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Students who choose to play it smart and safe by not engaging in drinking and driving while on Spring Break often turn to rideshare services to ensure a smooth trip to their next destination. This is highly encouraged because it keeps them from getting caught inebriated behind the wheel and proactively prevents things like drunk driving accidents.
With that said, using Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare service isn’t without its issues, including the possibility of accidents. So, what should you do when the rideshare that you’ve hired ends up in an accident? Besides calling an El Paso rideshare lawyer, here are a few additional steps to follow to ensure you’re covered legally.
Since accidents tend to occur on busy roads, the first thing that you need to do is take measures to ensure your safety. While you may not be able to move the vehicle, or even ask the driver to do so based on the extent of the accident, you need to have the police note what happened, take account of any damages to the vehicle, and move yourself to a safe place.
Remember that secondary accidents often occur right after the primary one because other drivers on the road fail to pay attention. You don’t want to exit one accident seemingly unscathed only to end up injured in another one. If you can, move to the sidewalk, a nearby parking lot, or any other place that seems safe and out of harm’s way.
Once you’re in a safe location (still close to the accident), it’s time to call 911. Request that a police officer come out to take a report of the incident, and if necessary, an ambulance as well. Fire engines might also be required if the vehicles seem like they’re in danger of catching on fire or if you see active flames.
The police officer who responds will take a report, which includes the driver’s information. However, it’s a good idea to get this information on your own as well. Make sure that you have the driver’s full name, their rideshare account number, and related information, including license plate number, driver’s license number, phone number, address, and more. You might also need the vehicle’s VIN number, as well as its make and model as well. The more information the better, as you can share all of this pertinent information with your rideshare accident attorney.
Once again, this is something that the police should do, so they can include it in their report. However, it never hurts to be thorough on your end, which involves getting photos of the damage yourself. This is why it helps to have a smartphone with a camera attached.
Make sure to capture the damage from multiple angles, both about five feet away from the accident as well as close up so that you have everything captured from a variety of perspectives. The more documentation, the better, as this helps people who weren’t there visualize what happened.
You may not be in the best mood, post-accident, to talk to anyone who witnessed it, but it’s a good idea to do so. While you can leave the witness statements to the police and your rideshare accident lawyer, you’ll need (at minimum) the witnesses’ contact information, including names, addresses, and phone numbers. It’s helpful to speak to anyone who witnessed the accident and stuck around afterward to help.
Even if you seem to have escaped uninjured from the accident, there’s always a chance that injuries may appear later. Things like whiplash and back pain from the accident can pop up several days afterward. Plus, the fight or flight response post-accident, also known as an adrenaline rush, can mask any injuries immediately after the car accident occurs. Once this wears off, you’ll begin to feel the pain of things like injured limbs and internal injuries.
For all of these reasons and more, it’s crucial to seek medical care post-accident, especially if you have a visible injury, like immediate bruising or a broken arm. This is especially important because your Uber, Lyft, and rideshare accident lawyer will need a copy of any medical reports you obtain.
Although you should never sign or agree to any kind of settlement with your insurance company (or the other party’s insurance company) without speaking with your El Paso, Texas lawyer first, you need to inform them at least that you were in an accident. Explain that you were in a rideshare vehicle driven by another person at the time of the crash and provide them with the information that they requested. This could be anything from a copy of the police report to photographs and other things that document the accident at the scene.
Next, contact the rideshare service that was involved in the accident. Find the customer service number for Uber, Lyft, or whichever service you used, and give them the information that they need. They will probably ask for the driver’s information, the police report number, and anything else necessary to stay informed about the incident.
If you were injured in an accident and need an El Paso Uber, Lyft, and rideshare accident attorney, then look no further than the Law Offices of Michael J. Gopin, PLLC. We have over 30 years of experience and can file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf, so you receive fair compensation for your injuries and any other damages that occurred. Contact us today to learn more.
Michael J. Gopin has practiced law in El Paso since 1987. Even after more than 30 years, he still remembers his first jury case. It was two weeks after receiving his license, when he represented a person whose life had been forever changed after being blinded in a work-related incident...
We are experienced El Paso personal injury lawyers. Give us a call and you’ll be taken care of! (915) 333-3333
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