I Was a Passenger in an Uber Accident — What Should I Do?

‘What can I do if I was a passenger in an Uber accident?’. If you were involved in an Uber accident as a passenger, you should take the proper steps to ensure your health and safety are secured. This means that you might qualify to file a potential claim or lawsuit to recover the medical bills associated with treating those injuries. 

In this article, we’ll detail some steps you should take after being involved in a car accident with an Uber driver. If you’ve already been injured or if you are in doubt, you should definitely contact an Uber passenger accidents attorney​. Megeredchian Law has the experience and the knowledge to guide you through your claim process—call (866) 359-0807 to speak to an attorney directly.

I Was a Passenger in an Uber Accident: Steps to Take

1. Check if you have any injuries. If you have any bruising, scratches, or blood, you should call 911 immediately. You should also check on the other passengers in the vehicle for any injuries they might have that might require immediate medical attention.
2. If the Uber accident took place on a congested road, you should move to safety if that’s possible. Sometimes, a second accident might happen if drivers don’t notice a stopped vehicle.
3. If you have experienced any type of injury or property damage, you should call the police. This is something very common because it’s very frequent that some type of injury or property damage happens in an accident. The police will likely draft a report that may have very useful information. It can specify exactly who the parties are, where the accident happened, and even determine who the responsible party was.
4. You can request a copy of the police report. It could help your attorneys understand how the accident may have occurred and how to build a stronger defense on your behalf.
5. Document the accident location: Take photos of all vehicles involved, injuries, and the accident location.
6. Take down all parties’ information, including the driver’s.
7. Even if you have not called for it, you should still get medical attention. Some injuries, like internal bleedings, may not be visible or felt at first. The longer you wait, the worse these injuries can get.
8. Make sure you keep all medical records and invoices. These documents will be extremely useful for your attorney to negotiate with insurance companies and obtain compensation for you.
9. Uber requires reporting all accidents through their app. You can do that by tapping on the specific drive and answering questions about the accident. After the incident is submitted, an insurance adjuster may be assigned to the claim. The adjuster will then review all the circumstances of the claim and ask some specific questions not covered in your initial report.

Be careful! We strongly recommend contacting personal injury lawyers before speaking to a claims adjuster. Sometimes, these adjusters can try to downplay any injuries you have experienced or the car accident itself. Having an attorney on your side will help ease the process.

10. Talk to an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you speak to an attorney, the sooner they can start investigating your accident and filing your claim.
11. You can file a claim with Uber’s insurance company to recover compensation. However, the insurance depends on the timing of the accident. If Uber’s insurance coverage applies, they have $1 million in liability coverage that covers the passenger’s medical bills and personal property damage. But, if Uber’s insurance policy does not cover the time of the accident, then the driver’s personal insurance will have to reimburse you for your damages. 
12. In some cases, Uber’s insurance policy may not apply, and the driver may not have car insurance. In that case, you could recover compensation through your own car insurance. Usually, car insurance companies may offer uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This type of coverage applies when the driver does not have adequate insurance or when a driver has it but it doesn’t cover all expenses. Our expert uninsured car accident lawyers​ can help you in this case.

Determining Liability In An Uber Accident

Several different pieces of evidence could help determine liability after an accident. For example, witness statements may help piece together how the accident happened, and medical records could determine the severity of the accident. 

Can I File A Lawsuit Against Uber Directly?

Since Uber hires drivers as independent contractors, it may be difficult to file a lawsuit against the company directly. But, in some cases, you could hold Uber responsible. For example:

• If you were sexually assaulted by your Uber driver, in this case, you could recover compensation against Uber for failing to hold an adequate background check.
• If Uber’s car insurance coverage did not completely compensate you for your injuries.
•  If you believe that Uber acted negligently when hiring the driver involved in your accident.

Although these scenarios may seem very vague, we strongly recommend speaking to an attorney to make sure you get the maximum compensation to which you are entitled.

What If I Was A Passenger In Another Vehicle Involved in An Uber Accident?

If you were a passenger in another vehicle at the time of the Uber accident, you could still recover compensation from the driver as long as they’re found to be the negligent party. You could recover the cost associated with your lost wages, along with any injuries. 

How to Recover Compensation if I Was a Passenger in an Uber Accident

Ride-share accidents could be more complex than regular car accidents because many insurance companies and parties are usually involved. That should not stop you from filing an insurance claim and getting the care you need.

If you have sustained injuries in an Uber accident in California, contact our legal team for qualified guidance. Our top-rated rideshare accident attorneys can fight to obtain the right compensation for you. Uber’s insurance company frequently denies a claim for no valid reason. Having an experienced attorney by your side could make a great difference in your favor.

Let us help you with your Uber accident claim. We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients and know just what it takes to get compensation for our clients. We fight tirelessly to make sure our clients get the help they need.

Megeredchian Law also offer contingency fee agreements to allow our clients to hire our attorneys without having to worry about any upfront costs. Contingency fee agreements are a great way for accident victims to hire an attorney without having to worry about how they’re going to pay for it after an accident. We understand that after an accident, money may be tight since you may have to take time out of work for your injuries. 

Megeredchian Law works to streamline the legal process for you, to make sure that you have top rated legal representation, and all your questions and concerns are answered. We know how important it is to keep our clients in the loop regarding their claims. We handle all stages of the claim for you so you can focus on your injuries. 
Call (866) 359-0807 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week, or schedule a free consultation with our experts.