Ridesharing has become an increasingly popular way to get around. Many use it as their preferred transportation when traveling to a new city on vacation, as a safe way to get home when they’ve had too much to drink, or as a way to get a lot of groceries home when they live in a large city.
Although most of the time when you get into an Uber, Lyft, or another type of ride-sharing program, you’ll get in and out without incident; but what happens if your driver gets into a car accident? Or what if an Uber driver hits you while you’re walking around town? Who is liable to pay for any injuries you’ve incurred?
Here’s what you should do if you have been in an Uber accident.
FIRST, CALL 9-1-1 AND DOCUMENT THE ACCIDENT IF POSSIBLE
When you’ve been involved in an Uber accident—whether you were in the car or were a pedestrian—call 9-1-1 right away to get medical attention. Although you may feel fine, it’s still important to get checked out just in case you have any internal injuries that aren’t presenting themselves right away.
If you’re able, try to snap pictures of the car accident including the crash scene, the damage to the vehicles involved in the accident, as well as the location of where the accident occurred. Also, be sure to take down the driver’s first and last name, any other driver’s names and insurance information, as well as contact information for any witnesses.
CONTACT UBER
On Uber’s website, there’s information on the steps you need to take to notify them in case of an accident. After you’ve contacted the police and paramedics, notify the company also. Using the Uber app, select “Trip Issues, and Fare Adjustments”, then click ”I was in an accident.” Ensure that you indicate the correct ride when you relay the information to them.
WHO PAYS FOR MEDICAL BILLS FOR MY INJURIES?
If you decide to pursue legal action because you want to seek compensation for medical bills or lost wages, you probably won’t be suing Uber. Because the drivers are technically independent contractors, it’s much more difficult to hold the company liable in an accident (although of course, this depends on what state you’ve been in an accident in). If legal action is necessary, you would likely be suing the driver. However, if the driver is unable to cover the costs of medical bills or lost wages, Uber has a $1 million liability policy for passengers.
If your Uber driver is not at fault, the other driver’s insurance policy would be covering the costs of medical care.
Have you been in an Uber accident in Georgia and need to know if legal action is in your best interest? Don’t wait another minute—call Randy Fry, personal injury attorney, at (404) 948-3571.
