car accidents.
The types of economic and non-economic damages that may be recovered after your Uber or Lyft accident injury will vary depending on the unique circumstances of the incident (e.g. severity of injuries, extent of liability, driver history, etc.).
The most common examples of Uber and Lyft accident injury damages are broken down below according to type.
Common Uber or Lyft Accident Economic Damages:
Common Uber or Lyft Accident Non-Economic Damages:
Punitive damages for Uber and Lyft accidents are in a separate class. These damages are typically only recovered in cases where an individual demonstrates wanton recklessness or disregard for human life. For example:
In such instances, DLG would likely pursue punitive damages on your behalf. In California, it’s important for injured victims to know that punitive damages are not capped.
DLG’s Uber and Lyft accident attorneys recommend that car crash victims – even rideshare drivers – never make a statement to either the police or an insurance company before sitting down for a free and no obligation consultation to discuss their legal rights.
Uber and Lyft insurance adjusters are experienced at reducing claims whenever possible to ensure the companies maintain their bottom lines. The likelihood that you may inadvertently say something incriminating, or that may reduce your overall financial damages award, is unfortunately quite high. Accordingly, it’s strongly recommended that Uber and Lyft car accident injury victims secure the representation of a skilled rideshare lawyer before making any statement, agreeing to any type of settlement, or admitting fault.
Proving negligence in a California car accident case can require skill and experience in order to secure the maximum financial compensation you truly deserve. Fighting to recover intangible and hard to quantify damages such as pain and suffering or emotional trauma can be challenging, and that’s where DLG’s experienced car and rideshare accident lawyers come in.
We have the proven results you need for peace of mind and confidence throughout every step of the litigation process. We won’t settle for anything less than a maximum financial damages payout for your Uber or Lyft accident injury.
Additionally, hiring a DLG Uber or Lyft accident lawyer to handle your injury claim can be in your overall best interest for a number of reasons. In fact, injured Uber/Lyft car accident victims who hire private attorneys often secure greater financial compensation for their claims.
For example, the Insurance Research Council (IRC) recently conducted a study which confirmed the following statistics in personal injury claims:
With DLG, your Uber/Lyft rideshare accident injury consultation is always free, confidential, and without any obligation. We’ll review the facts of your case and provide you with all available legal options to ensure your rights are protected and the maximum financial damages award you deserve is pursued. We serve Uber and Lyft accident clients throughout California as well as the United States.
Some of the local areas DLG serves include:
A common question we often hear from Uber and Lyft accident injury victims is, “How much is my case worth?” Depending on the severity of your injuries and negligence of the Uber or Lyft driver, your civil lawsuit may be worth a significant sum of money.
The value of your California Uber/Lyft accident injury lawsuit will be unique to the circumstances of the incident. But when you secure representation with DLG’s expert rideshare accident lawyers, you can be confident that we will fight aggressively to secure the maximum financial compensation available that includes all applicable damages.
If you suffered any kind of Uber or Lyft accident injury due to negligence – whether as a passenger, driver, or pedestrian – you may be eligible to recover substantial financial compensation for various losses. When negligence or carelessness leads to an Uber or Lyft accident injury, the at-fault party should be responsible for covering your resulting expenses, such as medical care costs, lost wages, and more.
Contact DLG today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free consultation. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by ensuring that the insurance company or at-fault party does not take advantage of your rights after an Uber or Lyft accident injury. You owe it to yourself to take every step towards avoiding financial loss after an unfortunate Uber or Lyft accident injury that occurred through no fault of your own. With DLG’s experienced rideshare accident lawyers, there is never any obligation or upfront fee, and you never pay a dime until we successfully recover a maximum financial damages award for your Uber/Lyft accident claim.
Reach out to DLG’s experienced team today. We are here to answer any questions you may have 24/7. And with more than $200,000,000 in settlements and verdicts recovered for our clients while maintaining a 98% success record, you can be confident that your Uber/Lyft accident injury lawsuit is in the best possible hands.
Sam Dordulian is an award-winning sexual abuse lawyer with over 25 years' experience helping survivors secure justice. As a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for L.A. County, he secured life sentences against countless sexual predators. Mr. Dordulian currently serves on the National Leadership Council for RAINN.
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