Rights of Uber and Lyft Passengers After a Car Accident in Encino

What Happens if You Are Injured While Riding With Uber or Lyft?

What should you know before you ride – or ride again – with Lyft or Uber? What if you are a Lyft or Uber passenger and you are severely injured in a traffic collision? You should schedule a consultation immediately with an Encino car accident attorney.

Globally, Uber provides an average of 28 million trips per day, and in 2023, Lyft provided 709 million rides. This volume of business offers plenty of opportunities for accidents and injuries.

Both services provide a variety of conveniences and amenities to consumers. Rideshare rides, for example, usually cost less than taxicab rides. Consumers should also know about liability and insurance issues that may emerge when a Lyft or Uber vehicle is involved in a collision.

California law entitles the injured victims of another driver’s negligence to compensation for their medical costs, lost wages, pain, suffering, and related damages. To prove you were injured and another party was negligent, you’ll need help from an Encino car accident lawyer.

What Insurance Protects Lyft and Uber Passengers?

Under California law, rideshare services and taxi, limo, rail, and bus services have what lawyers call a “duty of care” to maintain their vehicles safely and to hire only drivers with acceptable driving records.

California law requires Lyft and Uber to carry liability insurance that covers their passengers in accidents while a Lyft or Uber driver is on duty, including accidents where the other driver has no auto insurance or inadequate insurance.

Let’s say you are a passenger in a Lyft or Uber vehicle that is involved in an accident in Southern California, and you’re injured. You may file a claim against the company’s insurance policy, which typically provides up to $1 million in liability coverage.

What Should You Do When a Lyft or Uber Accident Happens?

Rideshare accident claims are legally complicated. If you are a passenger and you are injured in a Lyft or Uber accident, you must take steps to put yourself in the best possible position to succeed with a personal injury claim. When an accident happens:

1. Summon medical and police assistance immediately. That is the paramount priority.
2. Obtain personal contact information and insurance coverage details from your rideshare driver and the other motorist.
3. Take photos of the damages to the vehicles, the license plates, the crash scene, and your visible injuries.
4. If there are eyewitnesses, ask for their names and personal contact information. Photos and witness statements often lead to quick settlements of injury claims.
5. Ensure that your rideshare driver has informed Lyft or Uber about the accident.
6. If you weren’t taken to a hospital or treated at the scene, obtain a medical exam as quickly as possible. Without an immediate medical exam, you may have difficulty linking your injury to a specific accident, and you won’t be able to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Even if you qualify, recovering compensation may be a challenge. That’s why, after a medical provider has examined, treated, and released you, you should schedule a consultation to discuss your rights with an Encino car accident attorney.

What if Your Claim is Denied?

“Coverage” for a traffic collision that involves a Lyft or Uber vehicle will not prevent an insurance company from challenging or denying your injury claim. When you file an injury claim with your rideshare provider’s insurance company, it’s like any other insurance claim.

The insurance company may look for ways to deny your claim or to pay you substantially less than your claim is worth. For example, the company may insist that you are exaggerating or fabricating your injury or that the injury was pre-existing.

Even if you’re “covered,” you should be represented by a Southern California auto accident attorney.

How Will Your Attorney Help You?

Do not speak with a rideshare company’s insurance carrier before consulting a California accident attorney. Anything you say could be misunderstood or twisted and used to deny your claim or to reduce the amount of the insurance company’s settlement offer.

Instead, let your Encino personal injury attorney – an experienced negotiator who routinely handles accident claims – do the talking and negotiating.

If you were seriously injured, an Encino car accident lawyer can help you prepare your claim. If your claim is denied, your lawyer will negotiate with the auto insurance company or take the company to court if it continues to reject your claim.

What Will an Attorney’s Help Cost?

Your attorney will explain how California law applies to your case and whether you have grounds for filing a personal injury lawsuit. If you’ve been injured, your first consultation with an injury attorney is provided without cost or obligation.

If you move forward with legal action, you will owe no attorney’s fee unless and until your attorney obtains the compensation you need and deserve. By charging clients nothing upfront, injury attorneys “level the playing field” and allow everyone to have a day in court.

Ridesharing is convenient, but if you are injured in a traffic collision while riding with Lyft or Uber, you cannot let an insurance company take advantage of you. You must be advised and represented by an attorney who will fight aggressively and effectively for your compensation.

Let V&A Law Firm Advise and Represent You

V&A Law Firm is a personal injury firm with a record of success for our Southern California clients. If a negligent motorist injures you while you are riding with Lyft or Uber, V&A Law Firm will safeguard your rights and see that you receive everything you are entitled to by law.

We bring our substantial legal experience and skills to every case and client. We know how to settle the most complicated personal injury claims. V&A Law Firm has established a reputation for legal excellence and outstanding client service.

If you are injured by a negligent motorist in a rideshare accident or any car, truck, bus, or motorcycle collision in Southern California – now or in the future – schedule a free legal consultation and learn more about your rights by calling V&A Law Firm at 818-369-3270.