Ventura is known for its beautiful coastal scenery and beaches, but there are plenty of other destinations residents and visitors map each day. The push to get to work on time, or make a class at Ventura College may send you to your Uber app to find a driver close-by.
Those check-ins can be a simple tap for you, but for rideshare drivers at the wheel, a notification can mean a long moment of looking at their phones, and not looking at the traffic around them. These duties can make travel for anyone in an Uber car or traveling alongside them a bit more dangerous than you may realize.
If you find yourself in an accident caused by an Uber driver, contact a Ventura rideshare lawyer as soon as you can. Or if you’re an Uber driver hurt in an accident and wondering how to get Uber to do the right thing and provide support, please reach out to us.
If you suffer an injury and are facing a stack of medical bills you might be waiting months to get Uber to take action to help pull you back from the brink of financial ruin. An attorney taking up your case can cut through the red tape that Uber and insurance agents and purposely stall you with.
Dangerous Distraction for Uber Drivers in Ventura
Ventura is a great place for a vacation, but there are plenty of residents who go about their everyday lives here. They may pass the Grant Park Cross while driving the kids to school or commuting to work at the Patagonia Headquarters or to any other of the local companies that have set up shop in Ventura. It may just be a trip down the Ventura Freeway for lunch that gets you tapping that Uber app.
Rideshare vehicles can add to the already busy traffic around Ventura during the morning, noon, and evening rushes. They can also greatly increase the number of distracted drivers using the roads. Uber drivers depend on their Uber apps to let them know when a customer is signaling for a ride, to help them find a rider, and to get paid.
If you’re a driver, motorcyclist, or pedestrian you may have seen an Uber employee having trouble staying in their lane while checking a phone message. You try to give them space, but every day there are accidents caused by Uber drivers that innocent drivers aren’t able to avoid. Uber drivers can also feel empowered to drive recklessly to get to their destinations quickly and get a good customer rating. It’s another way Uber can put other motorists and pedestrians in danger.
Common Collision Injuries And Uber Insurance Coverage
These accidents can be very traumatic for victims when they occur. The aftermath of these accidents can also target injured victims with even more difficulties as they find out how hard it can be to navigate Uber’s claims policy.
Uber will make victims first seek compensation from their driver’s personal auto insurance. This can often be a dead-end. If the driver’s insurance won’t cover your recovery costs, then Uber insurance can be called upon. They provide up to a million dollars in coverage to their driver’s victims, but its availability greatly depends on what duties the Uber employee was performing at the time of the accident.
These restrictions can be very frustrating to victims who can still be in pain from their injury and facing bankruptcy with hospital bills coming due and more and more missed time at work. That compensation is extremely important when you consider the possible injuries that can result from a bad accident.
These are just some of the most common outcomes seen in emergency rooms:
- Brain injuries: Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) after a blow to the head can result in non-stop headaches, blackouts, and an inability to speak. These symptoms can subside or can develop into a permanent condition, even robbing victims of their memories.
- Thoracic spine injury: Disc nerve damage can cause pain in every part of the body and a loss of control of body parts can also result.
- Fractured bones: Emergency room doctors must often treat and set broken bones after car accidents. These injuries can take a long time to heal properly and even require multiple surgeries to restore the use of limbs.
- Passenger Injuries: For Uber passengers, often in the backseat, the dangers can be even greater. The fewer safety devices built-in to backseats can lead to an elevated risk of severe head and chest injuries for victims.
Do I need a lawyer after an accident involving an Uber Driver?
Having an attorney is often the only way to keep insurance agents honest when they start to try to pick apart your claim for compensation. A rideshare accident case can involve multiple insurance providers, even your own, and that can mean an increased risk of getting taken advantage of by their unfair practices when it comes to victims. Uber is an international company and has teams of lawyers that work to protect their profits, even when an Uber driver is clearly in the wrong. Don’t face these obstacles alone.
Contact a Ventura Uber Accident Lawyer
After an accident involving Uber, a member of the team may contact you for a statement. Speak to an attorney before giving any statement of any kind. Your recorded answers can be used by an Uber lawyer later to weaken your case and reduce the support you get.
If you or a loved one sustained a serious injury and the accident involved Uber contact us for a free and confidential consultation. You should be focused on recovery and getting your life back on track. Let an attorney worry about communications with Uber and insurance companies.
