There’s no denying that rideshare services like Uber have made everyone’s lives easier, especially those who can’t or chose not to drive. However, in overcrowded cities, the number one reason people choose to take an Uber instead of their personal cars is to avoid getting stuck in traffic or wasting their time looking for a parking spot.
Uber makes their service accessible, requiring almost no special skills or experience to become one of their drivers which is the reason why there’s a lot of ambiguity regarding who is to blame when something goes wrong. As an Uber passenger, it’s your duty to learn about your rights and responsibilities before you use the service. If you’re already a regular Uber passenger, then you should definitely read the following guide to learn the 7 steps you need to take after getting involved in an accident.
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1. Call for Help
Calling for help is the first thing you should do if your Uber gets into an accident. Call 911 to report the accident and have an ambulance come down to the accident scene so they can immediately attend to both you and the driver for any injuries. Police officers will then issue an accident report which is essential to record the claims of all the parties involved. If you’re badly injured and can’t manage to make the call, you should ask any passerby or eyewitness to make the call.
2. Collect Information
Thinking that it’s not your job to play detective after the accident is a huge mistake. If you want to preserve your rights as an accident victim, you will need to gather as much information as you possibly can. Take out your phone and start taking photos that showcase the extent of both the physical and material damage to everyone involved in the crash. The Uber driver will probably try to assure you that Uber’s insurance will cover the damages. However, if you got into an Uber accident in LA, lawyers from https://www.cd-lawyers.com/los-angeles-car-accident-lawyer/los-angeles-uber-accident-lawyer/ explain that you’d still need to get your driver’s insurance information. Uber is a big company with a huge fleet of drivers, and chances are that by the time they get to your claim, it would be too late to file a lawsuit. Furthermore, the company provides its drivers – who are considered independent contractors – with contingent liability insurance. This type of insurance means that Uber would only be liable to cover an accident if the drivers’ auto insurance company refuses to cover the costs for any reason.
3. Find an Eyewitness
In car accidents, eyewitnesses play an important role to confirm who was at fault. This is particularly important if the case will be escalated to the court. You will need to have someone on your side who can attest to the accuracy of the statements you gave on record. The judge will use all the collected evidence to speak the final verdict and decide on the compensation that you’re entitled to. At the time of the accident, before you decide to leave, make sure you have the contact info of potential eyewitnesses who’d be willing to testify at court if/when needed.
4. Go to the Hospital
Going to the hospital after the accident is very important even if you don’t think that you’ve been badly hurt. A lot of times people who’ve been involved in a car crash ignore their injuries only to end up finding a couple of days later that they’ve suffered a concussion or worse yet, serious internal bleeding. Once you’ve collected enough evidence at the accident scene and took the police officer’s name and the report’s serial number, you should check yourself into the nearest hospital for a quick medical check-up.
5. Call Your lawyer
Even if you’re a hundred percent sure you’re entitled to compensation, this is not the crux of the matter. It’s rather about the amount that you should be getting. While you’re at the accident scene, call up your lawyer to advise you what to do next. An experienced personal injury lawyer will have a knowledge of an expert about the tricks that the often-scrupulous insurance companies try to pull to underpay the victim. Make sure you contact your lawyer before you make any statements or get in contact with the driver’s or Uber’s insurance companies. If you still don’t have a lawyer, ask your friends to recommend one that they’ve worked with who has extensive experience in handling similar cases.
6. Get in Touch with Uber
After all, you need confirmation that your driver was indeed associated with Uber since this will determine your course of action. Contact the company and give them your driver’s name and plate number to confirm the driver’s records. You’ll find a section on your Uber app dedicated to reporting accidents. A representative from the company will get in touch to collect more information about the accident and will let you know your options.
7. Don’t Rush into Accepting a Settlement
No matter how long your case takes, it’s recommended not to interfere and let your lawyer take the lead. You’ll probably get to a point where you’d be fed up with the dragging process that you’d try to rush your lawyer into accepting a settlement. However, you should understand that it’s your right to claim compensation for the injuries you incur in the accident as well as any future ones including wages you lose as you take time off work to recover. Be patient and give your lawyer the space to do their thing and win you the compensation that you deserve.
Car accidents are one of the most stressful situations you could ever experience, especially when you're not the one behind the driving wheel. However, the only advantage you have in this unfortunate incident, if it can be called so, is that Uber is a reputable company that won’t attempt any shady business to evade responsibility. Read the above steps thoroughly to understand how to act should you ever find yourself in a similar situation. Don’t wait until it happens because by then, it’d be too late to act reasonably without freaking out.