Steps to Take by Injured Uber Passengers in Alabama
When you get into an Uber, you want to believe that you will be safe. One of the strongest selling points for Uber is the belief that you will be safer riding with them than you would be driving yourself. In many instances, however, that may not be true. For example, sometimes, your Uber driver breaks a traffic law. Other times, another driver causes an accident (for example, they rear-end you at the stop.) In any case, if you are injured in a ridesharing accident, follow these tips.Â
Make Sure You Are Safe
Following an Uber accident, your first priority should be your safety. Ideally, your Uber driver will move you out of harm’s way. Being safe means pulling off to the side of the road so that the vehicle is no longer blocking traffic. Being safe may also mean removing yourself from the vehicle if any of the drivers involved in the accident seems intoxicated or incapacitated due to their injuries.
Contact the Police Immediately
Uber is very proud of its low accident rates, and they are very quick to point out how much lower those rates are than the national vehicle accident statistics. Your driver may not want you to contact anyone following an accident to protect those low rates, especially if the accident was a minor fender-bender. However, your rideshare driver will contact the police, the ridesharing company, and their insurance agents in accidents with injuries.
Remember that you need evidence from the accident scene and a full police report when filing insurance claims or lawsuits later, so call the police yourself if your driver seems reluctant to do so.
Seek Medical Attention
In addition to the police, you may need an ambulance if you or anyone else has been injured. Following an accident, if you do not feel as though you are in severe medical distress, you should still consider seeking medical attention. You may be suffering from the shock that can interfere with your ability to judge how severely you have been injured. Moreover, many car crash injuries manifest symptoms a few hours or even days later. Therefore, going through a full medical checkup in the crash’s aftermath is wise if you want to be safe and have a basis for a car accident claim.
Get as Much Information as Possible
It can be difficult to remain alert and focused on a task during an accident, but you should try to get as much contact information as possible. This includes all of the following:
- License plate numbers
- Phone numbers
- Addresses
- Insurance information
- Witness names
- Driver’s license information
You may think it is not your place to document the scene, but you need to stay vigilant if your health status allows. First, get the contact information of your Uber driver and all other drivers involved in the crash. Don’t forget to ask your driver for their rideshare insurance information and their personal policy details. Then, to build a legal case, take photos of the scene and screenshots of your Uber app to prove you were a passenger. If possible, collect witnesses’ contact information as well.
Contact Uber and Your Insurance Company
In many states, Alabama included, ridesharing companies carry plenty of insurance to cover Uber drivers and their passengers’ medical expenses up to their policies’ limits, regardless of fault. Moreover, Uber’s liability insurance policy might be enough to cover all passengers’ injuries and property damage. So you could count on this policy to help you recover from your injuries when the Uber driver is responsible for the accident.
If your Uber driver was not at fault for the accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance policy should cover your damages. However, be very cautious when you speak to Uber and any potential insurance adjusters. Do not sign any papers without first speaking to an attorney. In Uber or Lyft accident claims, there is plenty of room for nuance. You can get compensation with a Birmingham, AL car crash lawyer if you present to them all the documentation you gathered in your case. A specialized ridesharing accidents attorney will explain all your options and help you recover from your injuries and damages.
Bottom Line
Words cannot describe the unpleasantness of being the victim of a car collision, even a small one. However, when you are hurt, you need to take care of yourself and recover. It is unwise to take things into your own hands, even if Uber, Lyft, and other ridesharing companies have solid policies and use extensive insurance coverage for all types of incidents. Some insurers will do everything to pay you as little as possible or not pay you at all. Find a lawyer in your city and let them use their knowledge, skills, and resources to help you get your life back on track.Â
About the author:
With a law degree under his belt, Mark Scott understood very early that law communication was a relatively neglected area. He decided to help people by “translating” the language and offering information and advice in a clear, useful, and actionable manner. For this reason, instead of finding him in court, you will most likely find his name online, where he is very active and thriving as a legal columnist. His part of making the world a better place is to make the law a less convoluted maze. He aims to make it easier for people to understand when and how to seek legal counsel, how to proceed in a significant number of legal matters, and to find the proper resources so they can stand up for their rights.
