Car Accident Lawyer
Can I Make a Claim If I Am Involved in a Personal Injury Uber or Lyft Accident
Over the years, technology has been through an incredible roller coaster of progress. Towards the end of the 1990s, we were all excited to email our friends through electronic mail while making phone calls on ‘mobile’ phone devices that were the size of bricks. Now, just 20 years later, we have phones that can tell us the time, temperature, and best restaurants in a country on the other side of the planet within seconds. In our pockets, we have all the information we could ever want and need.
In the past two or three years, the advancement of technology has led to ‘apps’ or applications and there’s now one for everything. Whether you want to play a game, exchange currencies, keep up with sports news, or order a taxi to take you from point A to point B, you’re likely to find one in the appropriate store.
If you haven't been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen the likes of Uber and Lyft who provide drivers for the community. Since there are no licenses involved, the fees are generally much cheaper than traditional taxis and this is great news. However, what happens if you get into an accident? Since the laws regarding the topic are still relatively new (and still being developed), not many people consider what happens until they’re actually involved in an accident. In truth, it happens more than you might think and, at The Injury Firm, we thought you should know some basic tips and advice to follow!
Uber and Lyft Personal Injury Accidents
When it comes to ride-share companies, thousands of passengers are actually hurt each year along with many other motorists and pedestrians. If you’ve been involved in an accident, you’ll need to protect your legal right to compensation by following a few key steps. Unfortunately, these companies are quickly growing in driver numbers which means their legal team is also growing. After an accident, you need to realize that the company (or their insurance company) in question will do everything in their power to reduce the amount they need to pay.
At The Injury Firm, we need to deal with various tricks they pull but we now have the experience to deal with them successfully. Before you get in contact with a personal injury lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, consider the following advice.
Advice Following an Uber or Lyft Personal Injury Accident
Step 1: Seek Medical Attention - Straight after the accident, you need to seek medical attention and this should always be the primary concern at this point. If there are injuries that prevent you from going to the emergency room directly, call the paramedics and allow them to help. Not only will this allow you to get back to full health as soon as possible, but it also provides official documentation of your injuries thus allowing personal injury lawyers in Fort Lauderdale to assess your case.
Step 2: Contact Law Enforcement - Before you leave the scene for medical attention, we advise calling law enforcement yourself because this will only make your case even stronger. If an accident took place and no law enforcement was called, it immediately suggests the accident wasn't as bad as you made out in your case. The documentation provided by the police department, including a Traffic Collision Report (TCR), allows for full disclosure.
Ultimately, although it might be hard to keep a focused mind directly after a crash, you need to think about persuading a judge or jury of your case. With this, you shouldn't leave any doubt in their mind as to the extent of the crash and the injuries. With two official documents regarding your injuries and the crash, there’s no room for movement at all from the perspective of the defense.
Step 3: Gather Evidence - If you’re in a fit state, we then recommend gathering as much information as you can regarding the parties involved in the incident. For example, the name, insurance information, and contact information of the Uber/Lyft driver would be a good start. If you’re seriously injured, this step may not be possible but we’re going to address this later with a high-quality personal injury lawyer in Fort Lauderdale.
Step 4: Speak to Witnesses - Again, this might not be possible if you’re in a bad way but you should speak to any pedestrians, other road users, cyclists, people who have seen the accident and left their home, and anyone who may have witnessed the events that just unfolded. If you find some witnesses, ask if they would be willing to make a statement and take their contact information.
Although it might sound impossible right now, taking a statement on the spot would be even better for your case but this is above and beyond. If you need medical attention or the occasion simply doesn’t allow, just take down their contact information and keep this handy for your car accident lawyer.
Step 5: Be Careful - Once you’ve left the scene, you’ve received medical attention, and you’re back at home, this is where we have a delicate stage of the process. Why? Because insurance adjusters and representatives from the company will contact you and ask you for details regarding the accident. No matter what they say, you DO NOT have to speak with them nor provide them with any details. As soon as you make comments, they can (and will) be used against you. By getting you to admit your injuries aren't too bad or aren't as severe as first thought, this gives the company a reason not to pay you full compensation.
