San Francisco Uber Accident Attorney

Understanding Uber Accident Trends in San Francisco 

San Francisco is a bustling, fast-paced city where rideshare services like Uber are a go-to option for many. In fact, on a typical weekday, ride-hail vehicles make more than 170,000 trips within the city, about 12 times the number of taxi trips, making up 15% of all vehicle trips in San Francisco. The city has 500 times more Uber trips per square mile than the rest of the state.

With such a high volume of rideshare vehicles on the road, accidents involving Uber drivers are unfortunately a common reality. In fact, a study by San Francisco traffic planners found there were 14,805 Uber collisions in the city in 2020.

However, crashes aren’t the only concern for the people of San Francisco when using Uber. The rideshare company's 2019-2020 safety report sheds light on the disturbing issue of sexual assault and abuse on the ride-hailing platform. This report disclosed that Uber received 3,824 reports of the five most severe categories of sexual assault.

Causes of Uber Accidents in San Francisco

Uber accidents in San Francisco often happen due to many of the same reasons as other car accidents. Here are some of the most frequent causes:

• Distracted Driving: Rideshare drivers frequently use their phones to navigate and find passengers. While this is necessary for their work, it can take their attention away from the road, increasing the risk of accidents.
• Driver Fatigue: Many Uber drivers work long hours to earn more income. This can lead to exhaustion, which reduces their ability to focus and react quickly.
• Driving Under the Influence: Of course, Uber drivers are expected to remain sober, but intoxicated drivers can still get behind the wheel.
• Reckless or Aggressive Driving:  Drivers who speed, tailgate, or weave in and out of traffic are more likely to cause accidents.

Whether your accident was caused by drunk driving or a careless Uber driver, an Uber accident attorney in San Francisco can help you. Our team can investigate the root cause of the collision to show liability and gather crucial evidence to support your case. Contact Levin Simes today online or by calling (415) 426-3000 to chat about how we can remove the guesswork from taking legal action against Uber.

Why You Should Let a San Francisco Uber Accident Lawyer Handle Insurance Companies 

After an accident, the insurance companies involved will often reach out to you. They may seem friendly and eager to help, but their goal is to protect their bottom line, not your best interests. Insurance adjusters may ask for statements or even offer you a quick settlement that may seem fair but is often far less than what you truly need to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and future treatment.

Without an attorney, you may not fully understand the value of your claim or the tactics that insurance companies use to reduce payouts. In many cases, they may pressure you into giving a statement or accepting a settlement before you have the chance to evaluate the full extent of your injuries and losses.

While Uber does not consider drivers as employees, the company still provides insurance to protect passengers and drivers, usually including: 

• Liability Coverage: This is crucial for rideshare drivers, as it covers damages and injuries to others when the driver is at fault.
• Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist Coverage: Protects both drivers and passengers if the other party lacks adequate insurance.
• Comprehensive/Collision Coverage: Covers driver’s vehicle in the event of accidents, vandalism, or non-collision incidents.

That said, since drivers are independent contractors, it only covers drivers in certain situations. For example, if the driver has the Uber app turned off and is not accepting passengers, the driver themselves or their personal insurance provider would be responsible for any accident. 

This layered system of Uber insurance can make it challenging to determine who is responsible for paying your damages, especially when the insurance companies start pointing fingers at each other. This is why it’s crucial to consult with a San Francisco Uber accident lawyer to determine what you may be owed and through which insurance company.

At Levin Simes, we aren’t intimidated by corporate giants like Uber. We know they have money, legal teams, and all the resources in the world, but that doesn’t scare us.

Our team is prepared, experienced, and dedicated to taking on these big companies and holding them accountable. You’ve already been through enough, and we’ll make sure Uber’s deep pockets don’t stand in the way of you getting the compensation and support you deserve. Reach out to our San Francisco Uber accident attorneys today online or by calling (415) 426-3000 to learn more about our extensive history taking on Uber and how we can put that experience to work for you.

What Kind of Settlement Can an Uber Accident Lawyer in San Francisco Help You Secure?

