You chose Uber or Lyft to get where you needed to go, not to end up dealing with injuries and insurance claims. Now you may be facing medical bills, time away from work, and questions about who will pay for your losses. When a rideshare driver is involved, figuring out which insurance policy applies can be especially confusing.
Sweet James helps injured people stand up to insurance companies and other parties that try to avoid responsibility. Our rideshare accident lawyers serving Huntington Beach know how frustrating it can be to face these challenges while trying to recover.
Our rideshare accident lawyers in California bring skilled legal representation and a trial-ready approach to your case. Our attorneys have experience helping injured victims for over 25 years. Real Lawyers. Real Results.
Why Choose Our Rideshare Accident Lawyers Serving Huntington Beach
Sweet James gives you a team of rideshare accident lawyers prepared to take on that challenge.
When you work with us, you can expect:
- No fees or costs unless we win. You won’t pay us upfront for legal representation. Our fee depends on the outcome of your case, so you can focus on your recovery instead of worrying about hourly legal bills.
- Personal attention throughout your case. You deserve to know who is handling your claim and have a way to reach the people working on it.
- Insight backed by case data. We use information from thousands of injury cases to evaluate claims, review settlement offers, and identify issues that may affect your recovery.
- A team prepared to go to trial. Many injury claims settle without a trial, but insurance companies need to know we’re prepared to present your case in court when necessary.
Understanding the Rideshare Insurance Coverage System
Uber and Lyft provide insurance coverage for certain situations, but the available coverage changes depending on whether the driver was offline, waiting for a request, or completing a ride. Our Huntington Beach rideshare accident lawyers will review your options for financial recovery.
When the Driver Is Offline
If the driver isn’t logged into the rideshare app and isn’t working on a ride, the company’s rideshare insurance generally doesn’t apply. The driver’s personal auto insurance may cover the crash, depending on the circumstances and policy terms.
If another motorist caused the collision, that driver’s insurance may also be responsible for your injuries and other losses.
When the Driver Is Logged In but Hasn’t Accepted a Ride
A different level of coverage may apply when a driver is logged into the app and available for ride requests but hasn’t accepted a trip. If the driver is online and waiting for a ride request, but hasn’t accepted a trip yet, California has several insurance requirements for transportation network companies (TNCs), including rideshare businesses.
The policy must cover up to $50,000 for one person’s injuries, $100,000 for injuries in one accident, and $30,000 for property damage. The coverage you can receive depends on what happened in the crash and which insurance policy applies to your situation.
When the Driver Has Accepted a Ride or Has a Passenger
The coverage changes once a driver accepts a ride request and heads to pick up a passenger or starts the trip. During these periods, Uber and Lyft generally provide up to $1 million in third-party liability coverage for covered accidents. The exact coverage depends on the circumstances of the crash and the terms of the applicable policy.
How to Prove Negligence in a Rideshare Accident
In most cases, proving negligence involves establishing four key elements:
- Duty of care: You must show that the responsible party had a legal duty to act with reasonable care. For example, rideshare drivers must follow traffic laws, pay attention to the road, and take reasonable steps to protect passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists.
- Breach of duty: Next, you must show that the person failed to meet that duty. A rideshare driver may breach their duty by speeding, running a red light, texting while driving, or making an unsafe turn.
- Causation: You must connect the person’s careless actions to the accident and your injuries. Evidence such as crash reports, witness statements, video footage, and medical records can help establish this link.
- Damages: Finally, you must show that you suffered actual losses because of the accident. These may include medical expenses, lost wages, reduced future earning ability, pain and suffering, and other injury-related losses supported by the evidence.
Proving negligence takes more than showing that a crash happened. You need evidence that supports each part of your claim and helps explain the full impact of your injuries. Depending on the circumstances, more than one party may share responsibility, and the rideshare driver’s app status may affect which insurance policies apply.
Our personal injury lawyers serving Huntington Beach can review the evidence and help you determine every party that was liable for your rideshare crash.
Contact Our Huntington Beach Rideshare Accident Lawyers
If you are still searching for a “Huntington Beach rideshare accident lawyer near me”, look no further. Contact Sweet James to discuss what happened. We can review the circumstances, explain your potential options, and help you understand the next steps. There is no charge for an initial conversation, and you aren’t obligated to hire us.
If we take your case, our Huntington Beach rideshare accident attorneys can communicate with the insurers, investigate the evidence, and pursue compensation for the losses supported by your claim. We handle injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no fees or costs unless we win, subject to the terms of your agreement with us.
