By Mashum Mollah
Every year, car accidents top the list as the largest cause of injury or death over every other type of incident. The risk of collisions on the road is significant, even when you are a diligent driver.
Worse are situations where you aren’t the one in control. Whether you are using a ride-sharing program like Uber or Lyft, or are in the passenger seat with a trusted friend, you could be at risk.
It’s important to know what to do if you find yourself in a situation such as an Uber car accident. Would you know how to react? Read on to get prepared.
Contact the Authorities
Once you’ve established that you’re okay, your first step should always be to ensure you, or the driver is contacting the police. Depending on the severity of the accident, you may need to call 911 instead. Proper legal documentation and medical assistance are essential, especially if unexpected injuries manifest after the accident.
Document Everything
If you’re able, use your phone to take photos of all details. Inside and outside of the car, photos of any injuries, capture everything you can.
Make sure you copy down relevant details, such as the driver’s name and contact information. Check with the other driver if there is one, and collect their insurance and contact information as well.
If witnesses are nearby, speak with them and establish their contact details as well. All eyes on the accident are important and may need to serve as evidence later.
What the Driver Should Do
Drivers for rideshares are instructed to contact the company as soon as an accident occurs while working, after contacting the authorities.
They should evaluate themselves and their riders for signs of injury, and trade information with the other party (if there is one.) They should also be documenting the scene as much as possible.
More often than not, a driver has their account suspended while their rideshare company investigates the accident to see who was at fault and if their car is fit to drive.
Insurance Issues
Services like Uber and Lyft employ their workers as independent contractors. As such, it is their responsibility to use their own insurance, or the insurance of the at-fault party, to pay for any damages.
These damages include personal injury to any passengers. While Uber does offer accident insurance up to $1 million in damages, they are only obligated to pay out in conditions where the at-fault driver was underinsured. Drivers are encouraged to take out personal rideshare policies.
The pros at LA-PersonalInjuryLaw.com know that any litigation in a rideshare accident would likely be against the driver, not the company they drive for. Therefore, it’s important to have an attorney that understands personal injury and auto insurance laws.
Companies like Uber can deny any liability when their employees are independent. Your lawyer can still contact them to request the preservation of evidence to help with your injury case, and may even need to pursue damages from Uber under certain conditions.
Uber Car Accident? Remain Calm and Call a Pro
The most important thing to remember in a Lyft or Uber car accident is to stay calm. Emotions will be running high, and a lot of things will be happening at once. Have a medical professional check you and any other passengers for injuries, and then document everything that you can.
An officer on the scene should help facilitate the collection of personal and insurance information for a report. In the meantime, contact a professional injury attorney if necessary to help you pursue any damages you might need to claim.
If you’re seeking legal action due to a rideshare accident, check out our article on the 7 types of Personal Injury Damages you might be eligible to be compensated for.
Bonus for you: Before getting into Uber service, make sure to consider few important factors we have jotted down.
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