The explosive growth of rideshare companies in California has been hectic and not without controversy. Though these companies make finding and obtaining a ride easier and more convenient, the lack of oversight and relative ease in cheating the requirements to become a rideshare driver can mean more accidents and injuries not just for passengers but for anyone sharing the road with rideshare vehicles.
If you or someone you love was involved in an accident with a rideshare vehicle or while inside a rideshare vehicle, you have options for seeking compensation for your losses. The Irvine personal injury attorneys at OnderLaw are ready and waiting to take your call and will guide you through the process of filing an injury claim or lawsuit. We have decades of experience helping residents from all walks of life in Irvine and across the nation get the fair compensation they deserve after an injury caused by another party’s negligence. Call us today for a free consultation and see if a personal injury claim is right for you. There’s no obligation, so call today.
A lawyer can help you in many ways. Our knowledge of the claims process and our experience helping injury victims to navigate it will be invaluable to you and can help you get what you’re owed for your injury.
A lawyer can do more than give you the information you need. We will do all the work required to build your claim. We will hire expert witnesses, track down documentation and evidence, field phone calls from insurance adjusters, and do all the logistical tasks necessary to support your claim. We will do the hard work, so you don’t have to.
In most cases, you’ll be demanding compensation from the responsible party’s insurance company and not from the responsible party directly. This is where an attorney can really help. Insurance companies are practiced at denying claims. They will look for any possible way to absolve their customer of responsibility for your injuries, including using methods that are not totally honest. They may not outright lie to you, but they won’t tell the whole truth either. You’ll likely hear from a claims adjuster very soon after reporting your accident, and they will probably offer you a settlement immediately, hoping that you haven’t secured legal representation yet. They work quickly because they know that if your lawyer reviews your first settlement offer, it will be far less than what you deserve, and a lawyer will recommend rejecting it. Don’t sign any form or accept any settlement until you’ve had a qualified attorney review the offer.
Sometimes, settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, or the insurance company just won’t pay you what your injury is worth. Without an attorney, you’re mostly out of options, but when you have a lawyer, you can move forward with a lawsuit and let a judge or jury decide the outcome of your case, not the insurance company.
OnderLaw has been helping residents of Irvine and elsewhere to get just compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of others since 2002. We’ve seen claims of all types, from rideshare accidents to wrongful death lawsuits against massive corporations like Johnson & Johnson. We work tirelessly for all of our clients, regardless of the size of their case.
We don’t stop with our clients, either. We provide support for our local communities as well. We donate time and money to charitable organizations all across the country, such as MADD, Lupus Foundation of America, and Toys for Tots.
We know how difficult it can be for some of our prospective clients to be able to afford good legal counsel, which is why we work on contingency. We only take payment when we get you compensation for you. If we’re successful, we take a percentage of your settlement or award. If we’re unsuccessful, we don’t get paid.
Our record of success is irrefutable. We’ve obtained over $3.5 billion in settlements and awards since our founding. If the numbers don’t convince you, head to our Testimonials page to read about the level of service we’ve given to our past clients.
You could be a victim of a rideshare accident in three ways:
Aside from this distinction, accident types vary just as much as in rideshare accidents as they do in other motor vehicle accidents. Here are some common types:
The injuries that occur in a rideshare accident depend on the circumstances surrounding it. You’re more likely to suffer serious injury as a pedestrian or cyclist in a collision with a rideshare vehicle than you would as a passenger in the rideshare vehicle or another motorist. Some common injuries include the following:
The compensation for any rideshare accident claim will likely come from the responsible party’s insurance company and will vary greatly depending on the severity of your injury and the circumstances of the accident.
The good news is that rideshare companies or their drivers have to carry substantial insurance. California law requires that rideshare companies or their drivers carry $1 million in liability insurance from the time the fare is accepted in the application to the time the passenger exits the vehicle.
The rideshare company or its driver is also required to provide insurance from the time the app is turned on until the driver accepts a ride of $50,000 in single injury coverage, $100,000 in double injury coverage, and $30,000 in property damage coverage. That coverage also applies after a fare leaves the vehicle until the app is turned off or until the next ride is accepted.
The rideshare company is also required to have $200,000 in additional coverage in case liability exceeds the previously stated limits.
You can be compensated for any losses you sustained as a result of the accident, financial or otherwise. In most cases, compensation comes in the form of a settlement, a cash amount intended to compensate you for your losses and to entice you to drop any claim you have against the responsible party, but in some cases, filing a lawsuit against the responsible party directly is necessary.
There are several categories of economic damages, or financial losses, such as:
You can also be compensated for non-financial losses related to the experience of the injury, called noneconomic damages. Some examples include:
California also allows victims of injuries that involve extreme oppression, malice, or fraud to claim exemplary damages. These are intended to punish the responsible party, not compensate you for any loss. There is no cap on the amount you may receive in exemplary damages, but the burden of proof is much higher than for standard damages. They can only be awarded by a judge or jury.
If you’ve just been injured in a rideshare accident, here are some easy steps to take to protect your rights and assist your attorney in building your claim:
If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident, you have a limited time to file a lawsuit for compensation. Contact the attorneys at OnderLaw right away to start building your claim. The first consultation is absolutely free, and even if you don’t choose us to represent you, we will advise you about all the options you have available. Don’t delay any longer. Call today.
