Beverly Hills Rideshare, Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

Rideshare, Uber & Lyft Accident Attorney in Beverly Hills, CA

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have become popular, and many people in the Beverly Hills area rely on these services every day as alternatives to taxis and public transportation. Rideshare driving has also become a popular method of earning extra income for many drivers across the country. If you use these services as a passenger, remember that if an accident happens, you may not bear any fault for the incident, but you could still face a very arduous recovery process.

Skilled Legal Counsel for Complex Rideshare Accident Claims in Beverly Hills

If you or a family member recently suffered injuries as a rideshare passenger, or if you drive for a rideshare company and another driver causes an accident with you, you must understand your options for legal recourse. Insurance typically functions as the first step in recovering from a motor vehicle accident, and rideshare companies must maintain expansive insurance coverage that protects both drivers and passengers. Unfortunately, many people who experience rideshare accidents face very difficult recoveries, and navigating the insurance claim-related issues that typically follow these incidents is very challenging without legal counsel.

Heimanson& Wolf, LLP, has a team of experienced attorneys providing compassionate and responsive representation to clients in the Beverly Hills area. Our team has gained a strong reputation as a leading choice for personal injury counsel in Beverly Hills, thanks to our commitment to achieving the best results in every case we accept. When you need legal counsel to help you navigate the insurance claim process after a rideshare accident, and when you must pursue further legal action with a personal injury claim to recover the full amount of your damages, we can provide the professional guidance and support you need in this challenging situation.

Understanding Rideshare Insurance in Beverly Hills, CA

Rideshare companies must maintain auto insurance that covers their drivers and their passengers, but this insurance works differently than most private auto insurance policies held by individual drivers. Rideshare drivers must have individual auto insurance that meets the state’s minimum coverage requirements, and this policy is what will apply if a rideshare driver has an accident on their own time. When they are not logged in to their Driver app and marked as available, their own insurance will cover any damages if they cause an accident.

Once a driver is logged in and marked as available for a passenger ride request, the lower tier of the rideshare company’s insurance applies. Uber and Lyft are the most commonly used rideshare services, and both have equivalent policies. At this first tier of coverage, the rideshare company’s insurance will cover up to $50,000 in liability coverage for bodily injury for a single person, up to $100,000 in bodily injury liability for all persons injured in a single accident, and up to $25,000 in liability coverage for property damage.

What to Expect From Your Beverly Hills Rideshare Accident Attorney

When you choose Heimanson& Wolf, LLP, to represent you in a Beverly Hills rideshare accident claim, you can rest and recover with peace of mind as our team manages your insurance claim process on your behalf. We know the tactics that the leading insurance carriers often use in their efforts to minimize liability for claim payouts. Unfortunately, most insurance companies strive to deny claims whenever possible and reduce payouts using any justifications they can find.

The insurance claim process begins with a demand letter to the insurance company, explaining the amount of compensation sought under the policy in question. The claimant must also provide proof that their claimed damages are covered under the policy by establishing the policyholder’s liability for the accident. Once an insurance carrier sees that a claimant has legal representation advising them, they will be less likely to attempt any unethical tactics and will usually expedite their claim determination process.

The attorneys at Heimanson& Wolf, LLP, have extensive experience with complex auto insurance claims, and we know the common concerns injured claimants have as they pursue the compensation they are legally entitled to claim. In the event the available insurance coverage cannot fully compensate your losses from the accident, our team can help you build a compelling personal injury case against the party responsible for your rideshare accident.

What to Expect in a Personal Injury Claim

Insurance may be the first option for recovering from a serious motor vehicle accident, but even an expansive insurance policy may not be enough to fully compensate your damages. In the event, an insurance claim is not an option after a rideshare accident, or if you can only secure partial compensation through insurance, the next phase of your recovery efforts will be to file a personal injury claim against the party responsible for your accident.

Rideshare accidents happen for the same reasons that all other motor vehicle accidents happen. Distracted driving, aggressive driving, and all other types of negligence behind the wheel can easily cause devastating accidents. The first step in succeeding with any personal injury claim is proving fault for the injury in question. Once your attorney has helped you meet this vital prerequisite, the next phase of your case is proving the full extent of your losses.

State law allows the plaintiff in a personal injury case to seek full repayment of all the economic losses they suffered because of the defendant’s actions. These are likely to include vehicle repair costs, medical bills, and income lost when they are unable to work because of their injuries. Additionally, the plaintiff can claim anticipated future losses resulting from the defendant’s negligence or misconduct, such as long-term diminished earning capacity and ongoing medical expenses for treating a severe injury.

