Category: Motor vehicle accidents

Every time you choose to ride in a vehicle being driven by someone else, you are putting your safety in that person’s hands. You expect the driver to operate the vehicle in a safe manner and to make smart driving decisions. You are also subjecting yourself to the actions of other drivers on the roads, without giving yourself an opportunity to respond.

When you choose to take a bus or a taxi, in most cases you are dealing with a professionally trained driver with a lot of experience. With the rise of Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing companies, you are probably using the services of a driver who does not have the same level of professionalism or skill. The driver may have done a simple online application and may have no specialized driving skills.

Unfortunately, many passengers using rideshare companies such as Uber or Lyft are injured in accidents each year. The driver may be distracted by his or her phone or could be engaged in other unsafe driving behaviors. There have been a number of highly-publicized accidents recently in which someone was seriously injured or killed by a vehicle operated by a ridesharing company. In many cases, the ridesharing company attempted to deny liability, which could result in only the individual driver’s policy being available. Those policies are often very minimal, and in many cases the insurance company refuses to pay damages.

Attempting to recover damages from an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle can be complicated and may involve several different parties and insurance policies. If you have suffered injuries, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to schedule a free consultation on your case.

A lawsuit filed in a California court recently has shed some light on the dangerous practices of rideshare companies, such as Uber and Lyft. The lawsuit is seeking damages from Lyft due to the death of a Lyft passenger.

According to the lawsuit, the Lyft passenger went to a bar in West Hollywood in January 2018 with some friends. His friend ordered him a Lyft vehicle to transport him to his friend’s house. When the vehicle arrived, the passenger sat in the front seat with the driver. At some point, a dispute developed, and the driver pulled the vehicle over, stopped on the busy freeway, pepper-sprayed and ejected the passenger from the Lyft car, leaving him on the shoulder of the freeway. The passenger was later struck by another vehicle along the freeway. The driver failed to stop. The accident victim was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The lawsuit alleges that Lyft was negligent in its treatment of the passenger, because the company failed to use reasonable care in transporting him. Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that Lyft is negligent in its hiring, retention, and training of drivers. According to the lawsuit, the process to become a Lyft driver is entirely online. Applicants are not required to take training classes or pass road tests. Instead, they merely must complete an online application, undergo a background and driving record check, and pass a vehicle inspection. The background checks are outsourced to a third-party company, and only go back seven years. The lawsuit claims that as a result, passengers can be exposed to unsafe and unfit drivers.

Any common carriers, which are companies or individuals who transport passengers for money, have a duty to use the utmost care in keeping those passengers safe. If they fail in their duties, they can be held liable for damages.

If you have been harmed by the wrongful actions of a rideshare company, such as Uber or Lyft, call me, Conal Doyle, rideshare negligence attorney, at 310-385-0567. My firm can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.

Semi-trucks, tractor trailers, and other trucks on the road must be properly maintained. Proper maintenance is what helps ensure the safety of both the truck drivers and others who share the roads with trucks. Semi-trucks can weigh many tens of thousands of pounds when they are fully loaded, and if they are not properly maintained and secured tragedy can result.

The federal government regulates the trucking industry, and there are extensive laws and regulations which address the need for maintenance for semi-trucks. If a trucking company fails to properly maintain its equipment, and that causes an accident, the injured parties can sue the trucking company, the maintenance company, and others.

According to federal law, every vehicle that is used in a trucking business must have complete maintenance records. Inadequate maintenance is a common cause of trucking accidents, which is why extensive regulations exist. Truck drivers must fill out detailed inspection reports daily which cover items like brakes, tires, emergency equipment, and more. Each piece of equipment must be properly maintained.

In many cases, equipment that is in disrepair goes unnoticed because the correct inspection reports were not prepared. If you have been in an accident and you suffered injuries, you should speak with an attorney. An attorney can help you determine the correct party to hold responsible for your injuries. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

I’m so sorry to hear about your injuries. You may be able to hold the rideshare company liable for your injuries. Under California law, common carriers have special duties to their passengers to take steps to keep them safe. Common carriers are businesses or individual that transport passengers for hire.

