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Ridesharing services are a lifesaver for many tourists and residents in Bakersfield. With a tap of a button on your phone, you can have a ride ready to take you anywhere you need to go within minutes, whether to work or Bakersfield Plaza.
Yet, although this makes getting around the city easy, convenient, and less stressful, it does not mean it makes you immune from dangerous motor vehicle crashes.
Sadly, catastrophic accidents in an Uber vehicle still occur and can leave you dealing with significant trauma, extensive pain, and a slew of medical expenses that will forever change your life.
If this collision was due to another person’s wrongful or negligent actions, you should not have to deal with these devastating consequences on your own. Instead, you need a Bakersfield Uber accident attorney on your side, helping you get through this traumatizing ordeal and fighting for the justice you deserve. That is why The May Firm is here for you, ready to take on this fight and pursue the outcome you need.
Founded by Robert May, The May Firm was created with the mission of fighting for the citizens of Central Coast and helping them during their critical time of need. As a result, The May Firm is California’s premier personal injury law firm known for fighting tirelessly for its clients.
Our skilled and knowledgeable personal injury lawyers make sure to approach each legal case with compassion and experience to get the results our clients want and deserve. This is because our goal has always been to seek justice and empathy in the worst moments in our clients’ lives while helping alleviate the emotional and physical stress of the legal process as much as we can.
Due to this dedication and drive, we have not only helped thousands of injured individuals throughout the state, but we have also collected millions of dollars on their behalf through jury verdicts and settlement awards. Yet, even though we cannot guarantee these results for every case we take on, you can rest assured that when you work with The May Firm, our legal team can fight hard to secure every last dollar your injury has cost you.
Rideshare companies such as Uber are companies that match a passenger with a driver of a vehicle for hire. This process is usually done through the rideshare company’s website or app and on very short notice.
The purpose of these rideshare companies is to provide a convenient ride for those who do not have an available car or when getting behind the wheel is not safe, such as after having too many alcoholic beverages.
Uber accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, some of which can be intentional, unintentional, or even negligent. Yet, in Bakersfield, these crashes often result from the following:
One of the more common causes of Uber crashes is speeding. This is because when motorists drive faster than the posted speed limit, it often results in them losing control of their car and causing an accident. Plus, depending on the road conditions and the traffic, a speeding Uber is more likely to cause dangerous situations for other drivers.
For instance, the downtown area in Bakersfield and Rosedale Hwy near Buck Owens often has the most speeding offenders and some of the deadliest accidents.
Uber services are primarily accessed through the phone. That means that both passengers and drivers need to use their cell phones to request a ride and to accept a ride. As a result, drivers are constantly watching this app, even as they are driving, for an upcoming booking or other notifications. Unfortunately, this can easily distract these drivers from keeping their eyes on the road and lead to a tragic accident.
Another common cause of an Uber accident has to do with an Uber driver not being familiar with the area where they are picking up or dropping their customers off. Due to this uncertainty, these drivers are often looking around to find these passengers or trying to verify on their phone where they are.
However, these actions can cause many problems, such as the Uber driver stopping unexpectedly, failing to see other cars or people in front of them, or operating their vehicle more slowly. This can lead to Uber drivers causing severe crashes that put not only their passengers in danger but also other vehicles and pedestrians on the road.
Ignoring traffic rules can not only get Uber drivers in a lot of trouble, but it can put their lives and other people’s lives at stake. Traffic signs, signals, and other regulations are intended to keep motorists, passengers, and pedestrians safe. Not following these rules can result in dangerous and deadly collisions. Yet, it still seems to be a common cause of Uber accidents in Bakersfield.
Although Uber has basic requirements its drivers need to meet to drive for the company, these requirements do not guarantee driving skills. Consequently, if an inexperienced motorist takes on rides during lousy weather or starts driving in significantly congested areas such as Stockdale Highway near California Avenue, they could run into an accident.
Typically, if a driver is planning on driving for Uber, the only requirement they have to meet in terms of their car is that the motor vehicle has to be in good condition. Yet, the company does not mandate any safety inspection to ensure that the vehicle works properly. As a result, if a vehicle breaks down, it can pose a danger to the passengers in the Uber, as well as other motorists and pedestrians.
Usually, if an Uber driver needs to drop off a passenger or pick them up, they will stop or park where they need to. However, this can create several issues with the surrounding traffic and put the Uber driver, other motorists, passengers, and pedestrians in a threatening situation.
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There are typically four main categories of personal injury claims that are involved with an Uber accident. They include:
Although these types of crashes are the most common types of Uber accidents, this is not an exhaustive list of every kind of accident that can happen. That is why, if you have been injured in a Bakersfield Uber accident, you should reach out to a skilled Uber accident lawyer such as those at The May Firm as soon as possible. These attorneys can review your accident, determine whether you have a viable claim, and help you figure out what legal action you need to take next.
