Orange County
Rideshare Accident Attorney

The introduction of ridesharing services has revolutionized the way that people travel across Orange County, California, and the United States. Millions of people use Uber and Lyft each year. According to Uber’s own internal records, there were roughly 33 million Uber trips per day on average in the fourth quarter of 2024. The steep increase in the number of rideshare trips per year has also come with an increase in accidents.

According to one study in the Journal of Safety Research, “Of 276 rideshare drivers that reported their crash history, one-third (n = 91, 33%) reported being involved in a work-related crash.” These collisions can result in very serious injuries that can jeopardize a person’s ability to be gainfully employed or to simply live a normal life. It is critical that victims of rideshare collisions seek legal guidance early on. The Orange County Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at Samer Habbas & Associates are here to help. We can investigate the unique facts of your case and let you know how much financial compensation you may be entitled to. You can reach out to our office anytime for a risk-free consultation at (949) 727-9300.

Why You Need an Orange County Rideshare Accident Attorney

Rideshare vehicles often have very complex insurance policies. Determining liability for these collisions can be uniquely challenging. There are a number of reasons that victims of rideshare collisions should seek out a rideshare accident attorney.

• Claim Rejections: Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have large legal teams that are dedicated to reducing the amount of money that they pay out for claims. Injury attorneys understand these tactics and know how to fight back.
• Maximizing Compensation: An attorney can help accident victims get the most compensation for all of the damages that victims have sustained. This will include economic and non-economic damages.
• Legal Understanding: The laws relating to rideshare collisions can differ from those related to passenger vehicles. Attorneys can help navigate these laws to help you get the best outcome for your case.
• Protecting Rights: Rideshare passengers have a number of rights that must be observed. An attorney can take steps to make sure that these rights are being protected.

One of the common tactics that rideshare companies use in order to minimize payouts is to offer low-value settlements early on. These early offers hardly take into consideration all of the medical expenses necessary to treat a person’s injuries. It is always best to seek legal guidance before agreeing to anything.

Common Causes of Rideshare Accidents

Rideshare collisions tend to be complex events. The factors that contribute to any collision could take place hours, days, weeks, or even months before an actual crash. What follows below are just a few of the most common causes of accidents.

• Distracted Driving: Driver distraction remains one of the leading causes of rideshare collisions. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,308 people died in distraction-affected crashes in 2022. Rideshare drivers face unique distractions as they are continuously accepting new gigs.
• Driver Fatigue: Another common cause of rideshare accidents is driver fatigue. It is common for rideshare drivers to work long hours and become naturally fatigued. In many cases, people start working for Uber or Lyft after they’ve already put in a full schedule at another job.
• Third Parties: Rideshare collisions are often caused by the negligence of third parties. This could include drivers that are making dangerous left turns or otherwise committing traffic infractions.
• Speeding: Nearly 1/3 of all traffic fatalities are speeding related. Rideshare drivers get paid per trip that they complete. There is a natural incentive to complete these trips as quickly as possible.
• Poor Maintenance: Both Uber and Lyft assume no responsibility for maintaining the vehicles that rideshare drivers use. It is entirely up to these drivers to maintain their vehicles. This can easily lead to a situation where drivers forgo needed maintenance in order to save money.

It is important that there is a thorough investigation after any rideshare collision. This investigation can help reveal all of the factors that may have contributed to an accident that caused an injury.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Rideshare Collision?

Several different parties could potentially be liable for a rideshare collision. Who can be held liable will depend in large part on the unique circumstances of any crash. In particular, it matters whether a rideshare driver was transporting a rider.

• Rideshare Drivers: If a rideshare driver had their app turned off when they caused an accident, they will typically be completely responsible for what happened.
• Working Rideshare Drivers: If a rideshare driver had their app turned on and was transporting a passenger (or on their way to pick up a passenger), accident victims will typically be able to pursue a claim through Uber’s or Lyft’s insurance policy.
• Rideshare Companies: Rideshare companies typically hire their drivers as independent contractors and are therefore not responsible for the negligence of those drivers. But they could be responsible for the negligent actions of their drivers if those drivers were negligently retained or hired.
• Other Drivers: In many cases, rideshare passengers will be injured after their vehicle was hit by a third-party vehicle. In these instances, those third-party drivers could potentially be held liable for any resulting injuries.

Uber and Lyft have fairly large insurance policies designed to help victims of rideshare collisions. Both have $1,000,000 insurance policies. This includes $1,000,000 for uninsured/underinsured coverage.

Common Injuries in Rideshare Accidents

Rideshare collisions can result in traumatic injuries. Here are just a few of the common injuries that are associated with rideshare collisions.

