What to Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident in Massachusetts

Most car crashes are stressful and traumatic for victims. When accidents involve Uber and Lyft drivers, victims may not know what actions to take. It can be difficult to keep your composure after an Uber or Lyft accident.

Still, there are certain steps you should take after an Uber or Lyft accident that will protect your ability to recover compensation. You should remain at the scene, report your accident, exchange information with other drivers, and document the scene of your crash if possible. Afterward, an Uber and Lyft accident lawyer can help refer medical treatment and seek compensation.

If you were injured because of an Uber or Lyft accident in Massachusetts, get help determining the proper course of action. Contact our experienced Boston Uber and Lyft accident lawyers by calling the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 for a free case review.

Steps to Take After an Uber or Lyft Accident in Massachusetts

It is important to keep your presence of mind after an Uber or Lyft accident in Massachusetts. Taking the following actions can help your case when pursuing financial compensation for your injuries:

Stay at the Scene

After Uber and Lyft accidents, injured passengers may want to leave the scene and continue on to their intended destination. However, leaving the scene of an accident can inhibit your ability to pursue damages related to your injuries. You should remain at the scene until a police officer arrives.

Other motorists involved in Uber and Lyft crashes may be charged with a hit and run if they flee the scene of an accident. Drivers charged with a hit and run may be considered at-fault. Accordingly, a motorist who flees the scene of an Uber or Lyft accident may not be compensated for the full value of their case.

Call 911

Parties injured because of Uber and Lyft accidents should call 911 as soon as possible after their accidents. First, a dispatcher can send an ambulance for anyone who requires immediate medical treatment. Additionally, a police officer should visit the scene to create an official accident report.

An accident report can be very valuable to our Massachusetts personal injury lawyers when proving fault for a crash. These reports typically contain an officer’s observations from the crash scene as well as statements from drivers regarding why a crash occurred. Our team can help retrieve an officer’s accident report in the aftermath of your case.

Avoid Apologizing or Admitting Fault

You should avoid apologizing or admitting fault for your crash. It can be natural for drivers to apologize after an accident, even if it wasn’t their fault. However, when speaking with other parties, drivers involved in Uber and Lyft accidents should not say “sorry” or make any statement that seems like an apology. Such statements can be construed as admissions of fault. Parties that assume fault can have trouble recovering the full range of compensation available to them after Uber or Lyft accidents.

Exchange Information with Other Parties

Next, you should exchange information with other parties to your Uber or Lyft accident. This includes your rideshare driver and any other motorists involved in the crash. You should gather other parties’ contact information, including names, addresses, and phone numbers. Furthermore, you should retrieve license plate numbers and insurance information from each driver.

When gathering information from the rideshare driver, you should attempt to collect his personal insurance policy information as well as Uber or Lyft’s insurance policy information. Both Uber and Lyft carry liability insurance to cover damages stemming from accidents involving their drivers. Our Malden car accident lawyers can provide guidance and support to victims when making a claim under either policy.

Document the Scene of the Accident

Victims of Uber and Lyft accidents should always document the scene of their accidents if possible. Photos from the scene can be helpful when proving or disproving theories regarding why a crash happened. For example, a defendant driver may state that a crash occurred because a street light was out, so they could not see properly. In that case, photos from the scene showing a working street light can be used to refute the at-fault driver’s defense.

Furthermore, photos from the scene can be used to show that property damage was caused by the Uber or Lyft accident at issue. Often, other motorists’ vehicles are badly damaged because of rideshare driver’s negligent actions. Fortunately, at-fault drivers can be held liable for property damage they cause. Damages for property damage are typically calculated using the cost of repair or replacement of plaintiffs’ vehicles.

However, some defendants may argue that certain damage was not caused by a particular crash. Accordingly, photos from the scene of an accident showing the wrecked vehicle can be used to show that damage was caused by the crash at issue. You can reach out to our Quincy car accident lawyers for help seeking compensation for property damage in your case.

Seek Medical Attention

You should not wait to seek medical attention after an Uber or Lyft accident in Massachusetts. Proper documentation is required in order to recover damages related to your injuries. Waiting to let injuries heal on their own could inhibit your ability to seek compensation. Our team can help refer the right doctors in your case.

Additionally, insurance companies may use a delay in treatment to deny payment. You must establish a causal link between the rideshare accident at issue and your injuries. If you do not seek treatment quickly, an insurer may argue that your injuries were not caused by a particular accident.

Contact Our Lawyers

Finally, you should contact our experienced Saugus car accident lawyers as soon as possible after your crash. The appropriate route to compensation can vary depending on the circumstances of your accident. Our team can assess the validity of your case and help determine what to do after an Uber or Lyft accident in Massachusetts.

If You Were Injured Because of an Uber or Lyft Accident in Massachusetts, Our Lawyers Can Help

If you were injured because of an Uber or Lyft accident, seek assistance from our experienced Somerville car accident lawyers by calling the Law Office of John J. Sheehan at (617) 925-6407 for a free case review.