Unfortunately, Uber crashes can result in devastating injuries that affect almost every part of your body.
Yet, even though the severity and the extent of these injuries will depend on the circumstances of the accident, in general, the more common types of injuries that occur because of an Uber collision include:
Following a Bakersfield Uber accident, the scene is often chaotic and overwhelming. Yet, as a victim of this horrifying crash, you must take action. Not only to protect your health and safety but your legal rights as well. For these reasons, if you are involved in a Bakersfield Uber crash, you should:
After an Uber accident, you need to contact 911 immediately. Not only is this the quickest way to alert the authorities of the accident and get the crash on record, but to let emergency medical personnel know that you or someone at the scene needs immediate medical help.
Once the authorities arrive, they can perform a preliminary investigation of the collision and write down their findings in their police report. If you decide to pursue a legal claim, this report can provide valuable details regarding what happened and who was at fault.
If you do not require any immediate medical help and the scene is safe, make sure you collect as much evidence from the accident as possible. This should include photos and videos of your visible injuries, the vehicles involved in the collision, their placement on the road, skid marks on the street, the weather conditions, traffic signs near the crash, and anything else that can help demonstrate what occurred.
Make sure you get information from everyone involved in the accident, including names, driver license numbers, contact details, and insurance information. However, as you talk to these people, you need to watch what you say.
For instance, if you were one of the other motorists involved in the Uber crash, do not apologize for the accident, indicate that anything was your fault, or make any definitive statements about what happened. These types of accounts can come back later and hurt your case, affecting the amount of money you can receive.
After the collision, check if any people saw what happened. If so, get their name and contact details. These individuals can often provide you with further information regarding the incident and help back up your claim. Yet, if these witnesses do not want to offer you these details, do not try to force them. Instead, leave this information gathering to your attorney.
You will also want to keep track of your accident and medical reports related to your Bakersfield Uber accident, as well as all the bills. This evidence can help your attorney show the extent of your damages and injuries resulting from the incident and aid them as they go after the maximum damages you need.
Even if your injuries appear to be relatively minor, you still want to get to a doctor as soon as possible. This is because after suffering a serious injury such as brain trauma, it can take days to even weeks for symptoms to occur. However, the longer you wait to get medical help, the more debilitating and fatal these injuries can become. For these reasons, get to a doctor right away and have them check you over to ensure you do not have any of these hidden but deadly injuries.
In addition, getting this prompt medical attention can also help your legal claim. Many times after an accident, the insurance company will try to find anything they can to use against you and deny your case. By not getting immediate medical help after your crash, these companies will try to argue that your injuries are not that serious or a result of a subsequent event.
By getting to a doctor as soon as possible after your accident, these medical professionals can document your injuries in their medical report and provide you with evidence of a direct link between your Uber crash and the injuries you sustained.
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Rideshare companies such as Uber are companies that match a passenger with a driver of a vehicle for hire. This process is usually done through the rideshare company’s website or app and on very short notice.
The purpose of these rideshare companies is to provide a convenient ride for those who do not have an available car or when getting behind the wheel is not safe, such as after having too many alcoholic beverages.
Following a Bakersfield Uber accident, there may be several parties that can be responsible for the collision.
As a result, if this crash injured you, you may pursue legal action against:
As you can see, Uber accidents are complicated and often involve many moving parts. For these reasons, following your crash, you need to work with a skilled Bakersfield Uber accident attorney, such as those at The May Firm. These lawyers can promptly get to work, figure out what happened, who was at fault for the collision, and hold all those responsible for your injuries accountable for the harm and losses you endured.
Uber drivers in Bakersfield are classified as independent contractors, meaning that they work under contract with Uber but are not company employees. As a result, these drivers are likely not covered under workers’ compensation insurance and are responsible for their own general liability insurance coverage.
However, when it comes to these independent contractors in California, Uber is required to provide additional insurance to its drivers. Yet, this insurance will only become active once an Uber driver turns on their rideshare app, and the coverage will depend on the specific circumstances of the accident. For instance:
Uber App Turned Off. If the Uber driver’s app is not active, they are acting as a private individual, and their driving is not related to their work with Uber. Consequently, if they are involved in an accident, their own insurance will apply in these situations.
According to the state’s insurance laws, these drivers must carry minimum coverage:
Uber App Turned On, Available. During this time, an Uber driver has their Uber app on and is available to passengers. However, they have not yet been paired with a rider. Under this period, Uber will supply additional insurance if the Uber driver’s personal insurance does not cover the entirety of an accident claim.