• Whiplash: The force of a motor vehicle accident can rapidly accelerate a person’s head forward and backward. This can result in whiplash and soft-tissue damage.
• Broken Bones: Higher-speed collisions routinely leave victims with broken bones. Even a low-speed collision could result in broken bones in the event that a pedestrian is hit by a rideshare vehicle.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries: If a person’s head hits a fixed object during a rideshare collision, this may result in a traumatic brain injury. These injuries can have serious, long-term implications for a person’s health and leave victims much more susceptible to neurodegenerative illnesses like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: Perhaps one of the most serious injuries that a person can sustain in a rideshare collision is a spinal cord injury. Any type of damage to the spinal cord can leave victims at risk of partial or permanent disability.

Even if an accident victim is able to heal physically following a rideshare collision, many victims report long-term psychological trauma. Severe collisions may result in anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. It is crucial that accident victims seek immediate medical care in order to help reveal the full extent of their injuries.

What Compensation Is Available After a Rideshare Collision?

There are numerous forms of compensation available after a rideshare collision. Compensation will typically fall into two categories: economic and non-economic.

• Medical Expenses: Accident victims will be able to recover for all of the medical expenses that they incur. This includes money for surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, hospital stays, and more. Past, current, and future medical expenses can all be taken into consideration.
• Lost Wages: Accident victims can recover compensation for all of the time that they have to take away from work while recovering from their injuries.
• Diminished Earning Capacity: Accident victims can also be compensated if their injury resulted in a diminished earning capacity. For example, severe back pain may limit the amount of time that a person is able to perform their work duties.
• Pain and Suffering: Nearly all accidents that result in physical injuries will leave victims with at least some pain and suffering. This can be taken into consideration when damages are awarded.
• Emotional Distress: A rideshare collision can leave victims traumatized. Many people suffer nightmares and other forms of emotional distress. Accident victims can be financially compensated for this.
• Property Damage: When a rideshare collision results in property damage, this can be taken into consideration.

Hiring an experienced Orange County rideshare accident attorney can make a tremendous difference in terms of maximizing claim value. An attorney can take into consideration all of the ways that a rideshare accident has impacted your life, both now and in the future.

Steps to Take After an Uber or Lyft Accident

It can be hard to know where to begin after a rideshare collision. Victims should take a number of actions in order to preserve their health and financial well-being.

• Seek Medical Attention: It is important to seek a thorough medical evaluation after being involved in a rideshare collision. Many of the injuries associated with these collisions may not be immediately obvious.
• Call 911: Rideshare collisions should be immediately reported to the police. They will begin the process of investigating the crash and creating an official report of what took place.
• Gather Evidence: Accident victims should be proactive in gathering all of the evidence related to the collision that they were involved in. This will include photos of the accident site, witness information, and related documents.
• Avoid Speaking: It is best to avoid speaking with insurance adjusters or posting about what happened on social media. These actions can severely damage your case.
• Contact an Attorney: Any person injured in an Orange County rideshare collision should seek out an experienced Orange County rideshare accident lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney can take steps to protect your rights so that you are able to be fairly compensated.

One of the great advantages of speaking with an attorney is that they can evaluate the unique facts of your case and let you know how much compensation you may be entitled to. There are also no upfront costs associated with hiring an attorney. They get paid entirely from the opposing party if they were able to successfully resolve your claim.

Why Choose Samer Habbas & Associates?

At Samer Habbas & Associates, our Orange County Uber accident attorneys are dedicated to getting accident victims all of the compensation that they are entitled to. Our legal team has decades of experience and has recovered over $350 million for our deserving clients. If you’ve been harmed by an Uber or Lyft, there are many reasons that you should consider hiring our law firm.

• Experience: We have experience handling rideshare accident claims across Orange County and all of California.
• Track Record: We have a proven track record of being able to recover seven-figure verdicts and settlements for accident victims.
• Personal Touch: No two rideshare accident cases are the same. We offer personalized legal strategies for each case that put the needs of our clients first.
• Recognized Excellence: Our law firm has consistently been recognized by our peers and clients for the exceptional care that we bring to every case.

When you hire our law firm, you can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to help get you the very best outcome for your case. If insurance providers are not willing to offer a fair settlement, we are more than prepared to take every case to trial if that is what is needed to best serve the needs of our clients.

Getting Legal Help After a Rideshare Accident

If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident, it is best to act with a sense of urgency. Failing to take action within the statute of limitations can result in a permanent loss of your ability to pursue a claim. Taking action early can help ensure that key pieces of evidence are properly preserved and that steps are taken to help maximize the value of your claim.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a rideshare collision? The Orange County Uber accident attorneys and Orange County Lyft accident attorneys at Samer Habbas & Associates are here to help. We can help get you the medical and financial support that you need in order to recover. You don’t have to go through your ordeal on your own. Our law firm can handle virtually every aspect of your case so that you are able to focus on healing. Whether you just have legal questions or would like to hire a rideshare attorney, we are here to help. You can contact us anytime at (949) 727-9300.

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