Uber, Lyft, and Rideshare Accident Attorney

There’s no question that ridesharing has become seriously popular in the past decade. Since its California launch in 2010, Uber has become one of the nation’s biggest companies, known for providing convenient transport at low costs. It was initially praised for giving drivers and riders a simple way to connect without many downsides.

Today, of course, we know more about the risks of rideshares. Just because they’re convenient doesn’t necessarily mean they’re safe. Uber and Lyft and the other rideshare companies that came after are in a constant fight to remain profitable by cutting costs, including the costs of training and vetting drivers. The result is a giant population of drivers that are some of the riskiest on the road.

Today, rideshare accidents are all too common and come with a raft of potential problems. If you’ve been injured in a crash with an Uber or Lyft driver, you may not know how to file an insurance claim for your due compensation or even who might be liable.

In California, the laws around companies like Uber and Lyft’s drivers being classified as either employees or contractors has made it difficult to identify liability and responsibility in the case of a ridesharing accident.

That’s why it’s worthwhile to reach out to qualified rideshare accident experts with sterling backgrounds in medical malpractice, like the team at the Law Offices of Michael Oran, A.P.C.

Our unique medical malpractice background gives us deep insight into how vehicle accidents, from minor to severe, affect your body. And with a registered nurse on staff, our firm is uniquely positioned to help you receive the right type of care for your injury, and use that knowledge to negotiate with the insurance company to get you the maximum compensation possible.

Insurance Concerns In Ridesharing Accidents

Rideshare companies are always fighting to keep their own costs down, and one way they manage this is by avoiding paying for insurance. Rideshare drivers are not covered by company-wide insurance policies like taxis or public transport drivers are. Instead, they are simply covered by their own personal insurance.

Depending on the accident, this may mean that you face a serious fight with the company to receive your due compensation. Insurance companies recognize the risk that rideshares carry, and they work overtime to avoid having to pay for the full injuries or compensation that rideshare accidents rack up. It takes a qualified team of attorneys and medical professionals to negotiate with insurance for full compensation and care after these accidents.

The Potential Risks of Ridesharing

Just because rideshares are convenient doesn’t mean that they’re risk-free. In fact, studies have connected the rise of rideshares to a several percent increase in traffic fatalities nationwide. California is no different. Here are just a few of the potential risks of hailing an Uber.

Distracted and Tired Drivers

Drivers for rideshare companies are often distracted during their shifts because of the service’s very nature: they have to use their phones to get clients and navigate. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration identifies using the phone while driving is one of the riskiest actions any driver can take.

Speeding

Rideshare drivers are incentivized to complete as many rides per hour as possible. That means that they are potentially more likely to speed and take other unsafe driving behaviors to shave time off your trip, which can put you in dangerous situations.

Traffic Conditions

Most rideshares are active in urban areas, frequently in times of high traffic. If you’re using rideshares to avoid driving in bad traffic yourself, you’re not actually reducing your risk of an accident. Instead, you’re putting yourself in the hands of another driver entirely.

Los Angeles Uber Accident Lawyer is Here to Help

There are few situations where you might have less fault for a car accident than when you’re simply a passenger in a rideshare. However, you’re just as likely to face serious injuries or death in an Uber or Lyft accident as you are in any other vehicle. A rideshare accident can leave you with high medical bills, weeks of lost wages, and lifelong injuries that are difficult to prove on your own. When you’re already facing so much, there’s no reason to try to handle the legal system alone.

Working with the experts at the Law Offices of Michael Oran, A.P.C. can help you fight insurance companies for the compensation you need. You need a team with in-depth medical knowledge and experience fighting insurance companies for care. Call today at (213) 454-0002 or reach out online to set up your free consultation and discuss your case. You deserve to work with the best.