What You Need to Know About Uber Accidents

What to do when you are involved in an Uber accident? Would the case be different from a usual accident? Can you sue the company for Uber accidents? Are you eligible for compensation?

These are a few queries that everyone involved in an Uber accident has. You can be involved in an Uber accident in two ways. One when the Uber car you are driving in has an accident. Two, an Uber vehicle causes the accident while you were on the road on your own vehicle.

In the first case, you are entitled to claim for the driver’s negligence. In the second case, you are entitled to claim for causing personal injury when you are a not-at-fault driver.

Here are a few things you need to know before filing a lawsuit for uber accidents:

Obtain At-Fault Driver’s Information

It is quite possible that the at-fault driver involved in an Uber accident would avoid taking responsibility. This is because taking responsibility for the accident may result in his/her suspension from the company. Provided if the driver is the sole breadwinner of the family, he may lose his only income source.

This makes it essential to obtain the driver’s name, address, contact, and insurance information to arrive at an amicable solution.

Seek Medical Help

If you have suffered any injury as part of an accident, seek immediate medical help. Even if no serious injuries can be found, get the medical checkup and get the medical report in hand.

This is to avoid giving the Uber insurance company a chance to say that you faked the injury or the injury preexisted at the time of the accident.

Get The Other Necessary Evidence 

Apart from obtaining the driver’s information, step forward to take photos of the accident scene. Also, gather the name and addresses of the witnesses present.

In case you are unable to do so, ask someone to provide such a favor. If none of the two worked out for you, you could ask the law enforcement officer present at the accident scene for the details of the same.

Know Uber’s Insurance Coverage Limits

Uber provides larger insurance coverage limits than the standard insurance coverage.

It provides bodily injury coverage to its passengers. If the Uber driver was at fault when the accident occurred, the coverage could go up to $1 million. Whereas, in cases where the driver was not at fault, the person can still receive coverage up to $250,000. The amount of coverage you receive will further be decided based on your injuries and damages received.

On the twin side, if you were the driver and met with an Uber accident, the coverage depends on if the Uber driver was on a pickup or was conducting the ride. In these cases also the coverage limit can range from $1000,000 to $1 million.

One Cannot Sue The Uber Company For The Accident

In clear words, in an Uber accident lawsuit, you are actually filing a lawsuit against the Uber driver or his/her insurance company and not the Uber company directly.

Do Not Make Statements In A Hurry

If the law enforcement officer is present at the site of Uber accidents, he will ask you questions. Make sure you don’t make statements that could cause you trouble later in court. Be precise in your answers without blurting out more than necessary. Even the insurance company adjusters present at the scene would try to lowball you.

Don’t be sorry for the accident caused, even mistakenly. Also, avoid talking to other witnesses and passengers present at the scene. You never know what statements can be recorded and present before the court against you.

Call out to an experienced car accident attorney if necessary.

Call 911 Immediately

In case no law enforcement officer gets to the scene of the accident, call 911 immediately to get a better hold on the situation. Meanwhile, you can work upon gathering evidence like taking photos of the scene and its surrounding areas.

This will ultimately help you in filing a lawsuit and supporting it better.

Finally, always wear a seatbelt when riding on an Uber and otherwise. Not wearing your seatbelt may be regarded as your own negligence, resulting in compromising with recovery charges.

As a plaintiff, you can get compensated for the monetary and non-monetary damages caused. This compensation is also calculated based on if you were at fault for your injuries or not. And wearing a seatbelt can knock that possibility out.

To learn more about Uber accidents and how you can present your case strongly, contact our attorneys today.