How Much is My Uber/Lyft Passenger Injury Case Worth?

Rideshares have become increasingly popular, especially in urban areas. However, the two largest rideshare apps, Uber and Lyft, have actually been linked to a 2-3% increase in traffic collisions.

If you’re one of these people who have been injured in a car crash as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft ride, you likely have quite a few costs incurred from the accident. In the legal world, the costs that result from an accident are referred to as damages.

Depending on the severity of the crash, these damages can be detrimental to your everyday life and wellbeing. Luckily, you can contact a Sherman Oaks personal injury attorney about getting compensation for these damages. You’ll have to determine the party that is at fault for the accident, which your injury lawyer in Sherman Oaks can help you with. Your lawyer can speak to the responding officers and obtain the accident report, which will deduce the responsible party. They will also contact you and the other driver’s insurance agent for additional information.

If you’re considering filing a personal injury claim to get compensation for your losses, you’re probably wondering about the value of your case. By meeting with an Uber and Lyft accident lawyer in Sherman Oaks, you can start to compile evidence for all of your damages, whether they are tangible or intangible.

Economic Damages in a Rideshare Accident

Damages in a rideshare accident can be economic or non-economic. Economic damages are tangible and easily quantified. They are designed to compensate the plaintiff for their actual, measurable losses, which are often financial.

Economic damages are thought of by the courts as a sort of reimbursement for the out-of-pocket costs that resulted from an injury. The most common economic damages from a car accident are listed below.

Medical Expenses

While many plaintiffs in traffic accidents think that compensation only covers medical expenses that have been previously incurred or are currently being incurred, meeting with a car accident lawyer in Sherman Oaks will enlighten them to the fact that they can sue for compensation of any future medical bills they will be met with due to the injuries from the accident.

In order to get the maximum settlement for your bodily injuries and medical bills, you will need a doctor’s statement to testify to the future medical treatment you will need, the time period during which you’ll need additional treatment, and an estimate of the future medical costs.

In addition to the emergency medical care you require immediately after the accident, you will also likely require a specialist’s care. This can be follow-up visits with a physical therapist, chiropractor, or neurologist should you suffer a brain injury.

Household Services

If you are severely injured as a result of the crash, then you may find yourself unable to perform basic household duties, such as cleaning, cooking, and taking care of your pets and children. This can be a very upsetting thought, but there’s hope.

If you find yourself stuck in this situation, work with your injury attorney to seek compensation for the fees you’ll have to pay to hire help around the house.

Lost Wages

If you suffered serious injuries that make moving about difficult, it is likely you won’t be able to return to work right away. It may take several weeks or possibly much longer for you to be able to get back to work.

As a result, you will miss out on paychecks since you won’t be at work, and you may suffer tremendous financial hardship from this. Keep track of how many hours you are missing out on while you recover from your injuries. The amount of money you receive will ideally cover the time of the accident to the date of your court settlement.

Even if you were on unemployment benefits at the time of the crash, you can still get paid these damages. However, you will need to prove an amount that you could have earned during this period if you had been physically able to get a new job.

Non-Economic Damages

In addition to the financial losses you have suffered since your rideshare accident in Sherman Oaks, you can suffer damages that are intangible. Because they are intangible, non-economic damages are harder to quantify since they don’t come with a bill. However, a talented Sherman Oaks ridesharing accident lawyer can help you quantify these so that you can get compensated fairly.

Pain and Suffering

Pain and suffering is a non-economic damage that is difficult to quantify, and most rideshare accident victims are likely to suffer this kind of damage. An Uber or Lyft passenger injury lawsuit will include pain and suffering if physical or emotional trauma resulting from the crash.

Physical pain and suffering can give you compensation for the discomfort and pain that result from your injuries. For example, suffering a spinal cord injury will incur a greater settlement than if you had suffered minor lacerations.

Mental pain and suffering is supposed to represent the psychological impact of your car accident injuries and the general experience of the collision. Being in a car accident is traumatic, and any PTSD that results can make it difficult to return to your daily commute. Mental pain and suffering can include:

• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Anxiety
• Fear
• Anger
• Humiliation
• Anxiety
• Sleeplessness

How to Get Compensation for Your Damages

If you were a passenger in your accident, and it’s determined that your rideshare driver was at fault, then you may have to sue the rideshare company. This is a complicated matter in California, as Uber and Lyft have fought to ensure that their drivers are legally seen as independent contractors, making them liable for their own accident.

Uber and Lyft may cover up to $1 million of your damages, depending on the circumstances of the accident and which period you were in at the time of the accident. The two apps divide their accidents into three phases, the last two of which offer coverage in the event of an accident.

If Uber and Lyft are absolved from responsibility, the rideshare driver will have their own insurance; it’s actually a requirement to drive for both companies. Your Uber and Lyft accident lawyer in California will be able to help you determine who the focus of your lawsuit is.

If you are seeking to file a compensation claim for someone who has passed as the result of a rideshare accident, then you can also start a wrongful death suit.

Contact the top rideshare accident law firm in Sherman Oaks at Okhovat Law to start your claim!