Buena Park Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

Buena Park Uber Accident Lawyer - Park Accident Attorneys

If you were injured as a rideshare passenger or were hit by an Uber or Lyft driver, it is your legal right to hold the liable parties accountable. However, obtaining fair compensation from the insurance companies of the negligent parties will be challenging. This is why it's so important that victims partner with the most qualified law firms in Southern California.

Park Accident Attorneys in Buena Park, CA maintains a 99% success rate in getting our clients maximum compensation. Victims should not have to suffer from the negligence of another party. If you were injured and/or suffered losses, our experienced personal injury attorneys will provide strong legal representation and aggressively negotiate on your behalf. To discuss your case and address any questions you have regarding your ridesharing accident, schedule a free consultation with our law offices today.

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How a Buena Park Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

The legal system is complex, and because every car accident is so unique, the same approach cannot be applied from case to case–especially, when it comes to Lyft accidents and Uber accidents. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney will provide guidance on how to approach your particular ridesharing accident case and when to file a car accident claim. California’s statute of limitations laws limits when someone can file a claim to two years, and in some instances, the timeframe is even less. A local car accident lawyer in Orange County will be able to clarify these details and confirm when to take action.

In addition, when seeking damages, the at-fault party must be identified and fault must be proven. However, more than one party could be found liable for damages after a Lyft/Uber accident. Because California is an “at-fault state,” every guilty party can be held accountable, but the process can be lengthy and costly. This is even more problematic if the accused party and their insurance company are denying fault. 

Another factor that can prevent or delay injured victims from recovering damages is if comparative negligence is present in the case. A principle of tort law, comparative negligence reduces how much compensation plaintiffs can receive based on their percentage of fault in causing the car accident. While this is not as common with ridesharing passengers, other motorists who were hit by rideshare drivers may be found partially responsible for contributing to the accident. In the event the plaintiff is found partially liable, that individual may risk losing a large proportion of the settlement or losing the personal injury case entirely.

An experienced personal injury lawyer with a proven track record of winning cases against Uber and Lyft will be knowledgeable about California’s tort laws and will know how to prove fault against the appropriate party. At Park Accident Lawyers, our Buena Park law firm understands that victims may be hesitant to invest in legal representation due to financial concerns. This is why our law offices work on a contingency fee basis. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. To learn more, schedule a free consultation with one of our car accident lawyers today.

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Insurance Coverage for Lyft and Uber Car Accidents

In order to drive for Uber and Lyft, the ridesharing companies require that all drivers possess their own personal auto insurance. However, due to the nature of their job, Lyft and Uber drivers’ policies often do not provide enough coverage to cover the costs of damages after an accident. If coverage is not substantial, the victim may be left paying for any remaining costs, including medical bills and car repair fees.

Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage

If the insurance limits for the Lyft driver or Uber driver max out, then the rideshares could be left covering the remaining expenses in damages. Uber and Lyft are required by law to carry their own insurance, as well. The ridesharing company’s insurance typically kicks in if their drivers are uninsured or underinsured. Coverage is extended to anyone who was a victim of the crash and can include the following types of accidents:

• Pedestrian accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Car accidents with another driver
• Lyft/Uber accidents with a passenger in the vehicle

Who Is Liable for Damages in a Car Accident with Uber or Lyft

Unlike a regular car accident, depending on when the Lyft or Uber accident took place, multiple parties can be liable for damages. This can include the Lyft driver/Uber driver, the ridesharing companies, and anyone else who is found to have acted negligently and contributed to the car accident. These are areas personal injury lawyers can investigate. Depending on the findings and proof, an experienced lawyer in Buena Park will advise who to file the personal injury claim against.

Ultimately, anyone–person or entity–who is found to be at fault for the Uber or Lyft accident will be responsible for paying out damages. A general overview of how the timeline affects insurance coverage can be outlined as so:

• If the driver was not logged into the ridesharing app when the crash occurred, the driver’s insurance company will be responsible for damages, not Uber or Lyft.
• If the driver was logged into the ridesharing app but was not matched with a passenger when the crash occurred, the insurance companies of the driver, as well as Uber or Lyft may be responsible for damages.
• If the driver was logged into the ridesharing app and a passenger had been picked up, the insurance companies of the driver, Uber or Lyft, and other responsible parties may be responsible for damages,

Uber and Lyft carry a $1 million insurance policy in the event a car accident takes place. However, this policy only kicks in under certain circumstances and after fault has been proven.

