Car Accident in Columbia, SC with Uber or Lyft?
Help! I was a passenger in an Uber on my way to Finlay Park when we were in a car accident. Can I do anything to protect my rights?
Answer: Yes. Regardless of whether your rideshare driver was at fault, Uber/Lyft and their insurances are involved in the claim. You should immediately contact an attorney who can help protect your claim.
What should I do first?
- You should always contact a medical professional right away to ensure that everyone is ok after a motor vehicle collision. A ridesharing accident is no different. If you are injured, call 911 and seek emergency medical attention. If you do not need emergency medical care, contact your primary care physician or go to a nearby urgent care like the one on Garners Ferry Road to make sure you are ok.
- Your first “legal” step should be to call the police. In this case, the Columbia Police Department.
- It is vital to have official documentation of who is involved and how the car accident happened. The police officers may also get statements from the parties involved, which can be presented in court should your case go to trial. The police officers will give you an FR-10, a form meant to be an official exchange of information between the parties. If they do not give you this, ask them for a copy for your records. The FR-10 will help your lawyer identify who is at fault, where the accident happened, and how many people are involved.
- Report the collision.
- If you have hired an attorney, they can help you with this. However, you need to report the collision to all insurance companies involved: the Uber/Lyft driver’s insurance, any other drivers’ insurance, and your own. While you may not have claims with each of these companies, they have a right to know what’s happened.
- Beware of giving recorded statements, even to your own insurance company. I advise my clients not to consent to these without my permission since it can be used as proof against you at trial.
- Talk to an Uber or Lyft accident lawyer in South Carolina
- Uber accidents can be very complicated. In every car accident lawsuit case, the person bringing the claim must prove both liability (who was at fault) and damages (how you have been injured). Depending on several factors, such as what navigation system your driver was using, Uber or Lyft may have more liability than you’d expect.
- Even if your Uber or Lyft driver wasn’t at fault, they might still have insurance coverage available for you to collect from. These companies will fight tooth and nail to keep you from getting information about their business that will help you figure these things out and resolve your case.
- As your attorney, we understand the unique laws surrounding Uber drivers, their employment agreements, and whether or not the big companies can be held responsible for these collisions.
Contact the Uber Car Accident Attorneys in Columbia, SC at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, PC today.
