Bakersfield rideshare accident victims can be down with injury for weeks. This all while their healthcare expenses grow and they lose paychecks, while they can’t work. But in a collision involving an Uber car, there’s a driver and a major transportation company that should be held responsible.
Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield offers a free, no-obligation consultation for all Uber accident victims in Kern County. It’s a chance to help determine how to hold drivers and their employers fully accountable.
Do I Need a Lawyer After an Uber Accident?
Uber car accident victims who suffer serious injury will probably benefit by talking to a skilled Bakersfield Uber accident attorney. When medical bills will only grow, insurers for drivers and Uber, insurance adjusters resort to tactics to escape financial liability.
- They can try to twist the evidence to blame you for the accident
- They can devalue your injuries as an excuse to pay you less
- They can delay responding to your claim, hoping you’ll get desperate enough to accept a “lowball” settlement claim.
Our attorneys go on the offensive when dealing with unfair insurers or companies like Uber. We fully investigate your accident and make sure a rideshare driver and a rideshare company can’t escape blame. Your attorney also provides a safeguard if Uber sends its teams of lawyers in to help discredit your case.
Then we focus on getting you the absolute maximum in benefits in a settlement. This is usually much more than you could secure by taking on Uber yourself.
Does Uber Provide Insurance to Drivers In Case of Accidents?
Uber does provide car insurance coverage for when its drivers cause accidents, but it doesn’t apply to every collision. The work phase the employee is in at the time of the accident affects the level of support victims might get.
- When Uber Drivers Have Scheduled a Customer or Are Transporting Someone: Uber backs its drivers with $1 Million in Coverage. The policy kicks in when a collision occurs while the Uber app is open, the Uber employee is at fault, and drivers have someone in the car or are on the way to pick them up. The protection might apply to a passenger or someone in the vehicle that the Uber driver struck.
- When Uber Drivers Don’t Have a Customer but Are Searching With the App On: When Uber drivers don’t have anyone in the car and haven’t gotten a ride request, and an accident occurs, Uber’s policy kicks in, but it doesn’t cover as much. The rideshare would cover $50,000 per person injured or $100,000 for multiple injury victims. There’s also $25,000 in property damage coverage.
- When another Driver Hits an Uber Car: If you are in an Uber car when it’s struck by a careless motorist, that other driver’s auto insurance should cover the costs. In some cases, Uber protects customers with Uninsured motorist coverage and Underinsured motorist coverage. If the other driver had no insurance or not enough insurance to cover all of your damages, Uber might kick in some compensation.
- An Uber driver hits you or your car while off–duty: This would apply to an Uber driver who wasn’t logged into the app and wasn’t accepting ride requests. Uber requires drivers to show proof of having car insurance before they get hired. The victim would call upon the driver’s auto insurance coverage for recovery support.
Figuring out whose insurance should apply to your accident can be the most difficult part of your case. Your Bakersfield car accident lawyer would examine the evidence to figure out where an injury claim should be targeted. In some cases, it may be several parties that bear responsibility. Your attorney would file multiple claims with multiple insurers for your benefit.
Uber Accident Risks in Bakersfield
Plenty of local residents use Uber to catch rides to work, or to class, or to the mall. It’s a great option for many, but it also puts traffic stress on already busy roads like Ming Avenue and Highway 99.
Factor in that Uber drivers must monitor more than just the road while at work behind the wheel, and it’s easy to see why Uber cars are involved in a lot of collisions. Rideshare drivers’ mistakes can hurt passengers in the backseat, the occupants of other vehicles, and pedestrians and cyclists on the street.
- Uber Driver distraction. Drivers may have to look at their phones and the Uber app to examine ride requests and accept them. They may be staring down at a map to help find the parts of town they may be unfamiliar with. They may be distracted while talking to a passenger.
- Uber Driver Recklessness. Just like any driver, employees might not watch their speed as they should. They may not be able to stop in time to avoid a rear-end collision, or they could lose control in a curve. They may run redlights and stop signs. These decisions cause accidents.
- Uber Driver Work Pressure. The stress of keeping passengers happy and getting them where they need to go on time can lead to poor decisions in traffic. Rideshare workers may rush to a destination. They can feel the need to drive aggressively. They can also park in bad spots and block cyclist and pedestrian access to bike lanes, crosswalks, and sidewalks.
Our lawyers get aggressive with Uber when their business practices cause collisions. The profitable corporation, when its employees hurt others. Their liability can also extend to the lack of training they give their employees. The absence of good background checks on their drivers can also leave them open to liability in any accident.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should my Uber accident settlement check cover?
Your settlement check needs to cover all of the medical bills you currently have on your desk, and the costs of any medical care you’ll need in the future. The income you’ve lost while you must be absent from work should also be returned to you. Non-economic damages, such as the pain you endure with an injury, should be compensated. The emotional distress you are left with after a frightening collision and a demoralizing recovery should also factor into the size of your settlement. Your attorney would make sure these and other damages were considered in any settlement offer.
How long should I wait to speak to a lawyer after an accident?
You should consult with a lawyer as soon as you can. Waiting can mean valuable evidence vanishes and witnesses become harder to track down. The sooner you file your claim, the sooner you can hopefully receive a settlement check. California allows rideshare accident victims up to two years to file a personal injury claim, but waiting months or years can hurt a case.
What if I can’t afford to pay a lawyer to represent my case?
We know that most car accident victims aren’t left in a great financial spot after a devastating crash. It’s why you don’t need any money to hire a Bakersfield Uber accident attorney. If you need our help, we will sign a contingency agreement with you. It means we cover all upfront case costs. We also don’t earn anything unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money that Uber’s insurer must pay you.
Contact an Uber Accident Attorney Who Backs Your Case with Powerful Evidence to Earn You More
If you have a serious injury after an accident involving a rideshare Driver, contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield to schedule a free consultation. It’s a confidential, no-obligation review of your case with a real Kern County attorney.
Your full recovery becomes our number one mission. We don’t stop fighting until you are fully recovered and have the money to rebuild your finances and your life.
