Pacific Palisades Rideshare Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a rideshare accident in Pacific Palisades, CA?

At Cohen Injury Law Group, we are rideshare accident lawyers who pursue full recovery for injured clients and their families.

If you were riding in an Uber or Lyft in Pacific Palisades when it crashed, or a rideshare driver hit your car, you may be getting conflicting answers about whose insurance will pay for your treatment. The rideshare company’s coverage does not always apply. The answer depends on what the driver’s app showed at the moment of the crash.

Our founding attorney has represented auto accident victims since 1991, and his practice has included rideshare claims as those services have grown. Working with a Pacific Palisades, CA rideshare accident lawyer at Cohen Injury Law Group means the app records and insurance questions are handled for you. Call or send us a message to arrange a free consultation.

Rideshare Accident Lawyer Pacific Palisades, CA

Rideshare cases differ from ordinary car crash claims because three or more insurance policies may apply to a single collision. A rideshare accident lawyer determines which policy pays, gathers the trip data that proves it, and presents the full value of the injuries. We take these cases for the injured person, whether that person was in the back seat, in another car, or behind the rideshare wheel.

Los Angeles County has 15 trauma centers that treat more than 25,000 patients with major injuries each year, according to county health officials. A serious rideshare crash on Sunset Boulevard or Pacific Coast Highway often ends with a transport to one of those trauma centers instead of a community emergency room.

Types of Rideshare Accident Cases We Handle in Pacific Palisades

The role you played in the trip, whether passenger, driver, pedestrian, or occupant of another car, decides which policies apply. A rideshare accident attorney at our firm starts each claim by placing it in one of the categories below.

• Brain injuries. Back-seat passengers often strike the window, door frame, or seat in front of them during a collision. A traumatic brain injury may not appear on the first scan, so follow-up evaluations help establish the full extent of the harm.
• Burn injuries. A high-speed collision can cause a vehicle fire or expose occupants to hot engine fluids and deploying airbags. Passengers who are trapped in the back seat face a greater risk of serious burns because they have less control over getting out of the vehicle.
• Scooter accidents. Scooter riders travel near the curb where rideshare drivers stop to load and unload passengers. A driver pulling over without checking mirrors, or a passenger opening a door into the scooter lane, can throw a rider onto the pavement.
• Motorcycle accidents. A rideshare driver who swerves toward the curb or makes a sudden U-turn after a drop-off can cut across a motorcyclist’s path. The driver’s app status at that moment determines whether the rideshare company’s policy covers the rider’s injuries.
• Truck accidents. A rideshare vehicle that stops in a travel lane for a pickup can be struck by a delivery truck or dump truck that cannot stop in time. These claims may involve the trucking company’s commercial policy in addition to the coverage that Uber and Lyft liability rules provide during a trip.
• Car accidents. Motorists struck by a rideshare vehicle may claim against the driver’s personal policy or the company’s coverage. The driver’s status at the time of the crash decides which.
• Pedestrian accidents. Pickups and drop-offs pull drivers toward the curb, where people are walking and crossing. A driver focused on finding a passenger may not see someone in the crosswalk.
• Bike accidents. A passenger who opens a door into a bike lane, or a driver who cuts across it to reach the curb, can strike a cyclist. Both the passenger’s and the driver’s conduct may be at issue.
• Wrongful death. A spouse or child of someone killed in a rideshare crash can seek the financial support and companionship that person would have provided. We explain which policies apply before the family makes any decisions.

Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as My Rideshare Accident Lawyer in Pacific Palisades, CA?

Trip Records and App Data

Uber and Lyft hold the information that decides these claims: when the app was on, whether a request had been accepted, and where the vehicle was traveling. Nicholas E. Cohen, our managing attorney, studied at the University of Southern California and brings a background in legal technology to our firm. He makes sure written requests for trip and app records go out before that data can be lost.

Insurance Disputes and Trial Experience

Rideshare claims often turn into disputes between insurers about who pays. Wayne R. Cohen has represented auto accident victims since 1991, and USA Today and the Huffington Post have published his views on rental car “loss of use” fees. He earned his law degree cum laude from Miami Law, and his work for injured clients has produced recoveries totaling millions of dollars.