This insurance includes:
En Route to Pick up or Drop off Passengers. Once an Uber driver is en route to pick up a passenger or is driving them to their destination, Uber will maintain the following coverage on an Uber driver’s behalf in case of a crash:
The statute of limitations is a law that indicates the maximum amount of time a person has to file a claim after an alleged offense. If these individuals do not bring a claim within this allotted period, they can be barred from collecting compensation for their sustained harm.
In California, the statute of limitations for a personal injury claim is two years from the injury date. However, there are exceptions to this rule that can shorten or extend the amount of time an individual has to file their case.
Because of these stringent time frames, you should reach out to an Uber accident lawyer, such as those at The May Firm, as quickly as possible following your crash. These attorneys can promptly review your case, determine how long you have to file your claim, and ensure everything is prepared correctly and filed before time runs out.
If you have been injured in a Bakersfield Uber accident, you may be able to pursue certain types of compensation, including economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages: These damages refer to the verifiable losses that develop from the accident and usually include:
Non-Economic Damages: These damages refer to the rather subjective losses that result from an accident, meaning they are not easy to quantify.
They include:
In addition, in some instances, you may obtain punitive damages. However, unlike compensatory damages, which compensate the victim for their losses following an accident, punitive damages punish the defendant for their egregious actions and to deter others from committing this act again.
As a result, not every injury victim receives these damages. Instead, they only arise in exceptional cases, specifically when the victim’s lawyer proves with clear and convincing evidence that the at-fault party acted with malice, fraud, or oppression.
Even though an attorney can tell you what type of financial compensation you may be entitled to, they cannot tell you exactly how much money you will receive following a Bakersfield Uber accident.
This is because there are just too many factors that can impact your claim and affect the amount of compensation you might obtain, such as:
Although a lawyer cannot tell you precisely how much money you can get after an accident, when you work with a skilled Bakersfield Uber accident attorney, like those at The May Firm, these lawyers can go over these factors, figure out how they impact your claim, and fight for the maximum damages you deserve.
After an Uber accident, if you bring an injury claim under Uber’s insurance policy, you should not lose access to your Uber account. In fact, Uber usually takes a portion of each fare and applies it directly to their insurance for these very reasons.
That is why, if Uber turned off your account after a Bakersfield Uber accident, you should reach out to a skilled Bakersfield Uber accident lawyer today. These attorneys not only can handle this situation for you, but they can also go over your case and figure out your legal options.
Following a Bakersfield Uber accident, the insurance company may try to offer you a settlement. Although this may be precisely what you need during this critical time, accepting this money may not be the right decision.
Generally, insurance companies will offer a meager settlement amount soon after a crash in hopes that the victim will accept this money without taking the time to figure out if it will cover all of their current and future expenses or review this offer with an attorney. More importantly, if the victim accepts this offer, they cannot come back to the insurance company later and ask for more.
For these reasons, before you accept any money from the insurance company, you should speak with a skilled Bakersfield Uber accident attorney before making any decisions on a settlement offer. These lawyers can go over this offer and figure out if it works for you. If it does not, they can head back to the negotiation table with the insurance company and fight for a fair amount.
To have a successful injury claim following a Bakersfield Uber accident, you need to be able to produce strong, relevant evidence and sound legal arguments proving what happened and who was at fault for your harm and damages. However, after this accident, this is probably the last thing on your mind, especially as you are dealing with catastrophic injuries and excruciating pain.
Fortunately, with an experienced Bakersfield Uber accident attorney, such as those at They May Firm, fighting for your rights, you will not have to tackle this complex legal battle alone.
Once retained, these lawyers can:
If you have been harmed in a Bakersfield Uber accident, do not wait any longer to get the legal help you need. Instead, contact the Bakersfield Uber accident lawyers at The May Firm at (844) 629-3476 today for a free case evaluation, and let our Uber accident attorneys show you how we can pursue the financial recovery you need and fight for the justice you deserve.
Contact us to get started. It is important to have the proper legal representation on your side if you’re involved in a motorcycle crash. Often wrongful blame is placed on the rider in a multi-vehicle collision due to the increased risk that comes with riding a motorcycle. Insurance companies are reluctant to side with the motorcyclist and oftentimes will attempt to place the full or partial blame on them. Don’t accept that blame and the legal repercussions that come with it.
Call (866) 619-6679 to schedule a free consultation with our award-winning motorcycle accident lawyers. We’ll help determine the viability of your case based on your testimony and help you determine the best way to proceed. Working on a contingency fee means our lawyers are only compensated when your case or settlement is won, and our extensive experience and case history allow us to settle most claims out of court, giving you a faster resolution to your case and allowing you to focus on your recovery process. We factor in every possible expense when building your settlement: Medical bills, wage loss, property damage, and emotional suffering are all considered. Our goal is to help you put your life back in order to the best of our ability.
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