Even the most experienced drivers sometimes have accidents. In fact, collisions are often completely unavoidable. When you are taking a rideshare, they are usually caused by other drivers. However, the cause of an accident is immaterial when you are the passenger, because compensation is owed to you regardless of who was behind the crash.
Unless you have ever been involved in a claim for compensation before, the chances are you have no idea how to go about obtaining it. This post will explore this topic in more detail and tell you everything you need to know about getting the money you are owed after an accident.
Find an Attorney
The very first thing you need to do after you have received treatment or returned home is to get in touch with an attorney. Until you have a lawyer’s support, a claim for compensation is going to be difficult to mount.
This is especially true with cases involving Uber and Lyft, because these companies have fierce legal teams that do everything they can to dismiss the claims of car accident victims. A lawyer can argue on your behalf and ensure you get every penny you are owed. Here are some tips you can use to find the right attorney for you:
- Read testimonials. Testimonials are an effective way to find out what an attorney is like to work with. The easiest way to find out what customers have to say about lawyers is to visit their websites and check their review pages. You can also view reviews on Google Reviews and Trustpilot.
- Consider cost. Lawyers can be expensive. Fortunately, if you have been involved in an accident that was not your fault, you can receive legal aid or enter into a no-win-no-fee agreement, which is when you only pay lawyer fees if you win your case and receive compensation. Speak to your chosen attorney today and find out what their preferred method of payment (or payment arrangement) is.
- Professional manner. A professional manner is very important. The lawyer you work with needs to conduct themselves well. They must also speak with respect. The best way to find out what a lawyer is like on a personal basis is to book an appointment and meet with them in person. Alternatively, you can meet with them over Zoom.
- Past experience. The lawyer you hire needs to have experience working on cases similar to yours. Hiring a lawyer who’s inexperienced is a bad idea, even if they seem nice. This is because they might not have the industry know-how needed to push companies like Uber and Lyft into agreeing to settlements.
- Time. You need a lawyer who has time for you. Many people hire lawyers whose books are overwhelmed by clients. Such attorneys might be able to represent their clients effectively, but they can be difficult to get feedback from and can unnecessarily delay proceedings. Find a lawyer who answers your emails quickly and tends to your needs.
What Should You Do in the Aftermath?
In the immediate aftermath of an accident, you cannot practically get in touch with a lawyer. There are many more important things you need to do first. Prioritize your safety and the safety of others involved in the accident. Here’s everything you should do, in order:
Check Yourself for Injuries
The very first thing you need to do is to check yourself for injuries. Checking yourself for injuries is important because car accident injuries aren’t always immediately obvious. If there are no significant injuries and the car you are in is not on fire, it’s often best to wait for paramedics to arrive in a seated position.
This is because certain injuries can be made worse by movement, like whiplash, which can sometimes take hours or days to show up. It’s also important to check others present for injuries, too. Make sure the driver of the car isn’t hurt, and also check the other drivers involved.
Contact the Emergency Services
Contact the emergency services, even if you aren’t seriously hurt. This is because there is always a chance that the driver responsible for the accident was intoxicated. An intoxicated driver who causes an accident will always be arrested. Claiming compensation is a lot more straightforward if the responsible driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Only the police can test the driver’s sobriety, however. It is important to tell the emergency services that it is a non-emergency if that is the case, so they do not divert officers or paramedics away from serious road traffic collisions, accidents, or criminal cases.
Try to Obtain On-the-Spot Evidence
If you have sustained no serious injuries (or you feel capable of getting out of the vehicle and documenting the scene), then it is a good idea to begin collecting evidence. After an accident, all parties involved will argue fault.
It’s important to have evidence that demonstrates your innocence and lack of involvement. The best evidence you can get is video or photographic. Take your phone out and record the scene. If you are able to, get the license plates of the cars involved in the collision on film, so nobody can deny involvement later on during the claims process.
Collect Contact Information
As part of gathering evidence, you need to collect contact information for everybody involved and for any witnesses. Contact information can make it much easier for you to go ahead with a claim for personal injury. This is because the insurance company your lawyer ultimately claims from will need evidence.
It’s important that you get your driver’s name and contact information, too. If they refuse to supply it, then you can get in touch with the ridesharing service yourself and ask for their information. Make sure you state that it is for insurance purposes. It is against the law for the driver or ridesharing service not to provide the information needed for this reason.
Request a Medical Certificate
If you end up going to the hospital, it’s essential that you request a medical certificate. A medical certificate can give your lawyer all the information they need about your injuries. Supplying your lawyer with medical information will help them to pursue a claim.
You always need to make sure that, in addition to providing a written certificate from the doctor who sees you at the ER, you also photograph your injuries. Taking photographs of them can make it much easier for your lawyer to argue for your right to compensation.
Make a Police Report
A police report may be necessary. In some parts of the world, you legally have to report a car accident within 14 days. Failing to do this can lead to prosecution. However, this varies depending on where you are. The best protocol is to assume you have to and tell the police that you have been involved in an accident. That way, if they need to intervene, they can.
This also gives them the opportunity to interview all involved parties and determine who is at fault and whether or not any criminal proceedings need to be pursued.
Get In Touch with a Lawyer
As mentioned above, it’s important to get in touch with a lawyer. The lawyer you hire needs to have a wealth of experience in car accident claims, ideally against large ridesharing companies. You can find out what a lawyer’s area of expertise is by visiting their website. Their website should have all of the information you need to know in order to make an informed hiring decision.
If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to your chosen lawyer via email or over the phone. They should then be able to answer questions for you and help you to make a decision.
Formalize Claim Proceedings
Once you have found a lawyer you think you want to work with, you can go ahead and formalize claim proceedings. This involves sitting down with your lawyer and talking them through the details of your case. They will be able to assess the fault and help you find a resolution that works for you.
It’s essential that when you are in the process of formalizing your claim, you are completely honest and forthcoming with your attorney. Do not exaggerate or embellish, because this can lead to your claim being dismissed or you receiving more compensation than you legally deserve (which is fraud).
Focus On Your Recovery
Once you have made your claim, you can worry about getting better. Bear in mind that if the injuries you received were severe, the statute of limitations usually allows you around two years to make a claim. However, it’s better to make a claim as early as you possibly can, so that everything is fresh in the minds of those involved.
If you find a good lawyer, you won’t have to have any involvement in the claims process, and you can focus on your recovery, while they worry about processing your claim for you.
A car accident can change your life forever. Because of how serious they can be, they should never be taken lightly. Even an accident that doesn’t result in serious harm should be taken seriously. If you have been involved in one, use the guidance given here to do everything you are supposed to. Make sure that if you take anything away from this post, it’s that you need to find a qualified and experienced lawyer. The advice offered above can help you to do that.
