Last updated on August 4, 2020
Accidents are going to happen from time to time. It can be a difficult thing to have an accident in your own vehicle, but what about when you are using Uber or Lyft services and become involved in an accident? There are a lot of questions, in general, when an accident occurs, so here is some advice from a Lyft and Uber accident lawyer who is in the know about what to do following an Uber or Lyft accident.
Take Pictures
A picture is worth a thousand words and in the event of an accident involving a Lyft or Uber, this is especially true. The insurance agency will want to understand what happened and who is at fault. Provided the vehicles have not been moved from the scene, pictures can tell a lot about what actually happened.
Thankfully, these days, almost everyone has a smartphone, so taking pictures is never a problem. Be sure to not simply take pictures of the vehicle you were in, but the other one and any property damage that was caused by the accident. You may also want to take pictures of tire marks in the road as this can indicate how fast and what direction the vehicles were going in. In many cases, tire marks have been used to determine if a vehicle was on the wrong side of the road.
Immediate Medical Care
You might feel perfectly fine following an Uber or Lyft accident. A few scrapes and bruises might be minimal, but never simply go home. Internal injuries from vehicle accidents often show up in the weeks following the accident making it very difficult for a victim to get proper medical care paid for by those responsible.
Even if your injuries seem minor, get medical treatment immediately as the scans performed at a medical facility can show any internal damage. Additionally, a proper medical facility can set you up with any follow up appointments of possible therapy related to your injuries. Take any injury seriously and go to the hospital following a Lyft or Uber accident.
Follow Up with Doctor’s Recommendations
Often, we want to think we understand more than the doctors treating us. People will claim they know their bodies and they understand how they heal. You might know how your body reacts to some things, but a vehicle accident of any caliber can be traumatic. This is not the time to take your follow up treatment into your own hands.
Doctors often recommend that patients that are involved in a vehicle accident have follow up appointments to account for any possible underlying issue related to the accident. Things like internal bleeding, minimal fractures, and other seemingly minor issues might not show up on an initial scan but may show up at follow up appointments. Insurance agencies will want proper documentation for all injuries, follow ups, and anything else that has to do with treatment needs.
Get a Police Report
The authorities should always be called following an accident. A police report ensures that the insurance agencies have someone there to assess the damage and account for any possible legal issues. Police reports are essential to determine who is at fault in the event of an accident and can also perform sobriety tests to determine if any driver impairment led to the accident.
The initial report will be sent to the vehicle owner and the insurance companies of all parties involved. If you are a passenger of an Uber or Lyft that is involved in an accident while you are in the vehicle, you will want to secure a copy of the police report as well. This will help you maintain proper documentation in the event you hire your own attorney to fight for your rights as a passenger.
Never Admit Fault
This is primarily for the vehicle owners, but you should never admit fault in an accident. Vehicle fraud happens even more now than ever before, and certain vehicle owners have become remarkably savvy at making an accident look like your fault when they, in fact caused the accident to occur. By admitting fault, you can essentially hand the other driver the keys to the kingdom. Police assessing the situation may simply side with the one who admitted fault and write the accident up in that way, just to save time. The best thing to do is to simply keep your mouth shut and only answer questions directed to you.
Do Not Give a Statement
Uber representatives are often brought to the scene of an accident or shortly thereafter. They will often ask those involved to give a recorded statement. Where this might seem like something you should do for full cooperation, getting involved in one of these statement opportunities can actually be detrimental to your case. Manipulating questions and trapping individuals into answering loaded questions is very common in a recorded session. If you must give a recorded statement only do so in the presence of your own lawyer. Your lawyer will guard you from answering any loaded questions keeping you from any possible miscommunication during the session.
Uber and Lyft accidents are becoming more common as the service increases in popularity. Essentially, being involved in a Lyft or Uber accident is much the same as being involved in a passenger car accident. Never admit fault and ensure you are properly represented for any pending action against the driver or others involved in the accident.
Vehicle accidents seem to be a part of our everyday lives these days, but fraud attempts and mishandling of cases has brought attention to the inherent need for an accident attorney to represent you for every case. You never want to be the victim of fraud and you certainly should get all necessary compensation. An attorney at your side is the best way to ensure that you are protected in the event of an Uber or Lyft accident whether you are driving or a passenger.
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