Is Uber Responsible For an Accident?
The use of Uber has increased in the last few years, and for good reason. It is a convenient way of getting from one place to another. The rideshare concept makes taxi drivers out of ordinary people. Nearly anyone can join the Uber network and offer their services to individuals who need transport. Uber drivers receive no special training and need no particular qualifications. You should be aware that being a passenger in an Uber vehicle gives you no greater safety than getting a lift from a friend.
However, if you have been in an accident while using this service and have received injuries, it is important to know your legal options.
Why Your First Call Should Be To A Lawyer
The first thing you should do is call an Uber Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles. Even as you recover, you should start thinking of ways you can hold those at fault accountable. You will need the beginnings of a legal strategy, and a car wreck lawyer in Los Angeles can help you put one together. The last thing you should do is accept the first settlement offer that comes your way, especially if it is low. You should instead give yourself time to consider your position and to allow your lawyer to work through the case.
Your Uber accident lawyer will be eager to hear what you have to say. During the first consultation they will ask you to recount the events that led to the accident and all that happened afterward. If you are not offered fair compensation for what you have suffered, then you might need to file a lawsuit, and your narrative will form the basis of it.
The Life Impact Of An Accident
Being in an auto accident can throw your entire life into upheaval. If the accident resulted in serious injuries, then you might have to spend weeks or months in the hospital. This means medical bills and a long period of time without income. You may even have to spend money on rehabilitative therapy and prescription medicine. Even when you are well enough to return to your job, you may be forced to reduce the number of hours you work or to take a lower-paying position.
These are not burdens you should have to shoulder alone, especially when the accident was the fault of another. You should receive enough money to offset your medical bills and lost income and to compensate you for the pain and suffering that you and your family have had to endure.
How Coverage Works If You’ve Been Involved In An Uber Accident
Uber offers up to $1 million in uninsured and underinsured coverage. This means that if the Uber driver has insurance that will not cover your injuries or is without insurance, the company will offer you $1million in damages regardless of fault.
It may be tempting to accept the money and close the matter; and in some cases, this may be the way to go. However, if you have been severely injured in the accident owing to the recklessness or negligence of the Uber driver, then you should press for more. Cases that involve injuries that require sustained treatment over time and that compel you to give up your livelihood must be treated differently. Your attorney will consider all of these factors before advising you on whether to sue and who to sue.
What Your Ride Share Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles Will Do For You
Your Lyft accident lawyer or Uber lawyer is specialized in this area of tort law and has deep knowledge and insight into how it works. They will be able to gather the facts, employ the relevant forensic evidence, and bring the right parts of the law to bear to get you justice.
Here Are A Few Of The Specific Actions Your Attorney Will Take:
- Gather the Facts
Your lawyer will get a copy of the police report of the accident, including all photos and witness statements. They will also engage their own professional investigators to re-examine the scene of the accident and re-interview witnesses to it. Your lawyer will also subpoena and examine carefully all internal Uber documents related to accident coverage.
Such an investigation will involve a look into the background of the driver. If the driver has a record of DWI, breaking traffic regulations, and other bad conduct, your lawyer will find out about it. The presence of clear warning signs that the driver was not fit to be on the road can be used against the company.
- Employ Forensic Evidence
Tire marks, shattered glass, and the severity and location of the damage to the automobiles tell a story of how the accident unfolded. Your ride sharing accident lawyer Los Angeles will engage the services of an auto accident reconstruction expert who will be able to build a simulation based on the evidence left at the scene. This will prove who was at fault in the accident. Your attorney will employ technical experts who will be able to show that the particular actions or overall inaction of the driver made the accident much worse than it should have been. This can be an aggravating factor in the case and increase the pressure on the company to offer you more money.
Your Lawyer Will Also Have Medical Experts Testify Or Make Sworn Statements That The Accident Is The Only Thing That Could Have Caused Your Injuries.
- Use the Law
Your Los Angeles personal injury attorney will have to prove that you sustained severe injuries in the Uber accident, that the company is liable to pay you compensation, and that you are owed more in damages than what they offered to pay. Such lawyers have the knowledge, skill, and determination to put such an argument together and convince the jury of it.
However, the case does not need to go to court. Your personal injury attorney in Los Angeles may be able to present enough evidence to the respondent to get them to increase their settlement offer. This will take negotiation, and no one is more prepared to undertake such a task than an experienced Lyft wreck lawyer in Los Angeles
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