If they get in touch before you have time to contact a Fort Lauderdale personal injury auto accident lawyer, simply tell them you’ve been in contact with a lawyer and they will contact the company or adjuster on your behalf.
Step 6: Contact a Lawyer - Once you’ve gone through these five steps, you can then get in contact with a personal injury lawyer in Fort Lauderdale. Although some people choose to go it alone, we highly advise against this because we’ve seen large businesses and insurance companies pull all sorts of tricks just to get out of paying claims, and, most of the time, their experience allows it to work.
With a professional legal service by your side who knows how the process works, they’ll know who you should and shouldn't communicate with to keep your case in the strongest position possible. Along the way, there will be some pitfalls to avoid and it’s hard to navigate the process without somebody who has already done it. Of course, car accident lawyers spend their lives in this corner of the law so you can be confident you’re getting the best advice possible.
The Injury Firm Lawyers for Uber or Lyft Personal Injury Accidents in the Fort Lauderdale Area
At The Injury Firm, we’ve been keeping a close eye on the laws regarding Uber and Lyft because they’re so new and continually changing. With taxis, we have clearly-defined laws that have been in place for many decades. With Uber and Lyft walking completely new ground, it was slow at first and their services weren't regulated by state or local laws. Now, this is quickly changing and the majority of states have controls in place including detailed background checks of drivers, insurance expectations, and many other requirements.
Liability - In terms of finding liability in these cases, it can be difficult but we can say with confidence that the passenger is very rarely to blame; Uber and Lyft drivers actually carry liability insurance. Why is liability confusing? Unlike a traditional road accident where there are two parties involved, an Uber or Lyft accident is split between the insurance of the driver and the insurance of the company. For the driver, their insurance company will reject the notion they are responsible because their client is ‘driving for hire’. Therefore, the responsibility normally falls with the company itself.
Sadly, ride-share companies frequently deny claims based on the details of the accident. For the most part, the companies will pay out when the app is online or if the accident is caused by uninsured drivers because they know they can’t escape from blame. This being said, they’ll reject responsibility if the app isn't online when driving or if the driver is to blame. Not only will they reject it, but they’ll also use all the techniques available to avoid paying a penny.
Choosing The Injury Firm - As we’ve seen, you need a professional service by your side to avoid the common mistakes that often lead to individuals seeing no compensation at all. With our experience in the market and our close attention to the Uber and Lyft laws, we feel confident in representing your needs in the coming weeks and months. If you have the medical report as well as the police report, this is a great start and we urge you to ignore the phone calls that come through from the company or their insurance provider.
If you were involved in a heavy accident and you didn't manage to gather evidence or talk to witnesses, get in contact with us as soon as possible and this also applies if you’re a family member reading this on behalf of the victim. The sooner we’re brought in, the more chance we have of gathering the details from the guilty party, talking to witnesses, and building a strong case. Over the years, we’ve built a team of superb investigators who spend their days creating cases that can’t be cracked. Once we’re done, we hope to have a case that cannot be questioned in any way.
With our help, you can reclaim money for medical bills (now and in the future), lost income (now and in the future), any care you need, and any emotional distress experienced. As well as the physical injuries experienced, road accidents can also leave a family in financial distress because, suddenly, the victim can’t work. Once you factor in the increased costs for medical bills and care, it can be tough for a household to make it through and this is why compensation is important.
If you go it alone, we fear the tricks the insurance companies pull may leave you with significantly less compensation than you deserve. With the right personal injury lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, you’ll be guided through the process and we’ll work day and night to compile a case that’ll earn what you deserve whether it comes through mediation, a settlement, or a court case.
As soon as possible after an accident, get in touch with us and we can get the ball rolling. In fact, we even offer a free consultation so you can discuss your case with a professional and we can suggest a plan of action. From here, you can feel confident in how we’re going to pursue your case in the weeks ahead!