That familiarity with insurers is what our firm brings as a personal injury lawyer in Pacific Palisades, CA when a corporate policy is involved. Under our contingency fee arrangement, you owe no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. We also ask clients to save the trip receipt and driver profile from their app on the day they hire us.

What Is Important to Understand About a Rideshare Accident Case?

What Are Important Aspects of a Rideshare Accident Case?

Coverage is the issue that sets these claims apart, and a rideshare accident lawyer confirms the app status before deciding where to send the claim. Uber’s coverage, like Lyft’s insurance, changes with the driver’s app status.

• When the app is off, the driver’s personal auto policy is the main source of coverage.
• When the app is on and the driver is waiting for a request, the rideshare company provides limited coverage.
• Once a ride is accepted and while the passenger is in the car, the company’s larger policy generally applies.
• Personal auto insurers sometimes deny claims for drivers who were working, which can leave an injured person between two companies.

Back-seat passengers often suffer head injuries and neck injuries from the force of a side or rear impact. Those injuries should be documented early, because the insurers will look for gaps in treatment.

Most Dangerous Locations for Rideshare Accidents in Pacific Palisades

Our rideshare accident lawyers track the places where pickups, drop-offs, and airport runs bring drivers again and again.

Streets:

• Sunset Boulevard through the village has limited curb space, so drivers stop in traffic lanes to load passengers and following cars strike them from behind.
• Monument Street and Antioch Street serve Palisades Village shops and restaurants, where passengers step out into traffic and drivers circle while waiting for a request.
• Temescal Canyon Road leads to the park and its trailheads, and drivers making U-turns after drop-offs cross into oncoming lanes.

Highways:

• Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) draws beach drop-offs on the shoulder, and drivers who pull back into high-speed traffic are a common source of collisions.
• Interstate 405, reached from Sunset Boulevard east of the community, carries airport trips, and stop-and-go merging near the Sunset interchange leads to rear-end crashes.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Rideshare Accident Cases

Civil Code section 1714 makes a negligent driver responsible for the injuries that follow, whether or not that driver was working for a rideshare company at the time. The goal of compensation under section 3333 is to cover all of the harm the defendant caused. In a rideshare case, that usually means medical treatment, lost wages, future care, and pain and suffering.

A passenger’s claim is often the most direct, since a passenger seldom bears any share of fault. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians may face shared-fault arguments, and California reduces an award by the injured person’s percentage of fault without barring the claim. Insurers for the rideshare company and the individual driver may also argue with each other over who pays first, which can delay an offer.

What Is the Rideshare Accident Case Timeline?

Under section 335.1, an injured person generally has two years from the crash to file a lawsuit. Much shorter filing deadlines apply when a city bus or other public vehicle is involved. Each phase below can overlap with the next when several insurers are involved.

• In the first weeks, we notify each insurer, request the police report, and send a written request to preserve the trip data.
• During treatment, we collect medical records and track wage loss while your physicians assess your recovery.
• Once your condition is stable, we send a demand to every policy that may apply.
• Negotiation often involves more than one insurer, and the order in which they pay can take time to settle.
• A lawsuit follows when no insurer offers a fair amount, and we prepare the case for trial.

What Should You Bring to Your Rideshare Accident Consultation?

These records help us identify the right insurer quickly.

• Screenshots from your app, including the trip receipt, the driver’s name, and the vehicle details, show that a ride was in progress.
• The responding agency and report number let us request the full collision file.
• Discharge instructions and referrals to other physicians describe your injuries and the care you still need.
• Photos of the vehicles and the pickup or drop-off location show where the crash happened.
• Emails or texts from Uber, Lyft, or any adjuster tell us which companies have opened a claim.

If you have not yet seen a doctor, the steps after an accident start with a medical evaluation. We will use the meeting to sort out which policies appear to apply and what the claim would involve.

Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Bring your questions about Uber or Lyft coverage to a rideshare accident attorney in Pacific Palisades, CA. The consultation will cost you nothing. If the case produces no recovery, you pay us nothing. Contact us online or by phone to set a time, and we will confirm the appointment promptly.