Introduction
Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft have become extremely popular in recent years. It’s no surprise, because they offer a convenient way to get around town while avoiding some of the issues associated with other forms of transportation. But there are risks involved with rideshare services as well—these include potential injury or death due to an accident caused by another driver on the road, as well as injuries sustained by passengers themselves. In fact, recent studies show that rideshares have actually increased the number of fatalities in the U.S. Georgia has enacted laws to regulate rideshares like Uber and Lyft. In this article we’ll look at what happens when you’re injured or a loved one is killed in a rideshare accident and how to protect yourself and your family from financial loss following such an occurrence.
Take Photos of Everything
The first thing you should do is make sure you have a camera on you, and that it has enough battery life. Then, take photos of everything. If possible, take video, too.
Take photos of the car and driver. If possible, write down their name or license plate number so that you can identify them later if necessary (this will also help with police reports).
Take photos of any damage to the Rideshare vehicle you are in. Also take photos of any injuries sustained by yourself or other people involved in the accident.
If possible, take photos of any damage done to other vehicles at the scene (if there are any).
Call 911
If you are injured, call 911. It’s the best way to ensure that help will come as soon as possible and that your ride-hailing driver doesn’t get in legal trouble for transporting an injured passenger without a medic on board. Don’t let other drivers or passengers convince you not to call the police. If others do not want to wait for the police, it may be worth exiting the ride share and waiting for the police to arrive. Make sure you are safe and someone is with you at all times.
You may also be able to reach an emergency dispatcher through the non-emergency number for the police department in whatever city you’re in. If you don’t know this number or can’t dial it because of injuries, ask a friend or family member for help finding it online or calling from another phone.
After making contact with first responders, move out of any roadways so that traffic can resume its flow unimpeded by your presence—or pull over into a safe place off the side of streets if necessary (as long as it’s not on private property).
Document All Your Injuries
Documenting your injuries is an important part of the process of getting compensation for your injuries. The more you document, the better off you’ll be. Remember that this is not just about cuts and bruises; broken bones, sprains and concussions can all result from an accident in a rideshare.
In addition to keeping track of your medical bills and any other expenses related to treatment or therapy, it’s also important to keep track of:
- Your symptoms (including pain levels)
- Your treatment decisions (like whether or not you opted for surgery after shattering your hand)
Write Down Everything You Remember as Soon as Possible
If you’ve been injured in a Lyft or Uber rideshare accident, it’s important to write down everything you can remember as soon as possible. This includes:
- The date and time of the accident (it might be helpful to include this information on any medical documents you fill out when seeking treatment)
- The name of your driver and their license plate number (this will help if there is any sort of legal dispute)
- What happened during the incident and how it happened (what was said between passengers before things took a turn for the worse?)
- How long it took for you to get from where you were picked up to where you were dropped off after being injured
When writing down everything that happened, try not only thinking about what happened before and after but also during your ride—did anything unusual happen during? Did anything unexpected happen while driving?
Contact the Company’s Customer Service Representative
Contact the company’s customer service or insurance representative.
To start, it’s important to understand that rideshare services are not required to carry insurance—even though they do in most cases. However, if you’re injured while riding in an Uber or Lyft and they decline your claim, you can still file a personal injury lawsuit against them through their primary insurance carrier.
The first step is contacting the rideshare company directly by phone. In some cases, this may be easier said than done: Uber has no formal means of contacting its representatives by phone; instead, riders must send emails through its website (typically explaining why they’re trying to reach someone). Lyft does offer a more traditional way for users to contact customer service representatives over the phone by dialing 1-800-872-9090 from 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM PST Monday through Friday and 7 AM – 8 PM on Saturday and Sunday; however, many drivers have found this method difficult because customer service representatives often don’t respond until hours later when passengers are already frustrated with having waited so long for a response.
If you are unable to obtain assistance from your ride share provider’s customer service department directly at any time during this process (or after filing an official claim), contact them directly through their online app. Certainly make sure you get your driver’s name, contact information, and license. The driver for Uber and Lyft is required to report any accidents.
Keep Records of All Paperwork, Including Police Reports and Medical Bills
If you get injured in a Lyft or Uber rideshare, it’s important to keep track of all the paperwork that comes along with your injuries and what happened. This includes:
- A copy of the police report (if there is one)
- A copy of any medical bills you receive
- A copy of your insurance claim (for example, if you’re at fault for causing an accident while driving drunk)
- A copy of your medical records and doctor’s notes
Contact an Attorney Who Has Experience with These Matters
If you have been injured in a Lyft or Uber ride, it is important to contact an attorney who has experience with these matters. You’ll want to find one who is familiar with the local laws and has handled similar cases. Personal injury lawyers are often able to offer free consultations so that you can get advice on your rights and options without having to pay anything up front.
In addition, it’s important that you choose an attorney based on their track record and experience handling these types of cases. It would also be helpful if they were affordable so that you don’t have to worry about spending all your money on legal fees if they end up winning the case for you!
Rideshare accidents can be complicated, but there are steps you can take to make sure you get what you deserve following a collision.
If you’ve been injured in a rideshare collision, the following steps can help you get the compensation you deserve:
- Contact a lawyer. If your accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, contact an experienced personal injury attorney who specializes in motor vehicle accidents to discuss your legal rights and options.
- Get medical attention. Even if you don’t think anything is wrong with you, seek medical attention immediately after any car crash to check for injuries that may not be immediately apparent. Under California law (and most state laws), all drivers have a duty to report any accident involving property damage or bodily injury within 24 hours of its occurrence. This requirement applies even if the other driver was at fault—so take care not to leave out any details when reporting an incident with Lyft or Uber! Your insurer may also require documentation from doctors regarding treatment received due to injuries sustained during an accident on their behalf before they will approve payment of any damages under their policy provisions covering bodily injury claims arising out of motor vehicle crashes or torts committed by their insureds while driving automobiles owned or leased by them which are covered under such policies; failure meet these requirements could result so delay resolution until these issues are resolved.”
Conclusion
You might not think about rideshare accidents as something that can happen to you, but the fact is that they are common. When you’re in a Lyft or Uber ride, you’re sharing a vehicle with other drivers and passengers. You need to remember that riding in any car comes with certain risks. If you do get injured in one of these vehicles, make sure that you document everything from start to finish—including taking photos of your injuries once they’ve healed if possible!
Contact one of our experienced attorneys here at The Jewkes Firm. We have successfully handled many insurance claims involving Uber and Lyft and recovered hundreds of thousands in settlement claims against Uber and Lyft.