What To Do If My Uber Gets Into a Car Accident

If you’ve recently been a passenger in an Uber that’s been involved in an auto accident, you may be unsure of what to do next. But much like accidents that occur in personal vehicles, there are many similar practices to follow if you’ve been injured. Here are some helpful tips to know what’s necessary immediately following an Uber crash:

1. Check to see that all parties are safe.

Like any other accident scene, it’s important to ensure everyone involved is safe. Someone’s life may be dependent on another person calling emergency services to come assist the injured party. Or, they may need assistance getting out of oncoming traffic or something else that could require immediate help. So remember to assess the situation, determine what’s needed right away and proceed accordingly.

 

2. Contact the police and/or paramedics immediately.

Next, you’ll want to notify authorities of the accident to ensure you have a police report and other evidence of the incident. There are, however, several important disclaimers to this that you should keep in mind:

Disclaimer #1:

Your Uber driver’s PIP coverage might not actually cover injuries you sustain. There are many insurance policies that do not provide coverage for vehicles when they are being utilized for commercial purposes. Because Uber vehicles are categorized for commercial use, this could be problematic for the damages you’ve incurred.

Disclaimer #2:

When you agree to Uber’s Terms of Use as a passenger, you may forfeit your right to file a lawsuit because there is an arbitration clause included within it. This means that you have to settle your disputes using arbitration (outside the court of law).

Disclaimer #3:

There are currently no bodily injury policy limits being mandated by Uber in Florida, so if you are injured in an Uber accident, you may be out of luck. So unless the Uber driver has bodily injury coverage or if you have uninsured motorist coverage, there may be no way to get coverage.

 

3. Take photos/videos of the accident scene.

If you aren’t injured or in too much pain after the accident, be sure to take photos or videos of the accident scene to gather as much evidence as possible. Take a statement from a willing witness nearby. Additionally, many Uber drivers have dash cams installed in their vehicles. If there is one in your Uber’s vehicle, you should request a copy immediately, even if the driver ends up being the one at fault. This could be a crucial piece of evidence if you are injured due to the accident.

 

4. Get information from both drivers and any witnesses.

You’ll also want to make sure you know your Uber driver’s name and other contact information, as well as the information of the other driver, so you can quickly and accurately report the accident to Uber.

  

5. Contact Uber.

Once you or a family member is able to go online, you can go to the “Trip Issues and Refunds” section of Uber and click on “I was involved in an accident”. You will then sign in to get help, and from there, you will be guided through next steps. Remember, insurance works differently for Uber rideshare drivers than it does for passengers, so it’s important to know what the difference is. Learn more from Uber about what happens after an accident by visiting their help section now.

 

To view this blog in Spanish, click here. 

Still unsure of what to do after being involved in an Uber accident? Contact our team at The Law Firm of Cohen & Cohen today and we’ll help you determine the best next steps for your situation.

 

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