Were You A Passenger In An Uber Or Lyft Accident In Florida?

Nine Critical Steps In Helping To Document Your Case.

As a passenger who has been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident in Florida, protecting your right to compensation for your damages is paramount. In most cases, the source of compensation will come from the at-fault or liable party, which may or may not be the Uber or Lyft driver you accepted a ride from; it could be one or several third-party drivers, the government entity charged with maintaining the road where the accident occurred, or even a construction company that failed to implement safety measures in their work zone.

Regardless of who was at fault, the following steps can help streamline the process of getting you back on your feet, both physically and financially:

1. Remain at the scene of the accident. Lyft and Uber drivers are instructed to call the police in the event that an accident has occurred. It is important that you stay at the scene in order to make a statement to the police about what happened.
2. Assess whether you or anyone else involved in the accident has sustained any obvious injuries. If so, take the necessary steps to get immediate medical care. Above all else, your safety and health should be prioritized. From a legal standpoint, failing to seek medical attention immediately or soon after an accident can provide the insurance company a reason to claim that you were not actually injured in the accident, or that your injuries existed prior to the accident. By ensuring that a medical provider thoroughly documents the reason for your visit to an emergency department or urgent care center as well as any injuries, symptoms, or diagnostic tests performed, you protect your right to compensation.
3. Call 911, regardless of whether there are any obvious injuries. Hopefully, the Uber or Lyft driver will have already done so, but if not, you need to make the call as long as you are able. It is very important that the police are made aware of the accident so that they can examine the scene, take witness statements, gather information, and write an accident report.
4. Leave things where they are. The Uber or Lyft driver should already know not to move their vehicle unless it is necessary to do so. If they begin to move the vehicle before the police have arrived, inform them that doing so could eliminate one way of demonstrating causation and/or fault on behalf of the other driver(s) involved.
5. If you are able to use your cell phone to take photos, do so. This is critical to capturing how the scene looked immediately after the accident, and can prove very helpful in demonstrating causation and/or liability. Take photos of injuries, damage to vehicles, street signs and lights in the surrounding area, the condition of the road, and the positioning of the vehicles relative to one another. Since the vehicles will likely be moved shortly after the accident for the safety of other drivers on the road, it is important to capture this evidence as soon as possible. All too often, critical evidence in these cases disappears before it is documented, which can complicate the process of proving fault.
6. Safely store digital receipts of your Lyft or Uber ride purchase. This receipt should show the time of the ride, the start and end destinations, and type of vehicle being driven, and the name of the Uber or Lyft driver. Depending on how your case evolves, having this basic information could prove helpful.
7. Document the name, contact information, insurance company, and home address of everyone who was involved in the accident. Also, record the license plate numbers of all vehicles involved.
8. If there are any witnesses to the accident, ask them to provide you with an account of their observations. You may choose to record this on your phone (with their permission), or have them type it out in a text message or email. Oftentimes, witness testimony can make or break these cases. Also speak with the other driver(s) involved. In the best-case scenario, they will make an admission of fault while at the scene of the accident. If an admission can be recorded, documented, or at least witnessed by other parties, it could significantly limit the insurance company’s ability to deny liability.
9. Contact an Uber or Lyft rideshare accident attorney in Florida who can review the details of your case, give you a good idea of what to expect in terms of compensation, deal with the rideshare’s insurance company on your behalf so that you can focus on your recovery, and ensure that your rights are protected every step of the way.

The Uber and Lyft rideshare accident attorneys at Fenstersheib Law Group, P.A. are dedicated to protecting the rights of those who have suffered injuries as the result of an auto accident involving Uber or Lyft and have helped many individuals who have been in your same position.

Call Fenstersheib Law Group, P.A., Your Rideshare Accident Experts at 800-TELL-ROBERT. With convenient offices in Hallandale (main office), Miramar, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa, and Jacksonville, Florida.