Modesto Rideshare Accident Lawyer

Wherever you’re going in Modesto these days, you’re probably going there by rideshare – it’s cheap, comfortable, and convenient. But what happens when your Lyft or Uber ride up north goes south? There’s nothing cheap or convenient about getting the responsible parties to pay for your injuries or property damage when it happens to you. Could you fight it on your own? Perhaps, but you risk recovering nothing because you don’t know how to navigate the legal system on your own.

By reaching out to the expert Modesto rideshare accident attorneys at OnderLaw as soon as possible after the accident, you will significantly increase your odds of getting the compensation you deserve than if you try to take on the driver, the rideshare company, and their insurers by yourself. Your first meeting with OnderLaw is free, and if you hire one of our attorneys, you won’t have to pay us anything upfront to take your case – OnderLaw only gets paid when you get paid.

Why Do I Need A Lawyer For My Rideshare Accident Claim?

In a perfect world, you would simply submit a complaint through the rideshare app and someone would Venmo you for your damages. But that’s not how it works. Behind every individual rideshare driver is a massive corporation that will fight your claim tooth and nail. Uber and Lyft have defended against thousands of other rideshare accidents claims, and they have a team of lawyers and investigators on speed dial ready to get information about how the accident happened, the nature of your injuries, and anything else they need to convince you that your claim is worth nothing or very little.

Why Choose OnderLaw?

The veteran attorneys at OnderLaw have been around the block and understand how traumatic and disruptive rideshare accidents can be. You’re worried about how you will get your medical bills paid and recover lost wages from the time you missed at work. Your OnderLaw attorney can maximize your chances of recovering the compensation you deserve by knowing the “who, what, when, where, and how” of investigating and pursuing the responsible parties. Specifically, your OnderLaw attorney can:

• immediately put the other parties on notice that you consider them to be at fault for the accident
• quickly obtain police reports, Department of Transportation reports, and information about witnesses to the accident
• prevent the other parties from hiding or destroying crucial evidence about how the accident happened
• get the details about which parties have insurance or other assets available to pay for your damages

Remember, it takes time, money, and skill to get the driver and rideshare company to cough up the most critical information. Because OnderLaw gets paid only when the rider/rideshare company pays you, OnderLaw is sharing in the risk of pursuing the case with you. You’re partners, and OnderLaw wants you to win.

What Are the Different Types of Rideshare Accidents?

A rideshare accident victim may be a passenger, a pedestrian, a cyclist, or the driver or passenger of another vehicle. Whichever one of these you might be, if you are claiming that you were injured due to negligence, you will need to prove that the rideshare driver was primarily at fault:

• If you were the passenger, you could show that the driver broke a rule or engaged in risky behavior that caused your injury, such as the driver looking at the rideshare app instead of keeping their eyes on the road.
• If you were driving/riding in another vehicle, you can prove the rideshare driver should have been driving more slowly, allowing more space between themselves and other vehicles, or that they should have waited to turn until the intersection was clear.
• If you were a pedestrian in a crosswalk or a cyclist, you could show that the rideshare driver did not respect your right to cross or allowed their passengers to open the doors when you were passing the vehicle in the bike lane.

What Are the Most Common Injuries Suffered in Rideshare Accidents?

Injuries in rideshare accidents typically result from involuntary body movements caused by a sudden change in direction or speed, such as getting jerked forward or side to side without warning. These typically include:

• Whiplash (muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck and back)
• Joint sprains and strains
• Cuts, scratches, and bruises
• Shock
• Concussions

In higher speed accidents, you may experience more severe injuries such as:

• Scarring or disfigurement
• Broken bones and internal injuries
• Spinal cord injury/other nerve damage
• Traumatic brain injury
• Coma or death

What Compensation is Available to Rideshare Accident Victims?

Under California law, generally, victims of rideshare accidents are entitled to compensation for all injuries and damages for which the driver at fault is responsible. These include well-documented costs (medical bills, lost wages, and vehicle repairs) and those that are more difficult to measure, such as pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. How much you can actually recover depends on many different factors, including whether the driver and rideshare company have insurance that applies to the accident. For example:

• If the driver was heading to the airport to line up for riders but had not yet signed into the app and committed to a specific passenger, the driver’s insurance (usually $50,000 or less) will apply.
• If the driver was logged into the app and had a rider on board, the rideshare company’s insurance of up to $1 million per accident would apply.

It’s not always easy to determine exactly what the driver was doing at the time the accident occurred, and both the driver and the rideshare company could try to avert liability. The attorneys at OnderLaw will make sure you don’t get shorted on your potential recovery.

What Should I Do After a Rideshare Accident?

Here are some important “do’s” and “don’ts” immediately after an accident:

• Don’t talk to anyone else about how the accident occurred until law enforcement is on the scene and asks you to describe what happened.
• Don’t tell the driver, other passengers, or witnesses that you are “OK” or “fine” unless and until trained medical personnel examine you at the scene to document your injuries and other health concerns.
• Don’t refuse a ride to the hospital. A vehicle accident is a traumatic event for the mind and body, and you may not be thinking as clearly as you usually would. Be sure to seek a medical evaluation even if you think you aren’t injured.
• Do take pictures of the scene and get information from everyone who had any part in or saw the accident, especially any witnesses to the accident.
• Do record any insurance information for any vehicle driver or owner at the scene.
• Do keep all receipts for any expenses you incur as a result of the accident. For instance, if you require emergency medical care, or need an operation, then make sure you maintain a file containing all of your medical expenses. Be sure to furnish your attorney with copies of your medical bills as soon as possible. Your attorney will use this file to help you document and calculate damages. 

You should also keep in mind that the shock of the accident may be more disorienting because you weren’t expecting it. Most rideshare passengers are focused on conversing with friends or scrolling through their phones, so suddenly getting into an accident can be incredibly traumatizing. Make sure you have your wits about you before describing the accident and the injuries you may have sustained as a result. The attorneys at OnderLaw understand that you will be shaken up, so just do your best to tell them (and not others) all the necessary details as promptly after the accident as possible.

Why Should I Choose OnderLaw to Represent Me for My Rideshare Accident Claim?

The attorneys at OnderLaw will fight for your right to fair compensation, no matter what it takes. We have recovered over $4 billion for our clients in groundbreaking cases throughout the country against major corporations like Apple, Johnson & Johnson, and Bayer Corp. We will apply everything we have learned as we pursue your claim against the rideshare company and its insurer. If we cannot reach a fair settlement with the rideshare company’s insurer, our attorneys at OnderLaw have the know-how, resources, and confidence to fight your case out in court. Because you and OnderLaw are partners, you’ll be kept informed of everything that is happening throughout the process. 

Please don’t wait until the rideshare company uses its power and influence to make it harder for you to recover the compensation you are entitled to. Get your case started now with OnderLaw, your Modesto-area rideshare accident lawyers. Call us today to schedule your free, no-risk consultation. It’s the first step toward getting the justice and the compensation you deserve.