How Fault Is Determined in an Auto Accident

In order to recover damages from the insurance company in a personal injury case, it must be proven to the courts how the defendant(s) is guilty of negligence. Negligence can be proven by indicating:

1. The defendant (Lyft/Uber driver or another party) owed a duty of care to the plaintiff
2. How the defendant breached his or her duty of care
3. The breached duty of care directly caused the car accident
4. How the car accident caused serious injuries, lost wages, and other damages

In a car accident case, every party that is found guilty of negligence will be obligated to compensate the victim for damages, per California's comparative negligence laws. Proving fault against large companies like Uber and Lyft is not easy and will require the legal expertise of an established Buena Park law firm. If you are the victim of a ridesharing accident, our personal injury attorneys can help you recover maximum compensation. Schedule a free case evaluation with Park Accident Attorneys.

What to Do After a Ridesharing Accident

Personal injury victims involved in car accidents with Uber and Lyft can take certain measures after the event to ensure their well-being is not jeopardized and to make sure they are not left paying for pricey medical expenses. If you suffered injuries, property damage, or other losses as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft vehicle or if you were hit by a Uber or Lyft driver, follow these steps:

1. Ensure your safety. Exit the vehicle and move off the road and away from traffic. Then, call for help by contacting the authorities. If you need immediate medical treatment, request paramedics arrive at the accident scene, as well. Once first responders arrive, a police report will be created, documenting the scene and noting all parties involved. Be sure to get a copy of this report, as well as any medical documentation if your minor/severe injuries were treated at the scene of the accident.
2. Collect evidence and take photos. Pictures and videos of the crash, vehicle damage, your injuries, and other visual evidence will be helpful when your Lyft or Uber accident claim is filed. Also, obtain license details, license plate numbers, the other driver’s insurance information, and a phone number of all involved parties. In addition, if there are witnesses, collect their statements and contacts, as well. 
3. See a doctor. Regardless if you were treated at the accident site or feel like you were not harmed during the crash, get examined by a medical professional. A doctor can accurately assess you and put you on a treatment plan so that your injuries do not worsen. In addition, you will now have medical records, so the insurance company cannot claim that you were not injured from the ridesharing accident. 
4. Contact a Buena Park personal injury attorney. Before speaking to anyone else about the accident, consult with an experienced car accident attorney. Insurance companies, representatives of the rideshares, or the Uber/Lyft driver may contact you after the accident. They may try to get you to provide a statement expunging them of fault for the accident. However, with the legal advice from a reputable car accident attorney, you will be better equipped to address these other parties. 

Park Accident Attorneys offers injury victims a free consultation, where their car accidents can be discussed and thoughtful guidance provided. After the case evaluation, if you choose to work with our firm, our Buena Park personal injury lawyers can begin building your case. In addition, we can conduct all conversations with insurance adjusters, so that you are not deceived by their misleading tactics.

Why Park Accident Attorneys

With a 99% success rate, our Buena Park personal injury attorneys specialize in motor vehicle accidents involving Uber and Lyft. If you were injured due to a rideshare driver's negligence, you deserve to be compensated for your serious injuries, property damage, medical treatment, lost wages, and any other losses you sustained.

However, these major corporations and insurance companies will try to reduce how much they owe accident victims. Our car accident attorneys will protect your legal rights and be your advocates throughout the claims process.

We fight to maximize settlements for our clients so that all of the aspects of damages are accounted for and fairly compensated–whether this is handled during negotiations or litigation. Therefore, if the insurance company refuses to meet our demands, our car accident lawyer will take the case to court and file a lawsuit on your behalf. 

To discover how much your Lyft/Uber accident case is worth or to learn more about our processes, schedule a free consultation with our Buena Park personal injury law firm today. Our accident lawyers are proud to assist the neighboring cities in Orange County, including Garden Grove, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, and more.

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