Without a doubt the most recognized ridesharing service in the world today, Uber drivers transport millions of passengers to their destinations each day. Though the vast majority of these trips go smoothly, there are times when an Uber vehicle may be involved in an accident. When this happens, passengers have little idea what to do next. Since it is not their vehicle involved in the accident, many automatically assume they have no legal recourse to seek compensation should they be injured. However, the fact is Uber passengers do indeed have the right to sue Uber for any damages they sustain, such as seeking compensation for medical bills, lost income if they are unable to work, and even pain and suffering resulting from their injuries. If you were an Uber passenger who was injured during your trip, immediately seek out the services of an experienced Uber accident lawyer who can advise you on your various legal options.
$1 Million Insurance Policy
If you are an Uber passenger who is injured in an accident, the company has a $1 million insurance policy that can pay out compensation to you if you file a claim. However, not surprisingly, Uber does not readily make this information available to injured passengers. As a result, many Uber accident victims fail to take advantage of this option, leaving themselves struggling to pay medical bills and survive without paychecks. Yet once you speak to a ridesharing accident lawyer at West Coast Trial Lawyers, you will find out all Uber passengers injured in accidents are covered by this insurance policy. Therefore, should you be injured while riding in an Uber vehicle, contact a knowledgeable attorney at once to begin the process of filing a claim.
Document the Accident
Just as it is when you are involved in an accident involving your own vehicle, it is crucial you document as many details of the accident as possible. For example, if you are not too seriously injured to do so, always use your smartphone to take a screenshot of your Uber driver’s app, since this will verify the driver’s information, vehicle information, date, and time of the accident. Also, try to take photos of the Uber vehicle and the damage it sustained, since this can be helpful when your Uber accident lawyer is negotiating a settlement with Uber’s insurance company.
Get Medical Treatment
Even though you were a passenger in the vehicle and may think you are not seriously injured, do not make the mistake of failing to get medical treatment. Since police and rescue personnel will be called to the accident scene, always allow emergency medical technicians to assess your injuries and begin providing medical treatment at the scene. In addition to this, allow yourself to be taken to a hospital for additional evaluation by ER doctors. This will be important, since they can conduct tests that may show you suffered a concussion, neck or back injuries, broken bones or fractures, and even internal bleeding that may have gone undetected otherwise. Most importantly, your injuries will be immediately entered into your medical records, which will make it much harder for Uber’s insurance company to claim you were not injured in the accident.
Say As Little As Possible to Uber
Once your situation starts to calm down a bit, you may be contacted by Uber to discuss the accident. If this happens, try to say as little as possible to Uber’s representative regarding specific details of the accident. In many situations, Uber will call accident victims in an attempt to find out something they can use against them to deny their claim. In other instances, Uber may call and provide victims an immediate offer of compensation to settle the case. If you jump at this offer, you will be costing yourself thousands of dollars. Most of the time, what Uber may offer you will be far less than what you will need to pay your medical bills and replace lost income from your job. Rather than make this costly mistake, hire a ridesharing accident lawyer soon after your accident to ensure your legal rights will be protected from beginning to end.
File a Police Report
Since police will be called to the scene of your accident, always make sure an accident report is filed by officers investigating the accident. While you should be willing to discuss some details of the accident with police, be very careful not to say anything such as “I’m sorry” during the course of your conversations. If you let an “I’m sorry” slip along the way, you will be sorry you did so. Should your remarks find their way into the police report, an insurance company will claim you did something to cause the accident, such as distract your Uber driver. Therefore, choose your words carefully, and always obtain a copy of the police report to give to your attorney from West Coast Trial Lawyers.
Don’t Get on Social Media
While your Uber accident lawyer is busy developing a legal strategy for your case and is in the midst of negotiating an out-of-court settlement with Uber’s insurance company, don’t go on Facebook and Twitter to start talking about your accident. When many accident victims make this mistake, it often results in a lost opportunity to gain substantial compensation for their injuries. Even if you have plenty of time on your hands while at home recuperating from injuries, never go on social media sites and post details of your accident, photos of the accident scene, or make any comments about Uber or your driver. If you do, Uber and its insurance company may use your photos to claim you are not seriously injured, or perhaps may use an off-the-cuff remark you make to claim you are admitting you contributed to the accident.
Get Witness Statements
While at the accident scene, always try to speak to anyone who may have witnessed your Uber being involved in an accident. Since witnesses can sometimes offer key pieces of evidence in cases such as these, never be shy about approaching witnesses and asking them to explain what they saw. For example, if it appeared to them that your Uber vehicle was erratic on the road prior to the accident, this could mean your Uber driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or perhaps was driving a vehicle that was unsafe. Whatever the case may be, always make sure you get witness accounts of the accident, and also their contact information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email address, and other information as deemed necessary.
Contact an Attorney
Finally, you should never hesitate to contact a ridesharing accident lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Since evidence can disappear quickly following an accident and witness memories may fade after days have passed, always hire an attorney as soon as possible to represent you in these situations. To have the best chance of gaining maximum compensation for injuries sustained in an Uber accident, schedule a consultation at once with West Coast Trial Lawyers. Once you do, you will realize you have lawyers working for you who excel in winning these cases and helping victims get the compensation they need and deserve.