Uber Accidents

Uber is a transportation network company (TNC) that connects drivers with passengers. Taking Uber has become an increasingly popular form of transportation in California and elsewhere in recent years. Customers sign up with Uber and then summon it. The signup creates a contract between the customer and Uber related to driver qualifications and fares. Unlike taxis, Uber is supposed to screen potential drivers and hire people who are qualified. Passengers get information in advance about the driver and the car. Often, a part-time driver is used. If you are involved in an Uber accident, you may need to retain a car accident lawyer to hold the driver responsible for your injuries. At Sharifi Firm, our Los Angeles Uber accident attorneys may be able to help you recover damages from the appropriate parties.

TNCs like Uber are required to have criminal background checks, driver training programs, and zero tolerance policies related to drugs and alcohol. Drivers must have a minimum of $1 million in coverage for a death, personal injury, or property damage caused by their drivers. Uber must also provide uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for drivers and passengers. Even if another driver caused the accident and either lacks insurance or fled the scene, Uber must cover the damages of passengers who are injured. The CPUC has determined that since rides are pre-arranged, they are different from cab rides in which drivers pick up passengers who hail them.

If you were in a different car and got into an accident with an Uber driver, the case proceeds similarly to any type of car accident case. Typically, an Uber accident lawyer in Los Angeles must establish the Uber driver's negligence to recover damages. This means that you will need to prove that it is more likely than not that the other driver's failure to use due care was the actual and legal cause of your injuries. When the Uber app is not turned on, the driver's personal injury policy may be in effect. If the app was on, but there was no passenger accepted, their own policy or the Uber contingent coverage may be in effect. However, if someone has been accepted for a ride in the Uber, the driver's $1 million policy is triggered, even if that person is not yet in the car.

If you are in an Uber, and the Uber driver causes the accident, you may sue your driver, and the $1 million policy should cover your damages. You may also be able to make a claim against the other driver if the accident is a result of negligence by the other driver. When the fault for an accident is uncertain, you should sue both the Uber driver and the other driver to make sure that you are able to recover your full damages. In California, defendants are only held jointly and severally liable for economic damages. Each defendant is severally responsible for their proportionate share of the noneconomic damages. This makes it crucial for your attorney to sue all of the appropriate parties to make sure that you recover the total damages to which you may be entitled.

Certain nuances of the law related to Uber accidents are still evolving because Uber is a relatively new form of transportation. At Sharifi Firm, APC, our Los Angeles Uber accident lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation if you were injured in this type of collision. Our firm understands these types of cases and the necessity of an aggressive approach to gathering and preserving evidence. Contact us online or call us at (866) 422-7222 to set up a free appointment with a motor vehicle collision lawyer. Our firm also represents people in Temecula, Rancho Cucamonga, Glendale, Covina, Riverside, and San Bernardino, among other Southern California cities.