As a rideshare that caters to children, Kango must have strong liability insurance required by the state of California. After an accident caused by a Kango driver, parents must seek full compensation from Kango’s insurers to cover a child’s medical care now and to cover any care needed for injury complications that develop as they mature.
Rideshare Law Office of California wins support for victims hurt in rideshare accidents involving Kango drivers. We make sure young victims and their families have everything they need to pay for their medical care so they can heal and get back to their normal lives. Please contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation for all California victims injured in car accidents.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Kango Accident?
If your child’s injuries are only very minor in a crash, or it’s a property damage-only accident, you may not need the help of a lawyer for your case.
It’s when the injuries suffered are serious, like a broken wrist or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), that you should go over your accident with a skilled lawyer. these types of injuries can be especially devastating for young victims and also affect their physical development in the future.
When medical bills run high, insurance adjusters for Kango will work overtime to try to shift the blame in an accident to another driver. They will also want to devalue your child’s injuries so they get away with offering you less in support.
A California rideshare accident lawyer fully investigates your accident and collects the evidence necessary to keep insurance companies from wiggling out of responsibility. Witness testimony and accident reconstruction data will be used to force Kango to provide the maximum in compensation available.
Kango Rideshare Dangers for Children
Kango is a new idea in rideshare. The company focuses on transporting children and their parents to destinations like school, soccer practice, and back home. Kango provides booster and child seats. They’ll take your kids almost anywhere and even provide babysitters. With a focus on safety, it’s a service plenty of California parents will download to their phones.
You’ll see Kango rideshare drivers across Los Angeles County, Orange County, and in San Diego. The service is also available in parts of the Central Valley including Turlock, Modesto, and Stockton.
Parents can ride along with their children or monitor a child’s trip on their phones. Drivers receive full background checks and the cars used to move children from here to there must be as safe as possible.
Unfortunately, anyone traveling on busy roads in California is vulnerable to careless and reckless drivers, no matter how safe the driver is.
And rideshare drivers deal with additional collision risks because they must focus on so many other things than just driving:
- Kango App Distraction: Drivers depend on their cellphones for alerts about nearby ride requests and for help with finding streets and different destinations. The constant glances at phones can lead to scary collisions that put everyone in the car at risk.
- Distraction from Passengers: Rideshare drivers interact with and must protect the safety of riders. That job becomes even more challenging when the passenger is an energetic child who may not make the safest decisions. Kango drivers are required to monitor the safety of young passengers while still being as safe as possible in the lanes. They must be able to handle questions and comments from curious children as they travel. Drivers must be experienced drivers and have experience. If Kango hires someone without the proper background and record and an accident occurs, Kango can be fully liable for any harm done to children.
- Temptation to Be Reckless – Kango workers might also feel pressure to get children to their destinations on time. A driver could make an error in judgment and speed or drive aggressively. Employees may avoid drug and alcohol testing and end up behind the wheel while drunk or under the influence of drugs. These mistakes leave the driver and Kango fully responsible for the consequences of the accident.
- Loading and Unloading Dangers – The driver’s duty to a young passenger doesn’t end when a vehicle stops. Drivers must see that children get into the SUV safely and out. Children must be dropped off in safe spots where they aren’t at risk of being struck as pedestrians. These are moments that Kango is still responsible for.
Does Kango Provide Vehicle Insurance for Drivers?
Yes. Kango drivers must carry at least the minimum in liability insurance California allows. This insurance would usually have low limits and wouldn’t cover the full cost of a serious injury. Fortunately, Kango also backs their drivers with additional insurance that would cover much more.
Kango Driver’s Insurance – Kango drivers must carry their own insurance. It would usually only be called upon if a Kango driver struck your car or hit you as a pedestrian while off the clock and with the app turned off.
Kango Insurance Coverage – Kango provides up to $1 million in accident coverage as long as the driver is on the clock when the accident occurs. That would include when a driver is on the way to pick someone up and when the driver has a child in the vehicle. The policy is also in effect when the driver simply has the app on waiting for a ride request to come in. You can read more about the Kango car insurance here.