An experienced San Francisco Uber accident attorney can help you secure a range of settlements through a lawsuit against Uber, including:

• Medical Expenses: Compensation for past and future medical bills related to your injuries, including surgeries, rehabilitation, and ongoing treatment. Your attorney will obtain and present receipts for the care you’ve already received and consult with financial and medical experts to calculate the future sums you’ll need to continue treatment.
• Lost Wages: Reimbursement for income lost due to missed work during your recovery period, as well as future financial losses. These could include losses related to unemployment due to your injuries, reduced employment, or loss of job-related benefits like health insurance, retirement and 401K contributions, and profit-sharing losses.
• Pain and Suffering: Damages for physical pain, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life resulting from the accident. If your injuries cause issues in your marriage or family (loss of consortium), those harms can also be included when reaching a fair settlement.
• Property Damage: Coverage for repair or replacement of your personal property damaged in the accident. This could include your clothing, technology like your phone or computer, or other items like suitcases or a bicycle that you were traveling with.
• Wrongful Death: Compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and the extreme emotional distress of losing someone before their time.

Additionally, in cases of extreme negligence by the driver or by Uber in hiring a problematic employee, punitive damages may be pursued to punish the responsible party. Those funds are then awarded to you in addition to the compensation listed above.

While some injuries may never fully heal, the recovery you receive from a successful lawsuit can help you access the best healthcare available. By maximizing your compensation with the help of a proven San Francisco Uber accident attorney, you have the means to provide yourself with a stable, hopeful future.

A recent study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has found an uptick in fatal rideshare accidents. Crashes with companies like Uber and Lyft have resulted in a 3% rise in overall car accident fatalities. 

The increasing number of rideshare vehicles on the road is responsible for about 1,000 daily car accidents. In one year, data showed that Uber vehicles were involved in 97 fatal crashes, resulting in the death of 107 people.

If you have suffered losses in an Uber or Lyft rideshare accident, contact Levin Simes at (415) 426-3000 or fill out our online form as soon as possible for a free, confidential, compassionate consultation. Know your rights, explore your options, and empower us to pursue the justice you need.

What Types of Injuries and Losses Can a San Francisco Uber Accident Lawyer Handle?

An Uber accident attorney can handle various types of injuries and losses stemming from rideshare car accidents, including:

• Physical injuries: This includes a wide range of personal injuries such as whiplash, bone fractures, head and brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burns, and internal injuries. We will thoroughly document all of your hospital bills, medication expenses, and follow-up care costs related to these physical injuries.
• Emotional Distress: Crash survivors may experience various types of emotional trauma, including anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These conditions can negatively affect your vitality in wide-ranging ways, disrupting social relationships, thwarting career opportunities, and diminishing your enjoyment of life.
• Insurance Claims: Your Uber accident lawyer can negotiate with Uber's insurance or your own health insurance providers to ensure you receive the full coverage promised to you. By handling these communications on your behalf, we help spare our clients the stress of arguing for what they are already rightfully entitled to.

The value of legal representation is having a trusted professional on your side to negotiate a fair settlement or pursue legal action through litigation if necessary. Let our Uber accident attorneys handle the intricacies and deadlines associated with your case so you can rest and heal in peace.

Contact an Experienced San Francisco Uber Accident Attorney

By holding massive rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft legally accountable, you can secure the recovery you need to get your life back on track. Your case may also incentivize better safety practices, insurance procedures, and background checks that could have far-reaching, positive ripple effects for other travelers just like you.

When going up against a company like Uber, you need all of the help and resources you can get. A lawyer can take care of every step of the legal process, including: 

• Determining who is liable for your injuries, whether it be the driver, Uber, or a third-party driver.
• Gathering evidence, like witness testimony, video footage of the accident, medical records, and more, to build a strong and solid case against Uber.
• Dealing with the various insurance companies that may be involved. 
• Calculating all of the damages you experienced due to the accident, ensuring you are not shortchanged for your suffering. 

Not only will working with an experienced lawyer allow you to focus on your recovery and life going forward, but it may also increase your chances of getting the compensation you deserve. For example, a survey by Martindale-Nolo revealed that people who hired a lawyer walked away with an average of $77,600 in compensation, compared to an average of $17,600 for those who represented themselves.

Proudly Representing San Francisco Residents