Irvine Uber & Lyft Accident Attorney

Uber and Lyft are household names at this point. These two popular rideshare services give residents and visitors plenty of options when it comes to getting from place to place. However, what happens if an accident occurs that involves an Uber or Lyft vehicle? Who will be at fault and responsible for paying compensation to property damage and injury victims?

At Callahan & Blaine, we are here to help if you need an Irvine Uber and Lyft accident attorney by your side. We have extensive experience handling complex vehicle accident and personal injury claims. We are ready to help you recover the compensation you are entitled to.

Why Hire Callahan & Blaine for Your Uber or Lyft Accident Claim?

Callahan & Blaine has extensive experience handling personal injury cases throughout California, and we have the resources necessary to handle complex rideshare accident cases.
We focus on providing a client-centered approach to every case. We take the time to listen to our clients’ stories so we can focus on meeting their needs.
We handle Irvine Uber and Lyft accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that our clients will not be responsible for paying any legal fees until after we recover the compensation they need.

How Can an Irvine Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer Help?

Accidents involving rideshare vehicles can become incredibly complicated when it comes to securing compensation. Not only will victims have to worry about dealing with the personal insurance carrier of the rideshare driver, but they will also have to deal with the insurance carriers of the rideshare companies themselves.

A skilled Uber and Lyft accident lawyer in Irvine can step in and handle every aspect of these claims. An attorney will use their resources to:

Conduct a full investigation into the case in order to recover the evidence needed to prove liability.
Ensure their client is evaluated by a trusted medical professional who can treat their injuries and help calculate total expected losses.
Handle all negotiations with insurance carriers in order to recover compensation on behalf of their client.

Common Rideshare Accident Injuries

Accidents involving rideshare vehicles regularly result in severe injuries for those involved. Just like any other typical vehicle accident, rideshare crash victims can sustain the following:

Broken and dislocated bones
Traumatic brain injuries
Open head wounds
Spinal cord injuries
Whiplash
Concussions
Internal organ damage or internal bleeding
Severe lacerations or puncture wounds
Sprains and strains
…and more

Insurance Requirements for Uber & Lyft Drivers in California

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have different types of insurance requirements than commercial taxis. Rideshare drivers are required to have “rideshare policy endorsements” on their personal insurance coverage when they operate with Uber or Lyft. If a rideshare driver fails to carry this endorsement on their policy, those injured in an accident caused by the driver could have trouble recovering compensation.

Additionally, the particular insurance carrier that will pay compensation for these claims will depend entirely on the status of the rideshare driver at the time of the crash occurs.

If an Uber or Lyft driver causes a crash when they have no passengers and are not signed on to the app to work, their personal insurance coverage will be responsible for paying compensation to the victims.
If an Uber or Lyft driver is signed into their app to work but does not have a passenger and is not on the way to pick one up, their personal carrier will still primarily be responsible for covering injuries and property damage expenses to others. Both Uber and Lyft have supplemental insurance policies designed to kick in if the personal insurance carrier denies a claim or if the policy limits are exhausted.
If an Uber or Lyft driver causes a crash when they have a sanctioned passenger or are on the way to pick one up, then both major rideshare companies have a $1 million liability insurance policy designed to cover every party involved.

Statute of Limitations on Uber & Lyft Accidents in California

It is crucial to understand that insurance carriers involved in these cases are going to require that the incident be reported very quickly. Failing to report a rideshare crash to the insurance carriers within a day or two could result in the claim being delayed or denied.

In California, the personal injury statute of limitations is two years from the date an injury occurs. If a crash injury victim fails to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent party within this two-year timeframe, they will lose the ability to recover the compensation they are entitled to.

Compensation for Uber & Lyft Accidents in Irvine, CA

There may be various types of compensation available to Uber and Lyft crash accident victims. At Callahan & Blaine, our Irvine Uber & Lyft accident lawyers strive to recover economic and a non-economic compensation on behalf of our clients in these situations, including the following:

Coverage of all medical bills caused by the crash
Physical therapy and rehabilitation expenses
Lost income if they cannot work
Property damage expenses
Pain and suffering damages
Loss of quality of life damages

What To Do After an Uber/Lyft Accident

In the event you are injured in a crash involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle, you need to take the following steps as soon as possible:

Call 911 to make sure the police come to the scene to conduct an investigation.
Seek immediate medical care to treat your injuries and establish a link between the crash and the injuries.
Report the incident to the insurance carrier, but do not go into detail about the incident.
Contact a skilled Uber & Lyft accident lawyer in Irvine who can take over the handling of the case.
Continue all medical care recommended by a doctor until maximum medical improvement has been reached.

Schedule a Free Consultation Today

If you or somebody you care about has been injured and an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle in Irvine, reach out to the team at Callahan & Blaine for help as soon as possible. We have extensive experience handling complex vehicle accident claims throughout the state of California, and we have the resources necessary to help clients recover maximum compensation for their losses. When you need an Irvine Uber and Lyft accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at (714) 241-4444.