What to Do if You’re a Passenger in an Uber Car Accident
Car accidents are never fun. But do you know what to do if you’re in an Uber car accident?
Traveling in an Uber changes the process after an accident. You might feel uncertain about what your next steps should be. Should you contact your insurance company? What happens if you get injured? Are you entitled to compensation – and will you still get charged for the Uber ride?
In this guide, we’ll answer all your questions in the aftermath of an Uber car accident. Keep reading to prepare yourself in case it happens to you.
The Steps to Take After an Uber Car Accident
If you’re a passenger when your Uber driver is in an accident, there are a few steps you should take, even though you’re not responsible for the accident.
You’ll especially need to step up if the driver gets injured. Here’s what to do if the driver can’t take care of it themselves.
1. Make Sure Everyone in the Car is Safe
If you’re not injured, you should take the time to make sure other people are okay, as well. In a severe accident, there might be many different degrees of injury, depending on where people were sitting in relation to the crash.
Don’t forget to check yourself for injuries, too. You might not notice right away since the impact of the crash can result in a state of shock.
Check to see if you’re bleeding anywhere, and try to get an idea of any parts of your body injured by the impact. Then, you can start helping give first aid to others.
2. Call Paramedics and Police
Make sure to contact medical assistance if there are any injured people, even if the injuries seem minor.
Like any car accident, you or the driver need to notify the police. Even if the accident was minor and both parties are cooperative, you’ll need to keep emergency responders aware of the situation.
You don’t need to call the paramedics if the impact was minor and there were no injuries (although it doesn’t hurt to call them to be on the safe side). It’s possible that people have unseen internal injuries that may have serious consequences later.
3. Gather Information
If you don’t have any serious injuries and aren’t too shaken up, you should gather evidence that will help your lawyer if you need to file a claim.
Start by taking photos of the crash, and get the name, insurance information, and phone number of your driver. You can also get some of their identifying info from the Uber app itself. Take notes about the vehicles involved, including the model, make, and color of the cars.
Gather contact information from the other passengers and any witnesses that are available.
If you weren’t an Uber passenger but you were in an accident caused by an Uber driver, ask the Uber passenger to send you a screenshot of the information from the Uber app.
The information that you gather will benefit you if you decide to make a claim and hire a lawyer. However, an experienced lawyer will also be able to help you use the Uber app to gather the information you can use.
4. See a Doctor
A lot of injuries aren’t apparent right after a car accident. The problems can take a matter of days or even weeks to show up. It’s a good idea to schedule a visit with a doctor and get checked out after your accident. That way, the doctor can address any injuries before they become major problems.
The sooner you get a medical issue diagnosed, the sooner it can be treated. If you decide to hire a lawyer for compensation later on, taking care of your medical treatment will also help your case.
Make sure to document any medical issues and the treatment you receive for them. The sooner you document these problems, the easier it becomes to show that the Uber accident caused them. This proof is essential for getting compensation.
Get started on this process sooner, instead of trying to wait it out. Even if you don’t feel any pain, get a doctor’s professional opinion and document your visit.
5. Have Your Lawyer Talk to Uber
If you decide to hire a lawyer, you should let them inform Uber of the accident.
When the ride is over, the Uber app will prompt you to rate the ride. You might think that this is a good time to let them know about the accident. However, it’s actually better to wait.
Your attorney should do the talking for you since they know how to best approach the situation. Anything that you say to Uber might get brought up against you in court.
What Happens Next?
You’ve hired your lawyer, seen a doctor, and gathered your documentation. What now?
After your lawyer informs Uber of the accident, they will contact you via one of their representatives for any necessary information. You’ll also get a call from an insurance agent asking about the accident. Depending on the situation, you might get a refund for the original Uber ride.
Uber carries a liability coverage policy of a million dollars to help customers with damages and losses after an accident. However, they might push back against your claim. Since Uber drivers are independent contractors, things can get complicated.
Have You Been in an Uber Car Accident?
Navigating the aftermath of an Uber car accident can be difficult on your own. If you’re hoping to get compensation, though, doing it on your own becomes almost impossible.
That’s why it’s so important to hire a good lawyer who will be on your side. When you’re ready to get started, contact us for more information.