Sacramento Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys

Liability in Uber and Lyft (Rideshare) Accidents

Since California is a fault-based state in car insurance, the person or party who caused the collision is typically the party who is held financially responsible. If you are a passenger paying a rideshare service to transport you, the odds are low that any fault lies with you. Most likely, it is the rideshare driver, the driver of the other vehicle involved (if any), or possibly a third party who is at fault in some cases.

Regardless of how many other parties are involved, one of our accident attorneys will expertly gather evidence and determine who is at fault and, therefore, responsible for your losses.

Rideshare Services Fatalities in Sacramento

In 2013, a distracted Uber driver struck and killed a young girl and injured her family while they were walking through a crosswalk. The daughter’s mother filed a wrongful death suit against Uber, which denied responsibility for the incident. They claimed they did not cover drivers between rides and cited that the driver was not an employee. Uber now provides additional insurance coverage for drivers who have the app activated at the time of an accident. However, the $100,000 coverage wasn’t enough for severe accidents resulting in personal injury. When a ride-sharing passenger has damages beyond its insurance policy, pursuing damages without an experienced legal team can be challenging, if not complex. Our rideshare attorneys in Sacramento will fight for your rights in a way that offers the best chances for a successful outcome.

Rideshare Activity in the Sacramento Region

According to Sacramento Regional Transit, the Sacramento areas that see the most rideshare service usage is the Downtown Sacramento, Midtown Sacramento, and East Sacramento neighborhoods. This three-pronged zone is also one of the most active service areas for SacRT’s SmaRT Ride program. The many attractions, restaurants, theaters, and business districts make the demand for Uber and Lyft services high.

Unsurprisingly, the Sacramento neighborhoods with the most rideshare service accidents include Downtown and Midtown Sacramento. Other high-incidence areas include the College Glen neighborhood near Sacramento State University and busy thoroughfares like Folsom Boulevard and Power Inn Road.

How Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys Like Ours Recover Compensation

Sometimes, filing a personal injury claim can result in a more fair and accurate level of compensation for rideshare accident victims than insurance claims. Various factors, including multiple parties involved, rideshare driver classification, insurance coverage, and the elusive nature of rideshare companies, can make cases complex to handle alone. This is why you need to call a personal injury attorney at Eason & Tambornini immediately after your rideshare accident and take advantage of your free consultation offer.

How do I know if I need an Uber and Lyft accident lawyer for my claim?

When not approached carefully, complicating factors like multiple insurance companies and rideshare companies resistant to readily accepting responsibility can significantly impact a claim. When all known facts are laid out at your free consultation at our offices on H St. in Downtown Sacramento, you will better understand the potential outcome and how long it may take. Partnering with one of our lawyers will significantly increase your chances of winning the total amount due to you by law for your damages. We will tell you if we don’t think you have a case.

Common Injuries Resulting from Uber and Lyft Accidents

Like any other vehicle collision on Sacramento roadways, many factors can contribute to injuries for victims of rideshare accidents. Statistically speaking, rideshare and ride-hailing accidents have a higher incidence of injuries than accidents involving personal vehicles, and here’s why: In a recent insurance industry study, of the 1000 people surveyed, 28% reported they do not buckle up when traveling in rideshare! However, 90% reported wearing a seatbelt when traveling in their vehicles.

Common injuries that our lawyers have encountered with clients include:

• Broken bones
• Head injuries and trauma
• Lacerations and bruising
• Whiplash
• Spinal cord injuries

Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers: Dos and Don’ts Following an Accident

Any vehicle accident can be intense, both during and after the incident, regardless of the severity of the injury. Could you wait for law enforcement to arrive once you have received medical attention at the scene? They will take a statement and gather any facts that you can recall. You will want to get a copy of the police report, which our Uber and Lyft accident attorneys can do for you. Here are a few other things to do and not do:

• DO: Call an attorney immediately! When an insurance company is notified that you have a lawyer, they cannot contact you. They must contact your attorney.
• DO: If you are the person who ordered the ride (on your phone), save the data in the app you used. Take screenshots to ensure you don’t lose critical information.
• DO: If you were not the app user or customer, for example, if you were a pedestrian hit by a rideshare vehicle, be sure to take a picture of the rideshare vehicle’s license plate. Officers should also help you get the driver’s insurance information.
• DO: Take photos of the accident scene. Your lawyer will need all relevant info to build a successful case.
• Don’t Post to social media or take calls from insurance adjusters until you have spoken to an Uber and Lyft accident attorney.
• Don’t: Assume you are not seriously injured if you don’t feel much pain. Seek qualified medical attention as soon as possible to determine the severity of your injuries.

Facts: Rideshare and Ride-Hailing Statistics

Here are some interesting statistics about rideshare and ride-hailing usage that illustrate how widespread the services have become.

• According to Zippia, the U.S. has more than 1.7 million rideshare drivers, mostly split up between Uber and Lyft, with Uber’s share at about 1 million drivers.
• Lyft and Uber report approximately 150 million active users combined.
• Approximately 69% of Uber drivers report having a full-time job in addition to their rideshare driver job, which means they are likely to suffer from driver fatigue, a leading cause of traffic accidents.
• Some of the most common causes of rideshare accidents also include distracted driving, speeding (rushing to get to the following customer location), and other aggressive driving habits like tailgating.

Why It’s Important to Hire a Skilled Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney

Why do statistics like those above indicate the need to secure a competent, experienced accident lawyer? One important reason is that insurance companies are apt to offer a low settlement; a skilled lawyer from Eason and Tambornini, with years of experience representing and defending rideshare accident victims, will negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf and always have your best interests in mind. They will know immediately if the offer is far lower than what you have a right to.

FAQ: Are rideshare drivers classified as employees or contractors?

California law says that Uber and other ride-hailing drivers are contractors, not employees. This means the drivers are technically “self-employed, ” contributing to the complicated nature of determining liability. For this reason, hiring our experienced Sacramento Uber and Lyft accident attorneys is critical, as they can untangle the various levels of responsibility that ALL parties involved might have.

Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys Who Can Battle Corporate Attorneys

Since Uber came on the scene in 2009, the company has reportedly paid more than $160 million in legal settlements worldwide. For this reason, they employ teams of attorneys, especially in California, where rideshare activity is exceptionally high. Going into a claim against a massive rideshare company’s attorneys without an experienced Uber and Lyft accident attorney will significantly decrease your chances of winning, let alone winning a fair settlement.

Uber and Lyft (or any rideshare) accidents are inherently more complicated due to the layers of insurance policies involved and, often, multiple insurance companies. It makes sense to hire our experienced Sacramento Uber and Lyft accident attorneys like those at Eason & Tambornini, who have been helping clients deal with rideshare accidents for many years.

You can call us at (916) 438-1819 to schedule your free, no-risk consultation and start putting the accident behind you.