What To Do After an Uber Accident
Being involved in an Uber accident can be a disorienting and stressful experience. When this happens, it’s crucial to take steps to safeguard your health as well as protect your rights surrounding compensation claims. While you might feel overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath, understanding what actions you should take can reduce your stress levels and make the situation easier to handle.
Get Medical Treatment Right Away
Your health should be your primary concern after any vehicle accident. Even if you feel okay or believe the injuries are minor, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention. Some injuries may not present symptoms immediately or are masked by adrenaline but could emerge later on and potentially lead to serious complications.
Take Detailed Notes While Your Memory is Fresh
Remembering every detail about an incident will become difficult as time passes, so taking comprehensive notes in the aftermath of an Uber accident can prove invaluable when pursuing a potential claim. Specifically:
- If you were a passenger in the Uber, make sure to take note of what the Uber driver was doing at the moment of collision – were they distracted by their phone or other factors?
- Pay close attention to how the drivers interact post-collision; jot down what each says for future reference. If you were in another vehicle that was in an accident with an Uber, take note of what the Uber driver says and make sure you don’t admit fault in any way.
- Consider external conditions that might have contributed towards causing this accident—for example, the weather conditions, road visibility, and road conditions due to potholes.
Anything that seems important about the accident should be noted as soon as possible so you don’t forget.
Consult With a Lawyer to Determine Available Insurance Coverage
Dealing with insurance issues in the context of rideshare accidents can often be considerably complex. The roles of Uber’s insurance policy, the driver’s personal coverage, and any other drivers involved in the incident contribute to this complexity.
Since drivers are contracted by Uber – not officially employees – how liability gets split between the company and the individual can vary dramatically depending on the specifics of the accident – for example, it will change considerably if the driver was on duty with a passenger in their car versus if they were in the car alone with the app turned off.
Report The Accident To Uber
It is crucial to report the accident to Uber as soon as possible. To do this, go into your ride history in the Uber app. Click on “I had an issue with my trip,” find and select “I was involved in an accident.” Follow through with the steps provided within this feature – they will typically include space for detailing what transpired during your trip.
Doing this creates a record of the incident directly tied to your account and can be useful evidence when pursuing any compensation related to the case. Make sure you speak with a lawyer first so you don’t inadvertently say or do something that will jeopardize your claim.
Speaking with an experienced attorney as soon as possible allows you to understand better what compensations may be available for you and ensure appropriate steps are taken promptly.
Contact Us For Help
Handling the aftermath of an Uber accident can be challenging. However, by arming yourself with information on what steps to take, navigating this process should be much smoother. If you’ve been involved in a rideshare accident in Charleston and need knowledgeable legal assistance to protect your rights, contact us to schedule a free consultation.