In California, common carriers can face liability if they illegally eject their passengers. Case law has held that the common carrier has a duty to deliver the passenger to his or her destination. If a common carrier ejects a passenger at a place other than the designated destination, and in doing so subjects the passenger to an injury which is reasonably foreseeable, the common carrier can face liability.

Recently, our firm filed a lawsuit against Lyft related to a passenger’s death. The death occurred when the Lyft driver ejected a passenger from the vehicle, pepper-sprayed him, and then left him beside a busy Los Angeles freeway. The passenger was then struck by another vehicle. Our firm sued Lyft for the driver’s actions, which caused the death of the passenger.

If you believe that you were wrongfully ejected from an Uber or a Lyft vehicle or a taxi, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. My firm can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

I’m so sorry to hear about your accident. Motorcyclists often face an uphill battle when trying to cover compensation for their injuries from insurance companies of drivers who have caused accidents. When a ridesharing company is involved, the legal case may be even more difficult.

Motorcyclists can receive some of the most serious injuries of anyone travelling on the roads. Motorcyclists are often travelling at high rates of speed and have little protective equipment to absorb the impact of a collision. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 5,000 people are killed and tens of thousands are injured in motorcycle accidents each year.

When a ridesharing company’s driver is involved in the accident, it can make the question of who is legally responsible for the accident a little murkier. You may be able to pursue compensation directly from the driver. However, the driver’s insurance coverage may be limited, or the company may deny your claim. You may also pursue a claim directly with the ridesharing company itself, such as Uber or Lyft.

If you have been injured as a motorcyclist with a driver who is driving for Uber or Lyft, you should speak with an attorney. Your case probably involves significant injuries and the question of liability may be difficult. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. Currently, my firm is involved with a case against Lyft for negligence, and we will be happy to speak with you about your claim. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.

A lawsuit was recently filed in Los Angeles against Lyft, the popular rideshare company. According to the lawsuit, early this year a man in Los Angeles used Lyft to get a ride to a friend’s house. On the way, a verbal dispute erupted by phone between the Lyft driver and the passenger. The lawsuit alleges that the Lyft driver pulled his vehicle over on the side of the freeway, pepper-sprayed the passenger, and kicked him out on the shoulder of the freeway. The man was later struck and killed by a hit and run vehicle.

The lawsuit alleges that although Lyft’s website claims that it makes safety the top priority, the company does not use safe practices in its hiring, training, or retention of drivers. The lawsuit alleges that the entire application process to become a driver for Lyft is done online. Although drivers are required to submit documents, Lyft allegedly does not verify that those documents are accurate.

The lawsuit claims that only three steps are necessary to become a driver for Lyft: completing an online application, undergoing a background check and driving record check, and passing a vehicle inspection. Lyft dos not conduct its own background checks, according to the lawsuit, but instead outsources those to another company. The background checks only last for seven years. The lawsuit also alleges that Lyft does not require its drivers to attend training classes or pass road vehicle tests.

The lawsuit is seeking damages from Lyft for the passenger’s death. If you or a loved one has been injured in a rideshare accident, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call my office today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.

I’m sorry to hear about your accident. After your accident, you most likely need money to help with your expenses – you may be stuck will large medical bills, injuries that make it difficult to work, and ongoing pain. Unfortunately, injuries to pedestrians are common. A personal injury lawsuit can help you recover compensation for your injuries.

Typically, the victim in a pedestrian accident has the legal right to sue the automobile driver for negligence. Negligence occurs when a person’s standard of conduct fell below an acceptable standard. In order to prove that negligence occurred, the injured pedestrian must be able to prove that the automobile driver owed the pedestrian a legal duty, the driver breached that duty and the pedestrian was harmed as a result, and that the pedestrian suffered damages.

Every single pedestrian accident case is different, so it can be difficult to estimate what your particular case is worth. Typically, you are entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, as well as future medical expenses you are likely to have related to the accident. If you missed time from work, you are entitled to compensation for that. You may have suffered a permanent disability, which you can also be compensated for. Finally, if you have ongoing pain, you are entitled to an award for that as well.

You should speak with an attorney in Los Angeles if you have suffered injuries in a pedestrian accident. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. My firm is experienced in personal injury cases and can help. Call us today to learn more or to schedule your free consultation.