The attorneys at Heimanson& Wolf, LLP, have the professional legal experience you need to confront the complex insurance issues you are going to face in your pursuit of compensation after a rideshare accident. We are not intimidated by large insurance carriers and are often able to exceed our clients’ expectations in terms of the compensation we obtain on their behalf. Whatever your case entails, you can rely on our firm to guide you through all the recovery efforts you must attempt to secure full compensation for these losses.

Ride Share Accidents

Advancements in technology have brought about simplification and automation in many industries. In the transportation industry, the 21st Century has seen the development of ride share services with the widespread adoption of services of companies such as Lyft and Uber. With the convenience of this new ride share service also comes new and unique legal issues. Some of these legal issues still remain unresolved.

Lyft And Uber’s Liability for Acts Of Their Drivers

Uber and Lyft maintain strict controls over their drivers. They control their access to riders. They receive payment from all of the riders and then distribute a certain share to the drivers. Uber and Lyft must approve all drivers and retain the right to terminate these drivers. Yet, in the event an Uber or Lyft driver causes an accident, Uber and Lyft take the position that the driver is an independent contractor, as opposed to an employee, and as a result reject any legal responsibility for the accident. Whether or not Lyft or Uber are employers of their drivers remains an issue that must be determined by a jury in each case.

Autonomous Vehicles, Best Known as Self-Driving Cars

A further development in this area of ride sharing is the advent of autonomous vehicles also known as self-driving cars. Uber and Lyft as well as vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla are actively deploying self-driving or autonomous vehicles. Uber and Lyft hope that one day soon, human drivers will be as dated as the horse drawn buggy. This raises unique legal questions that have yet to be answered. For example, will an at-fault driver argue that he or she has no responsibility for an accident because the vehicle malfunctioned. And, the industry will continue to try to push legislation that will provide them with immunity for accidents caused by the malfunction of their vehicles. It is important, however, to remember that if such a bill is passed, these manufacturers will have little incentive to improve their technology to avoid risk of injury and death.

The Insurance Maintained by Uber and Lyft

In addition to the convenience of selecting Lyft or Uber as opposed to a traditional cab, there is another less recognized benefit to doing so. In many cities, cab companies are permitted to have very low limits of insurance and they typically do not carry any uninsured motorist coverage to protect their own passengers. By contrast, Uber and Lyft maintain insurance policies of $1 Million of liability insurance as well as uninsured motorist coverage. This practice should be required for cab companies as well.

FAQs About Beverly Hills, CA Rideshare Accident Law

How Soon Should I Speak to a Lawyer After a Rideshare Accident?

You have a limited time in which to file an insurance claim for a rideshare accident. You must at least notify the insurer within a few days of the crash of your intent to file a claim. If you sustain severe injuries, you must address your medical concerns first, and once you have received appropriate care, you can proceed with the insurance claim process. The sooner you connect with a Beverly Hills rideshare accident attorney, the better your chances are of reaching a suitable result.

How Much Compensation Will I Receive for a Rideshare Accident Claim?

The rideshare company’s insurance policy may seem expansive enough to cover the full scope of your damages, but the reality is that every insurance carrier strives to minimize claim payouts and deny claims whenever possible. You could have grounds for a personal injury claim depending on who caused your accident and whether available insurance can cover your losses. If you want a realistic estimate of your case’s total potential value, speak with a Beverly Hills rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible after your condition stabilizes.

How Much Does a Beverly Hills Rideshare Accident Attorney Cost to Hire?

If you are already struggling with medical bills and lost income, taking on the added cost of legal representation can seem like it would make an already difficult financial situation even harder in several ways. However, the team at Heimanson& Wolf, LLP, provides personal injury representation on a contingency basis. This means we only accept a fee for our counsel once we win your case, and our fee is a percentage of your total case award. There are no upfront or ongoing costs for our representation, and no fee at all if we cannot secure compensation on your behalf.

How Do I Prove Fault for My Recent Rideshare Accident?

Proving fault for a rideshare crash in Beverly Hills is likely to require a blend of physical evidence, digital evidence, and witness testimony. Traffic camera footage may show that a driver was looking at their phone instead of the road when they caused the accident. Testimony from eyewitnesses could help clarify exactly how an accident happened and which driver caused it. If a case involves technical and complex details, your attorney may coordinate expert witness testimony to support your claim.

The attorneys at Heimanson& Wolf, LLP, have years of legal experience in personal injury law, and our team has secured many substantial settlements on behalf of clients injured in all types of situations. We are experienced in dealing with the insurance carriers covering the leading rideshare services in Beverly Hills, and we know the challenges you are likely to face in your pursuit of compensation after a rideshare accident. Contact Heimanson& Wolf, LLP, today and schedule a consultation with a Beverly Hills rideshare accident attorney who can guide you to the best outcome possible.