Uber and Lyft Accident Phases
Were You in a Ridesharing Accident Recently? Call Us Today!
Uber and Lyft have become a real force in private transportation. Many people enjoy the services that these two rideshare companies provide. Calling for an Uber or Lyft car is very popular nowadays. It is simple, convenient, and affordable. However, being a rideshare driver is no guarantee against accidents. And indeed, the loose hiring practices of ride hailing companies have given drivers a bad reputation. Nearly anyone with a car and a driver’s license can drive for Uber or Lyft.
In years past, drivers were responsible for carrying adequate insurance and dealing with accidents on their own. This has all changed. Uber and Lyft are now held liable for injuries suffered by both passengers and drivers. And if you have been in such a crash, you should hire a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles to look after your interests.
Accident Stages—What You Need to Know as a Driver
Your ability to claim compensation will depend on your driver status at the time of the accident. The rideshare companies break down compensation by driver stages, which are as follows:
- First stage
In this stage you are logged into your app but have no customers in your queue. If an accident occurs while you are in this stage, then the rideshare company is liable for $100,000 for personal injury expenses and $25,000 for property damage.It should be noted that if you are found at fault for the accident you will need to pay for your own repairs.
- Second stage
If you are logged into your app and are in receipt of a ride request at the time of the accident, then you are in the second stage. You need not have picked up the passenger to receive the benefits of the stage. The latter includes $1 million in liability coverage. You will be able to collect this regardless of the other driver’s coverage. - Third stage
If you have a passenger in the car with you when you are in an accident, then you are eligible for $1 million in liability coverage.
Why You Must Pursue Your Rights
The law which makes Uber and Lyft drivers employees was the result of a long struggle by people like you. Although the matter is not completely settled and is being contested by the rideshare industry in court, you should enjoy the benefits of the law while it is still in effect. This is especially the case if you were seriously injured.
A serious car accident can put you in the hospital for quite some time. You may need to undergo a range of surgeries and extensive treatments to be whole again. Such procedures are not cheap. At the end of your stay in the hospital, you may be confronted with a large medical bill. If your injuries were serious enough, you may need to stay on medication and hire an in-home care provider. If the accident has made it impossible for you to return to work straightaway, you will also need financial help to survive.
It is right for you to pursue your personal injury claims vigorously. A Los Angeles ride sharing app accident lawyer can help you do that.
Getting What is Rightfully Yours
Although time and the law have been catching up with the quickly expanding rideshare industry, its two largest companies continue to fight to reduce the amount of money they must pay drivers injured in an accident while working.
The company you work for will deploy several tactics to undermine your claim, the most common of which is to make the accident seem as though it is the result of your negligence or recklessness. Putting you at fault for the accident reduces the amount of compensation they will need to pay. You must not let them get away with this. Hiring a Los Angeles ride sharing involved accident lawyer is a necessary first step to getting what is rightfully yours.
Evidence Plays a Crucial Role
The first thing your Los Angeles ride sharing car wreck lawyer will do is gather all the evidence related to the accident. If you are certain that the accident was the fault of the other driver, then your attorney will seek the evidence necessary to prove that. To make this happen, your legal counsel would bring in professional investigators. The latter will visit the scene of the collision.
They will review and make copies of any traffic camera footage available. The investigators will also interview the passengers in your car at the time and people who witnessed the crash. In the latter case, they may find someone who videoed the entire accident on their cell phone camera.
Such footage can go a long way toward confirming your version of events. Intricate lawsuits often require an expert to use forensic evidence produced by the crash and develop a computer-based simulation of it. Such programs are admissible in court; and again, they can be potent in backing up your claims.
A ride sharing accident attorney in Los Angeles will also speak to the medical team that treated you. They will review the records and notes of the physician who managed your care to determine the extent of your debilitation and the prospects for your recovery.
All this information will be used in the fight for your right to a fair and adequate settlement. You should not allow a billion-dollar company to bully and short-change you. If you have been seriously injured as a rideshare driver, you should stop at nothing to get the money you are entitled to.