Using a rideshare app helps you save on the wear and tear that you put your car through. You can use the app when your car is in the shop or you don’t have a vehicle. All drivers who use the app must have a valid license when they sign up and show proof that they have it. Even the most cautious of drivers can have an accident though. All it takes is one driver who misses a stop sign or one that drives through a red light for you to find yourself on the side of the road. As a passenger, there are things that you can do immediately after the accident and later.
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Call 911
No matter what your driver says, you should call 911 right away. It doesn’t matter if the two drivers exchange insurance information or no one claims that they were hurt. Calling 911 ensures that a police officer comes to the scene and makes a report. The officer can look for people who witnessed the accident to hear what they have to say. An accident report gives you clear documentation that an accident occurred and mentions who caused it.
Collect Information
You might think that you don’t need to collect information on the scene because you can find it later. There’s no guarantee that your driver will keep working for the company. You also risk the app losing the driver’s name or its record of the accident. Make sure that you get the driver’s full name and phone number along with their home address. You should collect the same information from the other driver or anyone else involved in the accident. If you have a police report, it should list all of this information along with both drivers’ insurers.
Get Medical Attention
Not all injuries sustained in car accidents cause pain at the scene. Soft tissue damage such as whiplash can start as a dull pain that you feel later in the day and worsen in the coming weeks. The police officer who comes to the scene can call for an ambulance to take you to the hospital for treatment. You’ll want to keep track of your discharge papers and any other paperwork that you receive, especially if you think that you may need a lawyer. The paperwork shows that you sustained an injury in the car accident through no fault of your own.
Contact the App
As soon as possible after the accident, contact the app. You may even find that you can contact customer service through your phone while you’re still at the scene. Most apps require that drivers have insurance that covers both them and their passengers. For example, Uber requires that drivers have a minimum of $50,000 in injury coverage for each person and another $25,000 in property damage coverage. Most apps also have insurance that covers passengers and others involved in accidents caused by their drivers. Uber and Lyft will both cover up to two people injured in a car accident.
Insurance Help
One issue that you might find is that the company’s insurer doesn’t want to give you as much money as you deserve. With a good Lyft accident attorney, you get the help that you need. Your lawyer can talk with the insurer about what you need and help you settle the case as quickly as possible. As long as you have an accident report and proof of your injury, you should get compensation. You’ll usually get more money if you suffered a serious injury. A lawyer can help with property damage as a result of the accident, too.
More Than Passengers
People often need help learning what to do after a rideshare accident when they weren’t a passenger in the car. You might find that a rideshare driver runs through a red light and hits your car or that a driver crashes through your fence. In any of these cases, you still need to contact the authorities and file a police report. The rideshare company can then compensate you for the injuries you sustained or property damage you suffered. If the app ignores your requests or tries to extend the process, you may find that you need a lawyer. A good accident lawyer can help with both settlements and lawsuits involving a rideshare driver.
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