Did you sustain injuries in a car accident? Did it involve a rideshare driver? Did their negligent actions cause your injuries? If so, contact the Stockton personal injury lawyers of OnderLaw to learn about your legal options. You might be entitled to compensation for the losses you suffered.

Car accidents can cause destruction, severe injuries, and even death. Rideshare services can bring peace of mind to someone going home after a night of drinking or who is traveling hundreds of miles alone. As a passenger, you assume you’re safe. Unfortunately, a rideshare driver’s careless behavior can result in a catastrophic crash.

Whether you were in another vehicle or were a passenger in the rideshare driver’s car, OnderLaw could represent you in your case and pursue the compensation you deserve. You can depend on our Stockton rideshare accident attorneys to be your advocate during this traumatic experience and fight by your side for justice. Call us for a free consultation to discuss your case with us.

Why Do I Need a Lawyer?

The case you’re about to pursue can be tricky and overwhelming to handle alone. Even if you think you know what you’re supposed to do during an insurance claim, you might not understand certain laws and how to overcome an unforeseen complication. There are different insurance coverages and multiple parties that could be at fault for the crash. Knowing who to seek compensation from can be confusing.

At OnderLaw , our Stockton rideshare accident attorneys know what needs to get done to resolve an accident victim’s case. We can investigate the circumstances of the crash, determine whose actions were to blame and gather available evidence to prove liability. If the rideshare driver were entirely at fault for your injury, you should not be financially responsible for your prescriptions, ER bills, rehabilitation costs, and other expenses.

Types of Rideshare Accidents

You could become involved in an accident with a rideshare driver in various situations. The most common are:

  • As a passenger – When you request a ride from a rideshare service, such as Lyft or Uber, you should arrive at your destination safely. However, the driver could behave recklessly and cause an accident with other vehicles, placing you in harm’s way.
  • As the occupant of another car – If you’re the driver or passenger in another vehicle, you could end up on a collision course with a rideshare driver. Even though you weren’t their passenger, you might be able to hold them liable for your resulting losses.
  • As a bicyclist, motorcyclist, or pedestrian – You don’t necessarily have to be in a vehicle to suffer injuries in a crash. A rideshare driver could swerve into the bike lane, fail to yield at a crosswalk, or drift into oncoming traffic while you’re riding your motorcycle. You could file an insurance claim if their actions contributed to the accident.

 

Rideshare accidents happen for many reasons. The most common are:

  • Road defects
  • Speeding
  • Reckless driving
  • Failure to check blind spots
  • Driver fatigue
  • Tailgating
  • Distracted driving
  • Failure to yield
  • Driving under the influence
  • Running a red light or stop sign
  • Unsafe lane changes

 

OnderLaw is available 24/7 to take your call and discuss what happened to you. You can meet with us for a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case and learn about the services we offer. We take cases like this seriously and will work hard to try to secure the highest possible compensation to recoup your costs and get you on the road to recovery.

Common Injuries Suffered in Rideshare Accidents

Accidents often result in physical injuries. Even if your broken bones or concussion heals, you could also experience emotional or psychological trauma that lasts long after you receive compensation from your rideshare accident case. Some injuries are debilitating and cause complications, such as chronic pain, loss of mobility, and permanent damage.

The most common injuries rideshare accidents cause include:

  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Disfigurement
  • Back injuries and paralysis
  • Broken bones
  • Permanent scarring
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Whiplash
  • Concussion and other brain injuries
  • Spinal cord damage
  • Psychological trauma
  • Internal bleeding
  • Neck injuries

 

OnderLaw knows how serious injuries from car accidents can be. Knowing the rideshare driver could have prevented it causes frustration, anger, and mental anguish. You might want to hold them accountable for their misconduct but face a challenging recovery and various disruptions to your daily routine. You don’t have to feel the burden of filing a claim and negotiating a settlement on your own when you hire us.

Our Stockton rideshare accident attorneys have the experience and resources to complete every step of the process from start to finish. Whether you suffered a minor or life-threatening injury, you can count on us to put forth the necessary effort to try to achieve your legal goals. We want to do whatever it takes to make this a stress-free experience for you.

What Compensation Is Available?

