10 Steps to Take After a Rideshare Accident

 Posted on September 06, 2019 in Car Accident

Millions of Americans are embracing the latest fad to revolutionize the transportation industry: peer-to-peer ridesharing services. With just a few taps on a company's smartphone app, you can hire a safe and convenient ride for a reasonable fee.

In the last few years, companies like Uber and Lyft have become titans in the transportation industry. Although they market their 'green' business models as a solution to American's urban transportation crisis, these companies are actually increasing congestion, hurting transit, and contributing to a national increase in traffic fatalities.

In October 2018, the University of Chicago released a study that claims rideshare drivers are responsible for a 3% increase in the number of traffic fatalities across the country. Uber and Lyft are continually hiring new, inexperienced, and occasionally felonious drivers to expand their areas of business and maximize their daily profits. Consequently, both companies have been repeatedly besieged by costly lawsuits involving passenger injuries and fatalities, insurance disputes, and even claims of driver exploitation.

According to the study, cities with Uber and Lyft drivers noticed a significant increase in:

• Traffic deaths at night
• Car accidents on weekends
• Pedestrian fatalities

There is another factor to consider: The rideshare business model favors customers, not drivers. In 2017, Lyft reportedly had 1.4 million drivers in the U.S. and Toronto compared to Uber's 750,000 (2.25 million globally). Because the average cost of a ride is $2 per mile, drivers are constantly competing against each other and participating in dangerous behaviors just to earn a living wage.

Uber even praises this mindset by reminding drivers that they are their 'own bosses' and can 'decide when and how much you're working.' As a result, drivers are transporting passengers for unrecommended lengths of time despite experience hunger, fatigue, and dehydration.

Rideshare Accidents & Liability Issues

Depending on the circumstances surrounding an accident, an injured passenger may have grounds to file a claim against the ridesharing company, the rideshare driver, or a third-party driver. However, rideshare companies benefit from a controversial legal loophole that allows them to dodge liability when a passenger is injured. After an accident, many plaintiffs struggle to recover compensation because rideshare drivers are considered 'independent contractors,' not employees. To sue a company directly, you're going to need the services of an experienced and innovative legal professional.

Follow these 10 steps to protect your right to damages after an accident:

1. Call 911 immediately.
2. Take screenshots of your receipt and document what time the accident occurred.
3. Check to make sure that everyone involved - drivers and passengers - are safe.
4. Take pictures of your injuries, the vehicles (including license plates), and the accident scene.
5. Write down or take pictures of each drivers' insurance information.
6. Talk to nearby witnesses and write down their names and phone numbers.
7. Help the law enforcement officials complete the accident report.
8. Seek immediate medical attention once the officer gives you permission to leave.
9. Do not post any information about the accident on social media.
10. Keep a running log of your injury-related expenses, including any medical bills and statements.

The Final Step: Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney

Contact the Dallas car accident lawyers at Clark Law Group if you or a loved one has been injured in a rideshare accident. Our legal team can meticulously investigate your case, negotiate with shrewd claims adjusters, and help you recover damages that safeguard your standard of living. We can even help you pursue additional damages through the rideshare company's uninsured/underinsured motorist policy. Call 469-906-2266 for a confidential consultation.