Accidents while using ridesharing companies like Uber or Lyft can be tricky. What will happen depends on the circumstances and who was at fault for the accident.

If the Uber or Lyft driver caused the accident, you can sue the driver. However, the driver may only have a personal automobile insurance policy and probably does not have many assets. The insurance policy may not cover accidents in which the driver is driving for a business, such as transporting passengers.

In many states, ridesharing companies are required to carry insurance for personal injury, death, and property damage that is caused by the drivers. In addition, ridesharing companies often carry policies which can provide you with some protection. If your ridesharing company does not have such a policy, and you suffered injuries in the accident, you may be able to sue the company itself.

If the driver for Uber or Lyft was not at fault for the accident, and another driver was, you may be able to pursue a claim against that other driver. That driver will hopefully have automobile insurance which will cover your damages. If not, the ridesharing company may have underinsured or uninsured motorist insurance which would cover that event.

If you have been injured in an accident as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft vehicle in Los Angeles, you may be entitled to compensation. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.

Lyft, the popular ridesharing company, was recently sued in a California courtroom for a passenger’s death. In addition to Lyft, the driver was sued for his actions that allegedly caused the passenger’s death. The lawsuit is seeking compensation for wrongful death, loss of income and earning potential, punitive damages, and medical expenses.

The lawsuit alleges that the victim went out to eat earlier this year, and then went to a bar in West Hollywood with friends. His friend ordered him a ride with Lyft to take him to his friend’s house. A Lyft vehicle picked up the victim, who sat in the front seat with the driver. At some point during the ride, the victim’s friend who ordered the Lyft spoke by phone with both the victim and the driver. Around that time, a dispute arose between the deceased and the Lyft driver.

The Lyft driver allegedly pulled over the vehicle, stopped on the I-110, pepper-sprayed the victim, and ejected him from the car, leaving him on the shoulder of the freeway. The victim was later struck by a vehicle, which failed to stop in the crash. He was transported to California Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Lyft was sued for negligence and wrongful death by the victim’s parents. The lawsuit alleges that Lyft was negligent in its hiring, training, and supervision practices. The lawsuit seeks actual damages as well as punitive damages.

If you or a loved one has been harmed due to the wrongful actions of a Lyft or Uber driver, you should speak with an attorney. You may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles rideshare accident attorney, at 310-385-0567. My team can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule your free consultation.

I am sorry to hear about your accident. Yes, if you are involved in an accident with a tractor trailer in Los Angeles that was caused by the negligence of the tractor trailer driver, in most cases you can hold the trucking company responsible. However, you need to speak with an attorney. Typically, accidents involving tractor trailers are complex and often involve large amounts of damages. An attorney is necessary to ensure that you get the compensation to which you entitled after the accident.

Jackknifing is a term that refers to what happens when a tractor trailer or 18-wheeler skids, which causes the trailer to swing out to one side forming an angle. The angle looks like the angle that the blade of a jackknife forms with its handle. In many cases, jackknifing occurs when the truck’s wheels lock up during slippery road conditions. It can also occur because of the negligence of the truck driver, or when a truck is sideswiped by another vehicle. When jackknifing occurs, normally a blockade on the road is created. Other vehicles near the truck may either crash into the blockade or could be rear-ended by another vehicle from behind.

Although many jackknifing accidents are unavoidable, there are steps truck drivers can take to avoid jackknifing. They should keep a safe distance from other vehicles on the roads, especially when the roads are slippery or wet. They should brake over the longest distance possible. If the tractor is skidding, they should steer into the skid before the truck jackknifes. The truck should not decelerate at turns or bends – instead, the truck driver should brake in a straight line prior to a turn.

Accidents involving jackknifed tractor trailers can be some of the most serious accidents on the roads. Unsuspecting vehicles may be forced to hit a jackknifed tractor trailer at a high rate of speed or swerve and hit other vehicles on the roads. If a car is pinned, the car’s occupants can suffer serious and permanent injuries. Injuries obtained in accidents involving jackknifed trucks are often worse than those suffered in other types of accidents.

It’s important that you speak with a Los Angeles truck accident attorney if you have been involved in an accident involving a jackknifed tractor trailer. The legal case will most likely be complex and you need someone on your side with experience in those types of cases. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles tractor trailer accident attorney at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.