West Palm Beach Ride-Sharing Accident Lawyers 

What to Do if You Were Injured in an Uber or Lyft Accident?

Rideshare transportation has become an increasingly popular method to travel. Whether riding to and from an airport or simply catching a ride home after a night out, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft offer a very convenient way to get around town. As an added benefit, the availability of rideshare drivers has helped reduce the number of intoxicated drivers on our roadways. While rideshare providers offer many advantages, there is always a risk that your rideshare driver gets involved in an accident. 

If you suffer an injury while riding as a passenger with an Uber or Lyft driver, you may be entitled to compensation for any medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages from that accident.

Injured victims may be entitled to money from a rideshare company’s insurer if their injury occurred while their Uber or Lyft driver was “on hire” and giving them a ride at the time of the accident. Typically, both Uber and Lyft have liability insurance policies to cover damages caused by rideshare accidents. Alternatively, if the driver didn’t turn on the ridesharing app at the time of the accident, the injured victim might need to seek compensation from the driver’s personal automobile insurance policy.  

Don’t Hesitate to Call 9-1-1

If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident involving a rideshare driver, make sure to call 9-1-1. Even if nobody is complaining of an injury at the accident scene, some injuries can take days to present symptoms. Sometimes you might be suffering from shock, so you won’t be able to tell if you have been injured unless your adrenaline subsides. Calling 9-1-1 is the best way to get medical professionals on the accident scene to evaluate your injuries. 

Reporting the accident to authorities is also important. While accident reports are not admissible as evidence in court, they may be valuable if you are negotiating with a rideshare company or an insurance company. You might also want to report the accident to the rideshare company to inform them that one of their drivers was involved in an accident.

Seek Medical Assistance

Depending on the accident’s severity, you may be transported to a nearby hospital or medical facility for treatment. If a physician hasn’t already seen you, you should probably schedule an appointment to make sure you address any injuries that require immediate medical treatment. Make sure to keep track of all your medical expenses because you may be entitled to reimbursement for those expenses as part of a personal injury claim.

Make Sure to Document Everything

It is important to keep a record of the important details surrounding an accident involving a rideshare driver. For example, you may want to collect and document the following:

1. The time, date, and location of the accident;
2. The name of all the parties involved, including the rideshare driver and rideshare company;
3. Any insurance information for the drivers involved;
4. Photographs or videos from the accident scene;
5. The rideshare receipt, which is typically emailed to you from Uber or Lyft; and
6. The license plate numbers for all vehicles involved in the crash. 

Write Down Information for Any Witnesses

If you were involved in an accident, chances are some people witnessed the crash. Witnesses may include nearby pedestrians, passing motorists, or onlookers from nearby restaurants or businesses. In some cases, eyewitness testimony can be incredibly helpful in pursuing a personal injury claim to hold a negligent party accountable for the damages they cause.

Discuss Your Claim With a Trusted Attorney

If you are like most people, you probably never expect to need a lawyer or to pursue a claim through the legal process. However, when medical costs and other accident-related expenses continually increase, you should reach out to an injury lawyer to help hold the bad actors accountable. Don’t make the mistake of accepting the first settlement amount offered by an insurance company! Let the attorneys at Brian D. Guralnick Injury Lawyers help you recover the compensation you deserve.

At Brian D. Guralnick Injury Lawyers, we have a team of legal professionals dedicated to helping clients through the complex legal process to ensure you have everything handled appropriately. We care about our clients and offer a personalized legal experience that will educate you about your legal rights. Once we have all the relevant information about your accident, we will do our best to ensure that you recover a fair settlement. Our Board-Certified Civil Trial Attorney will take your case through trial if necessary. That said, most cases are resolved through a settlement, so you likely won’t have to shoulder the burden and stress of a full civil trial.