Elkton Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer
Uber and Lyft are utilized by countless people every day. These rideshare companies have pretty much entirely replaced traditional taxi services as a quick way for people to get around. Sadly, car accidents can involve Uber and Lyft vehicles just like they involve taxi cabs and ordinary cars. Like with all car crashes, Uber accidents can lead to severe injuries that require expensive medical care to treat properly.
If you were in an Uber accident, you have options available to you. You can work with insurance providers to get the financial compensation you are owed, or you can take liable parties to court. For both of those paths, though, you will need professional legal counsel.
Have our Uber and Lyft accident attorneys look over your claim when you call Rice, Murtha & Psoras by dialing (410) 694-7291.
What Should You Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident in Elkton?
Car accidents are sudden, hectic, violent, and scary experiences. A lot of things happen all at once, and many people involved in these accidents will not know what they should do first. However, there are things you can do after an Uber or Lyft crash that can help improve future legal claims and ensure that you get the care you need after such a traumatic experience.
Of course, we understand that some victims of car crashes are incapacitated and are not able to do anything except be transported to a hospital. If that is the case for your situation, that is ok, as there are other ways to get information you would have been able to obtain right after the accident.
Call Emergency Services
The first thing that you should do after Uber accidents is ensure that emergency services know about the situation. Be sure to report the situation as clearly and accurately as you can. If you cannot dial 911 yourself, instruct someone else to do so.
Get Medical Care
By far, the most important thing to do after a car crash is to make sure that you get the medical care that you need. When first responders arrive, do everything they ask you to and follow all of their instructions. If you are critically injured, you are going to be taken for medical treatment, and that will be the end of it. Even if you are not so badly hurt that you need to go to a hospital right away, you should still listen to and abide by the instructions medical professionals give you.
Looking ahead, it is also a good idea to get a follow-up medical examination. First responders may have missed something in the heat of the moment, and many injuries can take a little while to reveal themselves. For example, you may not know you have whiplash from the accident until a couple of days or even weeks after the fact.
Gather Information
If you are able to stick around after medical professionals take a look at you, the next thing you should focus on is getting as much information about the accident as you possibly can. Take photos and videos of the crash and surrounding area, and record the statement of any witnesses who saw the crash happen. Additionally, make sure to get the name, insurance information, and license plate number of anyone who was in the crash. Also, be sure to make a note of the rideshare driver and the company for which they are working. If you were the rideshare driver’s passenger, an easy way to do this is to take a screenshot of your ride in the relevant app for future use.
Get Your Claim in On Time
Finally, if you are entering litigation after the crash, you must file your claim in a timely fashion. Pursuant to Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. Art., § 5-101, you must file your claim within three years of your accident. If you do not do that, you cannot sue anyone in court, and you will not be able to get damages.
Three years may appear to be quite a while, but remember that in that time, our lawyers will have to prepare your case for filing, and you will have to focus on physical recovery, so those three years may go by faster than you expect.
Who Can You Sue in Elkton Uber & Lyft Accident Claims
An important thing to figure out in your legal claim is what parties you will take to court. When you file a claim, you should sue parties that injured you either through negligence or on purpose.
Do Not Sue Uber or Lyft
While it may seem like a good idea to sue Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare company, it is actually not correct to do so. Uber and Lyft employ drivers as independent contractors, so the law does not allow liability to spill over from the driver to the rideshare company they are working for.
Difficult Insurance Providers
Generally, you are going to try to negotiate with insurance providers in a non-litigious manner before going to court. However, if they are unfairly withholding coverage when they ought to be providing it, you can take them to court to compel them to provide coverage.
Other Drivers
You will very likely want to sue the driver who injured you, as they were operating the vehicle that injured you. This does not necessarily mean the Uber or Lyft driver. If another driver hurts you, you should sue that driver instead.
Chat with Our Elkton Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyers Today
Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras by dialing (410) 694-7291 to get a free case review from our Uber and Lyft accident Lawyers.