Car Accident With Uber or Lyft? The 5 Things You Must Do.

Car Accident With Uber or Lyft?  There are 5 things you must do if you got hurt in an Uber or hurt in a Lyft.

Road accidents can frequently happen due to unforeseen circumstances. When they do happen, you need to prepare for the worst-case scenarios. However, car accidents involving Uber or Lyft have significant differences compared to car accidents involving ordinary civilians. 

Here are the five basic things that you should do in case you encounter any accidents involving Uber or Lift as a driver or passenger:

Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Things like insurance and police reports should only be second to your health so after an accident, immediately seek for medical attention. Do not be complacent with your trauma or injuries. In some cases, you may think you are fine because you only have bruises, but it is essential to have yourself checked immediately as there might be internal bleeding or something similar.

Furthermore, seeking medical attention will enable you to acquire a medical certificate detailing the extent of your injuries. This will be necessary when dealing with your own personal insurance and those of the ridesharing apps. Having a medical certificate will also help you prove your case if you ever go to court due to a Car Accident With Uber or Lyft.

Take note that if you are able to bring yourself to the hospital, consider that instead of getting into an ambulance because that is much cheaper. Medical care after a car accident can be quite expensive even though you only have minor injuries. This is why it is very important to successfully get the settlement that you deserve for all the inconvenience that you will be facing. 

Have Proper Documentation After A Car Accident With Uber or Lyft

If you are involved in a car accident where you are one of the drivers of the colliding vehicle or simply a passenger, you must have proper documentation of the scene. Take photos of the positions of the cars after the accident and extent of the damage it has caused. Doing this will help identify who is at fault and how much the compensation should be. 

You should also take photos of your injuries. Although your injuries will be well detailed in the medical certificate, having visual proof of its extent will likely help strengthen your case if you decide to file for a personal injury lawsuit. 

However, if you feel any type of pain, do not prioritize doing this. Instead, call a friend or a family member to help you and ask them to go to the accident scene and document it through pictures for you. Also, if there are any witnesses during the accident, it is a good practice to ask for their contact details in case their statement will be needed. 

Gather Evidence

Uber, Lyft and the insurance company are businesses that will do everything they can to protect their profits. This is why the likelihood of them downplaying your accident is high. To avoid that, gather as much evidence as you can. 

Although police will also be doing this, doing your own gathering will be beneficial for you. Ask the contact details of the parties involved in the Car Accident With Uber or Lyft, i.e. the drivers, the passengers and witnesses.

You can also request CCTV footage around the area of the accident to strengthen your case further, especially if you live in a state that does not have no-fault policies. 

Do not Contact Uber, Lyft and Insurance Before Getting a Lawyer

Do not fall into the trap of these businesses who will try to lower the case value of the accident. Whether you are a passenger or driver in the accident, make sure that you have the proper guidance from a lawyer on how to proceed and report the accident to the company. 

There have been plenty of reports on how the insurance companies of Uber and Lyft as victims for statements. These statements may affect the value of their claim if they utter the wrong statements, so it is best to invoke silence and have your lawyer handle communicating with them. 

Get in Touch with a Car Accident Lawyer

There are endless benefits in getting a car accident lawyer. Among the parties involved, they will be the only ones who have your best interest at heart. They are knowledgeable about how to navigate the system so that you get fair compensation. 

Do not just get a simple car accident lawyer, opt for those who have experience and expertise in handling Uber or Lyft car accidents. They will be the one to help you get the right settlement without the feeling of being cheated on. 

In deciding which lawyer to choose, take a look at the previous cases and how they were able to handle them. There are now plenty of Uber or Lyft car accident lawyers who have won plenty of high-value cases, so you have many options out there.  

Additional Tips & Info

Here are some additional tips and info that you might find helpful:

• Be Careful with Your Words

It is important to be truthful with your words, especially when giving a statement to the police. However, it would be best if you did this with the utmost care so that your words will not be used against you. Tell your side of your story from your perspective, but if you are not comfortable with doing so, do not speak until your attorney is present. 

Furthermore, it is also crucial to know that you are not obliged to state the insurance company of Lyft and Uber. Previous victims of car accidents involving Uber and Lyft have reported that they were contacted by the ridesharing apps’ insurance company. 

• Do not go into detail with your Own Insurance

Paying for medical care after a car accident, no matter the severity can be quite expensive. This is why you must be careful in dealing with your insurance company so that they will not downplay your case. To do this, simply notify them that you are involved in a car accident but do not divulge the details of who is at fault and let your personal injury lawyer take it from there. 

However, if you are in Pennsylvania or New Jersey which are no-fault states discussing the details about the accident with your own insurance company does not matter. This is because they will still pay for your medical bills even though you caused the incident or you are not driving the vehicle.   But Illinois is not a no fault state.

Take note that in some state if you happen to be a passenger of an Uber or Lyft car that got into an accident your own auto insurance may not cover your medical bills as it will only apply if you are driving the vehicle in a car accident with Uber or Lyft. However, you will be covered under Uber or Lyft’s personal insurance. 

• Practice Proper Car Accident Etiquette

Being involved in a car accident is undoubtedly scary. However, you must still conduct yourself with respect and politeness with those people involved to avoid making the situation worse. Do not engage in a shouting match against the other person driving as these can be used against you or worst, escalate to a violent scenario. 

The proper car accident etiquette also applies when talking to police officers. Make sure to stay calm and state facts only. 

• Know what is Liability & Coverage

If you are an Uber or Lyft driver, you must understand what liability and coverage from the get-go. You are considered as independent contractors by Uber and Lyft, which means the insurance coverage usually enjoyed by regular employees does not apply to you, which is why knowing this is even more important for you. 

The trips in Uber and Lyft are insured for both the drivers and the passengers the moment the trip is accepted. However, if an accident occurs and you have not accepted a trip yet, or you have no passenger on board, your insurance will take into effect. 

Final Word

It is undeniable how much Uber and Lyft help improve transportation mobility issues in multiple cities around the world. They have significantly reduced the statistics of drunk drivers on the road and provide extended convenience to daily commuters. However, this also means that Uber and Lyft drivers take on more miles, making them susceptible to committing mistakes on the road. 

When these types of mistakes happen, it often results in some incidents. If unavoidable, the best thing you can do is follow the tips mentioned above for your sake and those involved in the accident. 

Getting into any type of car accident is a big inconvenience. You can either sustain injuries or miss important activities at work or with your family. If your vehicle is involved, you would need to pay for the repair and endure more inconvenience. Due to that, it is vital to get the right compensation, especially when you are the victim. 

Knowledge is power, and as long as you know what your rights are and what the due process is, dealing with such unfortunate events will be a little bit less challenging for you. It would also be good if you share this information with your friends and family too so that they will be aware as well. 

If you've been hurt in an accident, please give me a call for a free consultation at 312-500-4500 . The call and the consultation are free.

Or you can find out if you have a good case and what it might be worth by submitting your case by clicking the button below.