Experienced Uber Accident Attorney in San Francisco
If you have been injured in a San Francisco Uber accident, you might be wondering how you are going to pay for your damages. It is a valid question. After all, auto accidents typically lead to expensive medical treatments, months of missed wages, and plenty of psychological trauma. How does anyone expect you to pay for these losses while you heal from the mental and physical trauma of your accident? While the healing process can vary depending on your accident, one thing is certain: An Uber accident attorney in San Francisco may be able to help.
How Can an Uber Accident Attorney in San Francisco Help Me?
San Francisco is famous for many things, including the Golden Gate Bridge and its steep hills. In the modern era, however, the city has gained a reputation for housing some of the most successful tech companies in the world. This includes not only names like Apple, Google, and Tesla but also newer companies such as Uber. The rideshare company is headquartered in San Francisco, and its vehicles complete thousands of journeys per day across the city’s streets.
An Uber accident attorney in San Francisco is helpful for a number of reasons. Working with a lawyer located in San Francisco is a smart choice even if your Uber accident occurred in another state. This is because in order to sue Uber, you may need to file a lawsuit in the jurisdiction of the company’s headquarters. This is true with any corporation, and a lawyer in San Francisco can deal with local courts with a degree of familiarity and efficiency.
San Francisco Uber attorneys are also very familiar with the unique aspects of Uber crashes, as these accidents are especially common in these jurisdictions. Law firms such as Mary Alexander & Associates have close knowledge of the specific laws and regulations that apply to rideshare accidents. They are also quite familiar with the way Uber’s insurance system works, and they can guide injured plaintiffs toward fair settlements by navigating this insurance system effectively.
What Damages Can I Claim After an Uber Accident?
If you are trying to pursue compensation after an Uber accident in San Francisco, one of the first things you will need to consider is how the accident has affected your life. What kind of losses have you suffered due to the accident? How has the accident affected your ability to earn an income? What kind of psychological issues are you suffering from? These are all examples of “damages,” and these factors help determine how much your injury claim might be worth.
Damages fall into two categories:
- Economic Damages
- Non-Economic Damages
Economic damages are fairly straightforward, and they include financial losses such as missed wages, funeral expenses, and medical expenses.
Non-economic damages are a little more complex because they deal with abstract concepts such as emotions and pain. Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loss of purpose
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Disfigurement
- Humiliation
All of these losses could theoretically be associated with Uber accidents. For example, an injured plaintiff might suffer a broken leg, which leads to thousands of dollars in missed wages and thousands more in medical expenses. They might also suffer serious PTSD after the accident, which further affects their general well-being and ability to earn an income.
Does Insurance Cover an Uber Accident in San Francisco?
Insurance coverage is a tricky concept when it comes to Uber accidents. This is because Uber drivers often have varying levels of insurance coverage depending on the unique circumstances of each crash.
On a general note, commercial drivers are supposed to get special driving insurance. However, many Uber drivers fail to do this and instead rely only on their personal driving insurance. It is worth mentioning that personal driving insurance policies specifically state that they do not cover any crashes resulting from commercial activities undertaken by the policyholder.
With that said, Uber offers an additional layer of insurance beyond the driver’s policy. This insurance coverage varies depending on the unique circumstances of the crash – specifically the driver’s activities in the moments prior to the crash. Were they driving to pick up a passenger when the accident occurred? Did they already have a passenger in their vehicle at the time of the accident? Were they involved in non-work-related duties?
All of these factors can affect the degree to which Uber covers one of their drivers for an accident. They may attempt to show that the driver was not even “on the clock” at the time of the accident in an attempt to avoid all liability. This is when an Uber accident attorney in San Francisco can step in and push back against these claims. For example, Uber might claim that the driver was pulling out of a McDonald’s drive-thru when the accident occurred – suggesting that they were essentially “on their lunch break.” Your attorney can look into this matter more closely, perhaps discovering that the driver was actually pulling away from the curb after dropping someone off.
Can I Sue for a Robotaxi Accident in San Francisco?
A new trend in the rideshare sector is the introduction of robotaxis. These are fully self-driving vehicles with no driver whatsoever, and they have become increasingly common in San Francisco. While GM’s “Cruise” service is generating plenty of buzz, Uber recently announced that it was partnering with Google’s “Waymo” service to offer the same experience. The good news is that these robotaxis represent a potentially easy route to compensation. Why? Because with no driver, the company behind these robotaxis has no choice but to assume full liability for any accidents.
Where Can I Find an Experienced Uber Accident Attorney in San Francisco?
If you have been injured in an Uber accident, it might be time to contact a qualified personal injury attorney in San Francisco. With help from one of these lawyers, you can hold Uber accountable for a wide range of negligence. Whether you were injured as a pedestrian, a passenger, or a driver, you deserve the opportunity to assess your legal options. Book your consultation today to get started with an effective action plan.
