Uber and Lyft Accidents are on the rise. If you are hurt, you can file a personal injury claim to obtain compensation with an experienced attorney at Ghosheh Law. It is important to know what to do before you are in this type of accident so you can be prepared. So if you are using Uber or Lyft, you should keep this information with you, just in case. Remember that even if you follow these tips, you must consult with an attorney who specializes in crashes involving rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft. This way, they can help guide you through the process of filing your personal injury claim and getting the restitution that you deserve for all those medical bills piling up on top of pain and suffering and time missed from work.
In the event of an auto accident, many things need to be done right away. This includes getting medical attention and contacting your insurance company as soon as possible. Do not admit guilt at any time during this process because this could affect your personal injury claim later down the road if you decide to file one against another driver’s insurance company. But do take a moment, if you are able, to document the damage with pictures. You can use a cell phone to take quick snapshots of the vehicles, license plates, and any other physical evidence you can capture. You should also get contact information from any witnesses or passengers who were injured in the crash. Call the police and make sure you provide them with a statement of what happened. Once you have followed these steps, call Ghosheh Law and we will get to work on your case right away.
One of the first things you can expect our attorneys at Ghosheh law to do in a personal injury claim involving a rideshare vehicle like Uber or Lyft is to review the insurance policies. If you were hit by a Uber or Lyft driver or injured as a passenger by a negligent Uber or Lyft driver, you may be entitled to collect compensation against special policies that cover more than your average auto insurance policy. Both Uber and Lyft, provide rideshare policies as part of the service.
Their coverage will however vary. For example, when a driver is online and waiting, Uber and Lyft offer liability insurance that covers only injuries to others but not the policyholder. But once a driver has accepted the request, the coverage changes to liability insurance with limits that can be up to $1 million. There may also be collision and comprehensive policies but only if the drivers have these coverages in their personal policies or if they have commercial insurance. Getting the full picture of the available coverage and policies can get tricky but the attorneys at Ghosheh Law know exactly what questions to ask and where to get this information and use it to give you an estimate of what your case is worth.
Police reports are some of the most important pieces of evidence we can use in any car accident case. These reports are generated by the investigating officer that arrives at the scene of the accident. This is where they describe what happened and who was at fault. Our attorneys will review the report and submit it as evidence in the demand they will make on your behalf to the insurance companies if the report demonstrates that you were not at fault. If the reports are inaccurate or incomplete, they can make it hard to get compensated for your injuries so in these cases, our attorneys will perform an audit to see if anything is missing from the report. Then we’ll request that information from the police department on your behalf so you’re not shortchanged by their mistakes.
Once your attorney has all of the insurance information, a full copy of the police report, the next step is to add up all of your damages. Damages can include property damage or damage to your car and the costs of car repairs. It can also include the time that you had to take off from work because of the accident. The cost of treating your injuries if you were hurt. In some cases, you can also claim compensation for emotional distress.
Adding up all of the damages may take some time but it is very important. In most of the cases we handle, adding up the costs associated with personal injuries can take the longest. The injuries may require extensive medical care so we won’t have the medical expense totals until that care is completed. Even if you suffered soft tissue damages from something like whiplash, you are still looking at several months of physical therapy to help you get as close to how you were before the accident as possible.
We advise all of our personal injury clients to be patient during this process. We want our clients to focus on healing and living their lives while we handle the legal stuff. So if you find yourself in an Uber or Lyft car accident or ANY accident, plan to take the time you need to rest and heal. Take time off work, go to your medical appointments, eat healthy foods and feel better. We will work on your behalf to make sure your medical bills are paid for and negotiate a fair settlement so that no matter what happens next, we’ve got it covered!