How A Rideshare Accident Attorney Can Help
Being in a rideshare accident can leave you with various questions, especially if you were a passenger in the vehicle and have been injured. You may want to file a compensation claim against the liable party, but you may be confused about who is liable. In a rideshare accident, the number of potentially liable parties can be many. This is where an attorney can help.
If you were a passenger, you should get legal consultation from a rideshare attorney immediately. You must not seek a regular attorney but someone who deals with rideshare accidents every day because they would know the unique challenges such cases can present.
What makes a rideshare accident attorney different from a regular attorney?
If you thought there was no difference between a regular car accident attorney and a rideshare one, think again. Even though rideshare accidents may involve the same kind of vehicles as regular car accidents, the former type of accidents have different circumstances and require a different approach. In rideshare accidents, the number of potentially liable parties is also greater than in regular car accidents. Therefore, you need an attorney who can deal with many parties.
Uber and Lyft drivers use their own private vehicles to provide transportation to people and do not own a commercial driving license. They are not considered employees of the companies they work for but work as independent contractors.
However, note that the company may not give commercial insurance coverage while the driver is on-duty. This means the passenger should either be in the car during the accident or have already requested a ride. Therefore, who is liable for your injuries depends on the unique circumstances of the accident.
Steps to take after a rideshare accident
The minutes following a rideshare accident can be scary, but try taking the following steps to protect your rights and help your attorney.
- The most important thing to do is to call the emergency services. Call the ambulance to receive immediate medical attention and law enforcement so that the police officers can come and create a report.
- Get everyone’s contact information about who was involved in the accident. Make sure to note the details of the vehicles involved, such as the number plate, model, color, etc.
- If you are physically able to do so, take photos and videos of the accident scene, your injuries, and the vehicles involved, specifically the parts where the cars were damaged.
- Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible. However, do not admit your fault or record a statement.
