can pose unique issues when it comes to car accidents and injuries.If you or someone you love has recently been injured in a traffic accident involving Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare service, working with an experienced personal injury attorney is crucial to protecting your right to compensation. Uber and Lyft accidents introduce challenging legal issues when it comes to liability, insurance coverage, and how victims can recover their damages. With the assistance
of our proven legal team at Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices, however, you can ensure you have the help and resources needed to effectively navigate the personal injury claim process and recover the compensation you deserve.
To help you gain a better understanding of accidents involving Uber and Lyft, and the steps you should take following a crash, we have put together the following information.
- Seek Medical Treatment – As with any traffic accident, the first and most important thing
that should be done is ensuring your health and the wellbeing of any other parties involved. If you did not seek emergency care following the crash, you should still seek a timely medical evaluation, especially if you feel pain. Don’t try to tough it out or wait until your symptoms get worse. This can not only cause you to miss out on what may be serious or treatable injuries, but it can also cause complications when insurers dispute that you were not really injured because you waited to seek medical treatment, even if you were in pain all along. - Don’t Discuss Fault – No matter what party you may be in an Uber or Lyft crash, it is best to not discuss fault. You may not have all the facts to provide an accurate assessment of what happened, or you may possibly make statements that can be interpreted as you accepting blame. Don’t say sorry or apologize or discuss fault. Let insurance adjusters, police, and attorneys handle investigations into fault and liability.
- Call the Police – Calling emergency services following a crash is important to ensuring any
emergency care is provided to victims. It can also ensure that a law enforcement officer collects information and details about the crash for the purposes of a police report. This police report is important in personal injury cases, and it can aid you should you choose to file a claim. - Gather Information – If you are able to do so, try to gather as much information as you can,
including contact and insurance information from all involved parties, information from any witnesses who may have seen what happened, and driver’s license and license plate numbers. You can also take photos of the scene, damages to vehicles, and any visible injuries you may have. - Don’t Trust the Insurance Company – Insurance companies simply do not have the best interests of victims in mind. They are businesses, and their goals are to collect premiums
and keep them low for policy holders, not pay out claims. Be aware that insurers may try to contact you following an accident, and that they may attempt to get you to say something that could be used to assign fault or liability to you, or to deny your claim. You do not have to speak with insurers when you have the help of our personal injury lawyer. - Understand Liability & Coverage – Because Uber and Lyft drivers are considered independent contractors, rather than company employees, liability and insurance coverage can vary depending on the circumstances involved – especially when it comes to what
a driver was doing at the time of the crash. For example, Uber specifies the type of coverage provided to victims when an Uber driver is either transporting a fare (victims covered by Uber’s $1 million commercial policy), in between trips (victims covered by Uber’s third party
liability policy), or not actively using the app (victims covered by an Uber driver’s personal insurance).
- Know Your Situation – It is also important for you to understand your rights and the
coverage in place given the unique facts of your crash. While you have the right to be compensated by the party responsible for causing your accident and injuries, it may vary depending on the rideshare service’s insurance policies. This means that a case will proceed differently depending on whether you were injured as a driver or passenger in an another vehicle that was involved in a crash with an Uber or Lyft, you were a passenger or driver in an Uber or Lyft, or you were a pedestrian injured by an Uber or Lyft. - Speak to a Lawyer – Bringing your case to the attention of an experienced attorney
as soon as you can is important in any auto accident involving injuries. Given the unique and challenging nature of Uber and Lyft accidents, it becomes even more important. At Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices, our legal team can fully review your case, discuss your rights, and explain whether you have a valid cause for pursuing financial compensation for
your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among others. We can then take the necessary steps to help you fight for full and fair compensation.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a wreck involving Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare service, do not hesitate to reach out for the help and support you need by contacting Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices.
Over the years, our firm has recovered millions of dollars and compensation for clients harmed in all types of auto accidents across the five boroughs and the surrounding areas of New York. This includes accidents involving Uber and Lyft and the difficult legal issues they introduce. You can be confident about placing your trust in our proven team.
Our team is available 24/7 to help. Contact us today to request a FREE consultation.
