Westlake Village Uber Accident Lawyer

You’ve been noticing more cars with “Uber” stickers in Westlake Village lately, way more than yellow taxi cabs. You’ve never used the service, although you can see its value, but now you have to contact them because one of their drivers plowed into your car the other day and now you’re nursing an injured ankle and various other injuries. You hope you don’t have a concussion but you are suffering from massive headaches following the crash. Someone’s responsible for your injuries, but is it the driver or the company? Or both?

It depends. You’ll be best positioned to file your claim if you seek out help from a winning Westlake Village Uber accident lawyer at Walch Law, someone with experience handling these types of claims. While you do have the right to seek compensation, it can get complicated when rideshare services such as Uber are involved.

We’ll take a look at liability and the claims process with respect to Uber accidents, including the importance of working with skilled legal counsel.

The first order of business following any automobile accident is to administer first aid to anyone who needs it (unless you’re too seriously injured to do so yourself). If your car is blocking the roadway and you’re able to move it to the side, then do so. It’s also helpful to take pictures and write down any pertinent information, including the exact location, road conditions, etc. You also may want to get an official police report of the accident, which can help validate your claim.

It’s important to gather certain information after an accident, regardless of whether it involves an Uber driver, such as:

• Names and contact information of any drivers involved in the accident
• License plate numbers and descriptions of all vehicles involved
• Insurance information

But since your accident did involve an Uber driver, you’ll also want to check the following details:

• Is the driver logged into their Uber app? If not, it will affect how your claim is handled.
• If the driver was logged in and searching for riders (but didn’t have passengers at the time), then Uber provides up to $50,000 per person in injury liability ($100,000 per incident) and up to $30,000 in property damage coverage.
• If the driver has accepted a ride and is on their way or has passengers in the vehicle, they’re covered by Uber for up to $1 million in liability coverage.
• Uber’s First Notice of Loss or Trip/Data Verification page allows you to verify the trip (you’ll enter the Uber driver’s name and other details).
• Finally, you’ll want to file an accident report with Uber.

Don’t be overwhelmed, though, as your Westlake Village Uber accident lawyer can help walk you through the process after the fact and take case of all of this for you. The best thing you can do is call Walch Law as soon as possible so we can start gathering these important pieces of evidence and make the strongest case possible for you.

With any insurance claim, it’s important to keep in mind that insurance companies are in business to make a profit and will do everything they can to minimize their payouts. That’s why you don’t want to accept an early offer before you’ve had adequate time to fully assess your claim. For instance, that head injury may be more serious than you originally thought, but if you accept an early settlement without factoring that in, then you lose the opportunity to add that to your claim.

Since Uber drivers are independent contractors (not employees in the legal sense), Uber isn’t directly liable for your injuries. They provide some insurance coverage but they don’t make the claims process that easy. Be aware that your Uber claim could be difficult for a number of reasons, such as:

• Denial of claim (regardless of evidence suggesting the driver’s fault)
• Failure to reply to claims or questions about claims
• Low settlement offers
• Downplaying the seriousness of the injury or claiming the injury was a preexisting condition

By working with a Westlake Village Uber accident lawyer at Walch Law, you’ll have a legal professional on your side who knows how to pull the right strings. This is one of those scenarios where the cost of not hiring an attorney could be much more than the cost of having one. They’ll also be able to ensure that you’re claiming all of the damages (monetary claims related to your injuries) to which you’re entitled. For instance, non-attorneys may not realize that they can make claims for “pain and suffering” and other abstract losses.

If you don’t assert your right to seek monetary compensation for your injuries, no one else will. But unless you’re an accident attorney, you may not know the specifics of how to get the full amount of your claim. Get professional help from a top Westlake Village Uber accident lawyer and call the Law Offices of Gary K. Walch, a Law Corporation today. We know the time following an accident is confusing and frustrating—let us take care of your legal case so you can concentrate on your physical and emotional recovery. During your initial free consultation we will tell you how much your case is worth, answer your questions about our process and much more. Get in touch with us now!