West Covina Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

West Covina Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney

Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are extremely popular in West Covina and surrounding areas of California. If you use these services, you must acknowledge that you face the same risk of experiencing an accident as you would in any other vehicle. It’s important to know what to do in this situation and the value of working with an experienced West Covina Uber and Lyft accident lawyer if you need to pursue legal action to recover your losses.

Representing Rideshare Accident Victims in West Covina, CA

The attorneys at Duque & Price provide client-focused legal counsel for a wide range of personal injury cases in West Covina and surrounding communities. We can help you determine the fault for your accident, assess the total of your damages, and guide you through the process of recovering compensation for the losses you have suffered. Rideshare accidents can raise difficult legal challenges the average person will not be able to overcome on their own.

Success with your recovery efforts will likely require navigating a complex auto insurance claim filing process, and dealing with insurance companies can be very challenging. You may also need to build a personal injury suit in West Covina, and you are not only more likely to win your case but also more likely to maximize your recovery if you have an experienced legal representative handling your case. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can begin to help you recover.

What to Do After a Rideshare Collision: A Step-by-Step Guide

Rideshare collisions are a rising cause of personal injuries in the area. Two-thirds of all rideshare trips statewide happen in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. West Covina also recorded 453 injury or fatal-collision victims in 2022. The steps you take following a car collision can greatly influence your ability to seek compensation from the party at fault.

The rideshare app will play a key role in your injury claim. Saving a copy of your ride and reporting the incident to the rideshare company through the smartphone app are both crucial steps. Following a collision, call 911 and wait in a safe area for police and emergency medical services to arrive. Allow paramedics to examine you for injuries and take photos of the accident scene once you can do so safely.

As soon as possible, contact an injury attorney. They can help you gather further evidence, like the police report. Your attorney can represent you through the injury claim process and negotiate on your behalf so you are fairly compensated for collisions along Azusa Avenue, West Covina Parkway, West Garvey Avenue, or elsewhere in West Covina.

Evidence to Preserve

Beyond photos, several forms of evidence can strengthen a West Covina rideshare injury claim. Save the trip receipt and take in-app screenshots showing ride time and any messages with the driver. Riders or attorneys should send a preservation letter immediately to prevent Uber or Lyft from deleting or overwriting critical app data.

Identify nearby business surveillance cameras, and note the West Covina Police Department officer’s name and badge number on the collision report. Vehicle event data recorder (EDR) data, medical records, and witness names and contact information can all document how the crash occurred and the injuries that were sustained.

Understanding Uber and Lyft Insurance Requirements

California law, under Public Utilities Code PUC § 5433, requires strict insurance coverage for rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft. Those requirements change depending on the driver’s activity on the app.

When the app is on but no ride has been accepted (Period 1), the transportation network company (TNC) must provide at least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 per incident, and $30,000 in property damage, plus an additional $200,000 in excess coverage per occurrence.

Once a driver accepts a ride and continues transporting a passenger (Periods 2 and 3), coverage increases to $1,000,000 in primary liability. During Period 3, when a passenger is physically in the vehicle, California also requires $1,000,000 in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. These protections ensure that injured riders and third parties have meaningful recourse after a crash.

Why You Should Hire an Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a rideshare collision, your top priority should be to hire an Uber and Lyft accident lawyer who has managed complex rideshare accident cases. With strong legal representation, you can gain a better understanding of Uber and Lyft accident laws.

A West Covina Uber and Lyft accident attorney can preserve the evidence you need to secure fair compensation through negotiations or action in court. Lawyers have your interests in mind and can prevent rideshare companies from avoiding paying you what you are owed.

Recovering Compensation for a Rideshare Accident in West Covina

Rideshare drivers must have auto insurance that complies with California’s minimum coverage requirements, and rideshare companies are required by law to have additional insurance that works at different levels based on the circumstances of a rideshare accident. If you were hurt as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, you would likely have grounds to file an auto insurance claim to recover compensation for your losses.

You will need to establish liability for the accident before you can claim any compensation for your damages through an auto insurance claim or a personal injury suit. Your attorney can help you gather evidence to prove fault, and then they can help you assess the full extent of your damages. You can rely on the team at Duque & Price to assist you with all of your interactions with auto insurance carriers after your accident.

Your attorney can verify that your insurance claim is handled in good faith. If you need to file a personal injury suit to recover your damages, they will assist with this as well. Success with any personal injury case in California requires proving fault for your damages, showing the full extent of those damages, and then proving they are the direct result of the defendant’s negligence or misconduct.

Ultimately, recovering from any rideshare accident in West Covina may be more challenging than you initially expected, and the right attorney can be an invaluable asset for the difficult legal proceedings ahead of you. The attorneys at Duque & Price have successfully helped many past clients navigate difficult vehicle accident cases and achieved great results, and we are ready to apply this experience to your Uber or Lyft accident case in West Covina.

FAQs

Can I Sue a Rideshare Company for My Recent Accident in West Covina?

You may be able to sue a rideshare company for your recent accident in West Covina under certain conditions. Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are required to have auto insurance that applies when their driver causes an accident. However, if an investigation reveals the rideshare company was negligent in handling their driver, and that contributed to causing the accident, you may have grounds for a civil suit.

How Do You Prove Liability in West Covina for a Rideshare Accident?

You can prove liability for a rideshare accident by gathering various forms of evidence along with statements from any witnesses who saw your accident happen. The team at Duque & Price can assist you with building the foundation of your claim. You can rely on our team to secure cell phone records, traffic camera recordings, and witness statements to help you prove liability and hold the responsible party accountable for your damages.

What Is My Rideshare Accident Case Worth in West Covina?

The potential value of your rideshare accident case in West Covina will depend on the total of your damages. If you can prove another party is responsible for causing it, you have the right to seek compensation for property damage, medical expenses, lost income, and your pain and suffering. Your case may be worth more than you initially expected, so it is important that you reach out to an experienced West Covina Uber and Lyft accident lawyer to help with your case.

Do I Need a Lawyer in West Covina, CA to File an Auto Insurance Claim?

You do not need a lawyer to file an auto insurance claim in California. However, filing your claim will be significantly more challenging without an attorney’s help. Insurance companies typically push back against claims for coverage whenever possible, and they may attempt to coerce you into accepting a lowball settlement. An attorney can ensure you are treated fairly and make sure that the settlement offer is reasonable.

What Does It Cost to Hire a West Covina Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer?

The cost to hire a West Covina Uber and Lyft accident lawyer will depend on your lawyer’s billing policy. When you choose Duque & Price to represent you, we take your case on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will only pay a percentage of the total compensation we recover for you and only if and when we win your case. This ensures that your legal fees do not overshadow the compensation you receive for your damages.

Speak To Our West Covina Rideshare Accident Attorney

The attorneys at Duque & Price have years of experience helping injured clients in West Covina and surrounding areas with all types of difficult vehicle accident cases, including rideshare accident claims. If you believe another party is responsible for your accident, and if you need help with the insurance claim filing process, we are ready to assist you. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation with a West Covina Uber and Lyft accident lawyer.

Meet Our West Covina Uber and Lyft Accident Attorneys

Brent A. Duque Attorney, Founder & President

Matthew R. Price Attorney Partner

Jordan Harris Davidoff Attorney

Real Client Reviews – Uber & Lyft Accident Cases