Who Is Responsible for an Uber Accident in California?

In California, nearly 300,000 people are injured or killed in traffic accidents every year. Many of these accidents involve rideshare vehicles, such as Uber or Lyft.

Every driver, including Uber drivers, has a responsibility to drive safely and avoid causing injury to others on the road. When this duty is not upheld, the person who acted negligently may be liable for the damages from the accident.

Here is a look into the parties who can be found responsible for an Uber accident in California and how a personal injury lawyer can help you identify the liable party.

Liability in Uber Car Accident Cases

Uber drivers are very different from other ride-hailing or transportation services, such as taxis or public buses. This is because rideshare drivers operate their own cars, do not need to possess a commercial driver’s license, and are employed as independent contractors.

However, ridesharing companies and their drivers still have a duty to ensure the safety of passengers and other vehicles on the road. Therefore, both an Uber driver and the company itself may be liable for injuries in car accidents. This will all be dependent on the circumstances.

Victims Hit by an Uber Driver

If an Uber driver caused an accident, injuring a passenger, someone in another vehicle, or someone else, the injured party may be eligible to file an injury claim against the Uber driver. In this scenario, several factors affect liability, including:

• If the Uber driver was logged onto the app and if passengers were present
• Whether or not the Uber driver was transporting passengers or en route to pick up passengers
• The Uber driver was waiting for passengers with the app turned on when the accident occurred

If the Uber driver has no passengers and has not used the app, only their personal insurance coverage may apply in the case of an accident. Contingent coverage may apply if the rideshare driver has the app open and is awaiting a ride, with limits of $50,000/$100,000. 

The rideshare company’s $1 million commercial coverage will apply if there is a passenger in the vehicle or if the ride was accepted and the driver was picking up a passenger. However, this will all be contingent on the circumstances.

A Lyft or Uber driver may lie about whether or not they were using the app at the time of the crash. Consult your attorney whenever you are in an accident with a driver who displays a Lyft or Uber decal. They might be able to subpoena electronic data to see if the rideshare driver was using the app or if the ride was active during the accident.

Passengers Injured in an Uber Car Accident

The company’s commercial liability insurance usually covers passengers hurt while riding in an Uber in California. Victims may be able to file an injury claim against the Uber driver’s insurance policy.

If the losses exceed the Uber driver’s insurance coverage, the ridesharing company’s $1 million commercial insurance policy may cover the expenses.

Although when another driver causes an accident, the injured Uber passenger could pursue an injury claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. If the at-fault driver is underinsured or uninsured, the ridesharing company’s UM/UIM policy may cover the losses, up to $1 million per incident.

When More Than One Driver Is At-Fault

You have the right to seek compensation from both at-fault parties if a third-party driver is partially responsible for the accident with your Uber driver.

Injury victims can bring a claim against Uber, the rideshare driver’s insurance company, and the other at-fault driver’s insurance company under California’s law of comparative negligence. Courts will assign each defendant a percentage of fault for which they must compensate the plaintiff.

Filing a lawsuit against several parties is difficult. Therefore, you need an experienced Uber accident lawyer in Southern California to handle your case.

비교 과실

It is necessary to keep in mind that the state’s comparative negligence statute applies in Uber accident situations. This means if you are partially responsible for the accident, your compensation will be decreased by your percentage of fault.

For example, if the Uber driver is 80% liable for running a stop sign, but you made an illegal turn and are 20% responsible for the accident, the amount of compensation granted to you will be 20% lower.

Why You Should Hire a California Uber Accident Lawyer

Considering these challenges, it is critical to have skilled legal representation if you’re in an Uber or Lyft accident. Our attorneys at DK Law will defend your rights. Additionally, we help you get the justice you deserve after being injured due to someone else’s negligence. 

You must value your case properly to recover the maximum amount of compensation. This is why an Uber accident attorney should begin this process by thoroughly investigating your accident and injuries. In determining what damages you have suffered, our attorneys will take into account the extent of your injuries. To determine the proper value of each specific injury, we work closely with medical experts in many fields.

Our team has the expertise and resources to bring claims against various parties. This may include the rideshare driver’s insurance carrier, the rideshare company’s insurer, or other liable drivers and their insurance providers.

We will negotiate a settlement with the insurance companies or defendants. We will demand compensation for any damages you’ve suffered, which could include compensation for:

• 재산 피해
• Lost earnings
• Hospital bills
• 의료비
• 신체적, 정신적 고통
• Physical disability
• 정서적 트라우마
• 삶의 질 저하
• Permanent disfigurement
• And more

Our lawyers will not hesitate to take your case to court if the offer you receive isn’t satisfactory. Our goal is to make sure we value your case accurately and that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Contact Our Experienced Uber Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Contact DK Law after being injured in an Uber accident. We have the experience necessary to win car accident cases involving rideshare companies. Get your 무료 상담 today.