Another Driver’s Insurance – If your child was in a Kango car struck by a careless driver, that driver’s auto insurance would be liable for providing recovery support. Kango’s policy would also kick in if the at-fault driver was found to be uninsured or underinsured.
Common Child Injuries in Rideshare Car Accidents
Passengers in the back seat of cars are subjected to unique dangers in car crashes. Children might suffer injuries when they are thrown into the seat in front of them. They might hit the door or glass beside them to receive bone fractures. A seatbelt might also hurt a child.
Children’s bodies are less able to protect them from the forces unleashed in a collision. The injuries are often devastating to a young victim.
These are just a few of the injuries treated in California emergency rooms:
- Head Injuries/Concussions – A Traumatic Brain Injury occurs when the brain of a child collides with the interior of the skull. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association notes that children with brain injuries can experience dizziness, impaired movement, seizures, and vomiting. A skull fracture and spine injuries can also be devastating.
- Chest Injuries – Pressure from an impact or the restraint of a seatbelt or child seat can bruise and break bones in the chest. The heart and lungs might be threatened when ribs break. Air passageways might be restricted.
- Gastrointestinal injury – This can affect the child’s stomach, small bowel, colon, or rectum. A puncture wound in these organs could prove life-threatening.
- Pelvic fractures – The pelvis bones may be cracked as a seatbelt or child seat holds a child tightly in an impact.
- Psychological Injuries- Adults can suffer anxiety and PTSD symptoms for years after a frightening accident. Children can suffer even worse and these damages can affect their lives as they develop into adults.
Additional Concerns for Child Victims in Car Accidents
It’s critical to earn enough in a car accident settlement to protect a child’s well-being now and in the years ahead.
Children’s bodies are usually smaller and more susceptible to injuries in the blunt force trauma of a vehicle impact.
Young victims who are injured could have to deal with injury complications for much longer than an adult with the same injury. A child’s bone fractures and internal injuries may appear to heal, only to have problems with development appear years later as the victim ages.
Victims may require additional surgeries in their teen years. Surgery may help correct the placement of a broken bone that never healed right. Children may require additional physical therapy down the road. This care could be expensive and out of range for parents.
That’s why these potential costs must be a part of any settlement. Your lawyer would be demanding full compensation for your family’s current hardships and those that lie ahead.
Compensation Families Will Need After a Child is Hurt in a Car Accident
These are just a few of the damages that must factor into a Kango accident settlement check:
- Medical expenses, both past and future.
- Support for physical pain suffered by the child.
- Support for any permanent disfigurement or disability suffered.
- Support for the emotional toll a crash and a difficult recovery take on a young victim.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Lost wages for parents who must miss work to care for a child.
At Rideshare Law Office, we strive to provide as little distraction as possible to young victims and their families during the claims process. We will work to secure the most possible for a young victim while giving the child as much time as possible to focus on healing and growing stronger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my family seek support if a child is tragically lost in a rideshare accident?
Yes. Families would file wrongful death claims to earn justice and to help with future financial issues. They should receive help with funeral costs and every medical bill that remains. Parents must also receive support for the lifelong love and companionship that’s been lost.
What’s the statute of limitation on my injury claim after a rideshare accident?
In California, you have up to two years after an accident to file a claim. But you shouldn’t wait years to file. Alert your lawyer to your case as soon as you can so your lawyer can access fresh evidence and track down witnesses before they disappear.
What if I can’t afford to pay a lawyer after a Kango accident?
You can still count on powerful legal representation. Rideshare Law Office doesn’t get paid unless we are successful in earning compensation for you and your child. Then, your lawyer is paid out of the settlement Kango must provide.
Contact a Kango Car Accident Lawyer
After an accident, it’s critical for victims to avoid forfeiting important benefits they’ll need to rebuild their lives. That’s especially true for young victims who may suffer physical and emotional hardships for years to come after a frightening accident.
If you or your child sustained a serious injury and the accident involved a Kango driver, contact us for a free and confidential consultation. Rideshare accidents can be complex cases and involve many different insurance companies.
