Did you realize there are nearly 600,000 Americans who work as rideshare drivers? For years, companies like Uber and Lyft have dominated the world of rideshare. Without competent and responsible drivers, these businesses would be unable to function.
Over 6 million car accidents occur in the United States annually. One of the worst fears most rideshare drivers have is being involved in one of these accidents. Statistically speaking, it is only a matter of time until you are involved in a car crash.
The key to getting through this process is keeping a level head. The following are some of the things rideshare drivers need to do following a car accident.
Being involved in the car accident
Report The Accident Immediately
Once the initial shock of being involved in a car accident wears off, the first thing you need to do is contact law enforcement. By dialing 911, you can get both members of law enforcement and an ambulance on the way to the scene of your accident. You will also need to contact the rideshare company you work for to let them know what happened.
Most new rideshare drivers fail to realize that companies like Lyft and Uber have insurance policies on all of the vehicles that work under their umbrella. By contacting your superior, you can find out more about how to get the ball rolling on an insurance claim if needed.
Once law enforcement arrives, they will begin creating an accident report. This report will feature information regarding the circumstances that led to the crash, statements from both parties involved accidents and statements from any witnesses. Having this document is vital if you plan on seeking out compensation for your injuries and the damage to your work vehicle.
Be Sure to Document Everything
After you have made contact with both your rideshare employer and law enforcement, you need to start documenting as much as you can. You want to document what happened so you can avoid letting the facts of the accident get twisted. As a rideshare driver, you should have a mobile phone on hand at all times. Using your phone to take pictures and videos of the scene of the accident is a smart idea.
Be sure to take pictures of the license plate on the other car involved in the accident. You also want to take pictures and videos of the damage done to your vehicle. The more information you gather, the easier it will be for your lawyer to start building a case against the negligent driver.
Be sure to document everything
Get Medical Attention, Even If You Don’t Think You Need It
One of the biggest mistakes a rideshare driver can make after being involved in a car accident is failing to get medical attention. The injuries sustained in a car accident are sometimes not apparent until days later. Instead of ignoring the need for medical treatment, you need to let the EMTs on-scene take a look at your body.
Not only will this help you diagnose any ailments, but it will also provide you with more documentation. Having lots of documentation about the accident is crucial when trying to file a lawsuit with the help of a lawyer. If you are injured, the EMTs at the scene will list these ailments in the documentation they fill out. This information will be viewed by the judge in your case when trying to determine what your injuries are worth and whether or not they were pre-existing ailments.
Working With a Legal Professional is Crucial
If your rideshare job has been interrupted by an accident that wasn’t your fault, then you need to seek out the help of a legal professional. A lawyer will be able to help you figure out whether a lawsuit is your best course of action. In any case, we hope that this might help someday but that you won’t need them.