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Millions of people use rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft every day. Accidents are bound to happen. When they do, riders should understand rideshare policy and how to handle an Uber accident.
AFTER THE CRASH
Once the car comes to a complete stop, you should check yourself and your driver for injuries. Ensuring the safety of those involved should be your top priority. If you feel the sharpness of a broken bone, the dull pain of a bruise, or see blood, you should call emergency services. The faster you get medical professionals to the scene, the more likely everyone involved will get the treatment they need.
If anyone is hurt, or if there seems to be more than $1,000 in vehicle damage, someone must call the police. The responding officer will file a police report and take statements. Police reports are crucial as they create a paper trail documenting both the crash and the damages from an unbiased third-party perspective.
GET INVOLVED
While waiting for the police, you should use your rideshare app to report the accident. This tells the company to open a case and will make it easier to pursue compensation. Make sure your driver reports the accident on their app as well. If they don’t, it could make it more difficult to prove the accident happened during the rideshare transaction.
Once you’ve reported the accident to the authorities and the rideshare company, you should collect insurance information from both drivers. Make sure you take pictures of the damages and surrounding scene.
Your rideshare driver is required to get pictures of each side of the car, regardless of damage. Make sure you hold them to that obligation.
THE NEXT STEP
After leaving the crash site, you should get to a doctor as soon as possible, even if you don’t experience immediate pain. Blunt trauma from a car crash often causes unseen injuries, such as internal bleeding, organ damage, or broken bones. It’s safer to get a full examination after a crash so the doctor can identify unnoticed bruising and pain points.
Additionally, going to the doctor immediately after a crash tells the insurance companies and the rideshare organization that your injuries were serious enough to warrant immediate medical attention. If you wait too long, the insurance company could argue that your injuries aren’t as severe as you claim.
SEEKING COMPENSATION
After visiting a doctor, your next stop should be an attorney’s office. A skilled attorney knows how to negotiate with insurance companies and may earn you more compensation than you would receive if you handled the claims process by yourself.
Moreover, an attorney understands the intricacies of a rideshare accident. For example, Uber and Lyft drivers are not considered employees, which makes it very difficult to file a claim against the companies themselves. Instead, both major rideshare companies have a range of criteria that determine how much coverage a driver had at the time of the accident.
Additionally, rideshare coverage only applies if the driver’s personal insurance is inadequate to cover the damages. If the insurance company makes a low offer or undervalues your injuries, you might not get the compensation you need to pay for medical treatments.
Having Attorneys at your side is the best way to ensure you get the compensation you deserve and that your recovery is as stress-free as possible.
Contact Our Austin personal injury lawyer at Glen Larson Law Injury Attorneys at (512) 883-0277.
If you or someone you love suffered serious injuries in a rideshare accident, we are here for you. If you’d like an experienced Austin personal injury lawyer from Glen Larson Law Injury Attorneys to evaluate your case, please call (512) 883-0277 or send us an email.