All drivers in California must carry car insurance with minimum liability limits for bodily injury and property damage. You can file a claim and seek the compensation you need from the insurance company. However, the available coverage limits in each case will depend on the circumstances of the crash.

When you’re involved in an accident with another motorist, you can file a claim with their car insurance carrier. However, if the driver works for a rideshare company, you might be able to pursue a settlement from their employer’s liability insurance.

As an example, the available coverages from a driver working for the Lyft rideshare service are:

  • During trips and while picking up passengers – $1 million liability coverage available from the rideshare company
  • If the driver turned on their app and is waiting for a ride request – $50,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage from the rideshare company’s third-party liability insurance
  • Lyft app is off – Coverage from the driver’s personal car insurance based on state-required liability limits

 

You can pursue compensation for the losses you suffered, whether you were in the rideshare driver’s car, another vehicle, or on foot at the time of the accident. These losses might include:

  • Past and future medical expenses
  • Physical impairment or disfigurement
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Property damage
  • Loss of enjoyment of life

 

You may also be entitled to exemplary damages if you choose to sue the rideshare driver or their employer. You would need to show clear and convincing evidence of the at-fault party’s intent to defraud you, to harm you maliciously, or to oppress you for a jury to provide this financial award. Instead of compensating you for your losses, exemplary damages punish the defendant for their actions and are meant to deter similar behavior in the future.

Filing a lawsuit requires observing a statute of limitations, the timeframe for initiating legal action in civil court. California enforces a two-year statute of limitations for accidents involving injury and death. That means you must file your lawsuit within two years of the accident if you want to seek compensation.

It’s important to understand pure comparative negligence and the effect it could have on your case. This doctrine reduces a person’s compensation by the amount of fault they share for their injury. If you suffered $100,000 in losses, you might not receive that amount in compensation if the jury determines you were partially to blame for the accident. If they assign you 20 percent of the fault, they can diminish your financial award to $80,000.

What to Do After a Rideshare Accident

You should take action immediately after a rideshare accident. That means taking the necessary steps to protect your rights and gather evidence to prove the rideshare driver caused your injuries. First, you should go to the hospital. Even minor injuries might require some type of treatment. An emergency room physician can evaluate your injury and recommend a plan for your recovery.

Whether they recommend surgery, chiropractic care, prescription medications, or rehabilitation, you should follow their instructions. Continue attending all doctor’s appointments regularly until your injury heals or your medical providers release you from their care. If you skip your appointments or allow significant gaps in between, the insurance company could assume your injury isn’t severe and offer a lower settlement than you need.

Contact OnderLaw to speak to one of our Stockton rideshare accident attorneys. The sooner you hire us, the sooner we can begin our work on your case. Since there are strict deadlines for filing a lawsuit, it’s best if you seek representation immediately after the crash. We can focus on the legal aspects of the process, so you have time to treat your injuries and heal, and we can pay attention to deadlines for you.

Maintain any records you receive during your ongoing case. Even though we attempt to locate everything we need to prove the rideshare driver’s actions were to blame for the accident, anything you have could help. If you receive bills from your doctors, letters from the insurance company, or repair estimates for the damage to your vehicle, forward them to us.

Why Choose OnderLaw ?

At OnderLaw , we work tirelessly to try to resolve our clients’ cases favorably. We know the stress of paying for unexpected medical expenses following a car accident and the financial struggles that can cause. You could face medical debt if you can’t afford your bills while you’re out of work trying to recover. We can take your case on contingency, so you’re not forced to pay upfront fees or costs. We don’t get paid unless and until you get paid.

Our Stockton rideshare accident attorneys are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and received recognition from Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, and other prestigious organizations in the country. Martindale-Hubbell also gave us an AV® rating, the highest distinction a lawyer can receive.

Contact OnderLaw Today

If you suffered injuries in a rideshare accident in Stockton, do not hesitate to reach out to OnderLaw for legal advice and guidance. We will review all the information you provide and determine whether we can take your case. You won’t feel abandoned or ignored when you hire us. We treat every client as a priority and personalize our services to match your needs.

Call us now for a free consultation with one of our dedicated and compassionate Stockton rideshare accident attorneys.