The popularity of ride-sharing services has been growing rapidly over the years. Although many riders rely on Uber and Lyft as their primary means of transportation for commuting to work, those of us who own cars frequently take advantage of these apps as well.

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But what happens when your Uber or Lyft ride is in an accident? Furthermore, what should you do if you're the driver in the other vehicle involved in an Uber or Lyft accident? In the case of accidents caused by company drivers and resulting in injuries or property damage for the customers, the customers can seek compensation from the company and the driver responsible. In this article, we'll discuss what you should do if you find yourself in a ride-share accident and how a rideshare accident attorney can help.

Important Steps Following A Rideshare Accident

Immediately following an accident, get the names, contact, and insurance information of everyone involved, and ask any witnesses for their contact information as well. Take as many pictures as you can before leaving the scene of the accident, the vehicles, and the surrounding area.

The police should also be contacted from the scene. Most states have laws requiring that law enforcement be alerted to potentially serious car accidents. If an Uber/Lyft driver is involved, you should seek a police investigation as soon as possible, so you'll have something to back up your claim.

Here's a list of detailed steps to follow after an accident that can help:

1. Call 911: The very first step you should take following an accident is to call 911. You shouldn't assume that others have already called. If you don't have your phone, ask someone else to dial 911 for you.

1. Take Pictures of the Scene: During the time you're waiting for the police, take pictures of the scene. If you are able, take photos of the accident site, where the accident occurred, and any vehicles involved from multiple angles. Also, if you can, record a panoramic video of the accident site. In the event that you decide to file a lawsuit, all of these things will come in handy as evidence.

1. Exchange Information: Get the contact information for the other drivers involved. It is also advisable to collect information about the insurance plans of any individuals involved in the accident. Each driver's insurance information should be exchanged in a multi-car accident.

1. Be Careful What You Say: In case you were the driver that collided with an Uber or Lyft driver...never take the blame for anything. Please do not apologize to the other driver or explain why you didn't notice the red light turning on or how an animal jumped out in front of you. You do not have to say anything. Don't talk about the accident with the passengers in your car or witnesses. If you want, you can speak with them later on.

1. Report the Accident: If you are a passenger you should report the accident to the company. This also applies if you are the driver involved in an accident with an Uber or Lyft driver. Regardless of whether you think you were at fault, you should report the accident to Uber or Lyft and then call your insurance. Only give them the facts of the accident, nothing more. This includes your contact information, the driver's contact information, as well as the date, time, and location of the accident. Both companies will need only that information in order to begin processing the report.

1. Speak with an Attorney: Uber and Lyft accidents can be complicated. Your injuries may not be covered by the driver's policy or by the ride-sharing companies. It is quite possible that you are going to have to sue for a settlement in court. A free consultation with an attorney can help you determine what options are best for you.

1. Seek Medical Attention: No matter how minor you believe your injuries may be, you should still seek medical attention. DOCS4PI has a network of experienced doctors who specialize in treating and documenting car accident injuries. Injuries can appear days later, so an experienced defense attorney or insurance agent could argue that your injuries are not the result of the accident if you didn't seek treatment immediately following the accident. You may have effectively destroyed your personal injury case before it has even begun if you do not seek medical attention right away.

Reporting An Accident To Lyft And Their Insurance

You can file an accident claim with Lyft in several ways. They have a form on their website that anyone can use to report an accident. Users can use the app to not only report accidents to Lyft but also call 911 from within the app. You can notify Lyft about these accidents, but they will not be responsible for handling the claims directly. In some collisions, Lyft provides liability coverage of up to $1 million, and these injury claims are usually handled by their insurance company. There are multiple insurers that Lyft uses across the country, and they change providers often.

Lyft provides a copy of its certificates of insurance for each state on its website. You can review the database of insurance certificates and identify the carrier or administrator in each state. In most cases, if you are involved in a Lyft crash and report it to the company, the company's insurance company will contact you. Even though Lyft has an insurance policy in place, it doesn't guarantee its provider will treat you fairly. It is in the insurance company’s best interest to avoid liability, so they will try to deny your claim no matter what.

It is common for the insurance company to delay the resolution of your claim for as long as possible. They will most likely ask for further documentation repeatedly before rejecting your claim altogether. However, these insurance companies are not the deciding factor of whether or not your injuries are covered. Nonetheless, if your injury claim is denied by an insurance company, you are entitled to take legal action. Even if they offer their reason for refusing to pay, you can still file a suit and let the courts decide.

It is because of this right that insurance companies are often willing to work with Lyft drivers to resolve claims. Typically, this involves settling cases below the real value. Occasionally, insurance companies resolve claims before injured parties can speak with a lawyer. If the motorist settles the case without the assistance of a lawyer, he or she could receive a small settlement offer.

Reporting an Accident to Uber and their Insurance

Call 800-354-8237 or email support@uber.com to contact Uber's emergency hotline ASAP. If you are using the Uber app, you can access the help feature to report the incident through the app. To do so, tap the more option under the help menu. Afterward, choose "legal, privacy, and other inquiries". You will be taken to another menu, where you will need to select "report a serious incident involving a driver or vehicle". There is a link under the introductory information that says "I was in an accident"; selecting that link will bring you to the page where you can report the accident. Uber will conduct an internal investigation after you report the accident.

Following contact with Uber and filing the accident report, you need to contact your insurance company. All Uber drivers are independent contractors; therefore, Uber won't be held liable if one of their drivers causes an accident. In the event of an Uber accident, you must contact the insurance company with which the driver is insured. You may be able to file a claim under Uber's one million dollar insurance policy if the liable driver is uninsured or underinsured.

With Uber's one million dollar policy, uninsured drivers, and underinsured drivers are all covered for $1 million each. This policy, however, only applies to certain incidents. If you were involved in an Uber accident, when does Uber's one-million-dollar policy apply? The million-dollar policy will only apply to drivers who are logged into the Uber app.

If you are riding in an Uber vehicle, you are covered under the million-dollar policy. Third parties, such as pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, or other drivers, will only be covered under the million-dollar policy if the Uber driver was logged on with no passengers or logged on with passengers-partial or full coverage, respectively. You should not attempt to claim Uber's million-dollar insurance policy until you understand that the policy is supplemental to the liable driver's insurance. You may be able to file a claim for Uber's insurance if the liable party is uninsured or underinsured. Insurance companies do everything possible to prevent victims from receiving a payout, so you may need an accident attorney for guidance.

Contact DOCS4PI

It is certainly our hope that you will never be involved in an Uber accident, but if you are please contact us at #1-888-DOCS4PI Personal Injury Services. Our network of doctors will work with your lawyer if you have one, to assist in your claim. Need a lawyer? Our services also include matching you with the right attorney for your claim. Contact us today to begin the process!