What to Do When Involved in a Rideshare Accident?

Like any mode of transportation, rideshares aren’t perfect. But while rideshares have received plenty of negative publicity, there’s an issue that hasn’t gotten much media attention; “What happens when there’s an accident involving a rideshare vehicle?” Rideshare companies provide driver-for-hire services to consumers through the use of freelance drivers who use their personal vehicles to transport customers. Rideshare services operate through a smartphone app. Rideshare services offer convenience and often cost less than using a traditional taxi or driving your own vehicle. Still, there are concerns about how the services operate, including how well they screen their drivers.

What’s more, there have been a number of instances where passengers have been assaulted and even murdered after getting into a vehicle that they believed to be a rideshare vehicle, but that turned out to be a person posing as a rideshare driver.

Who’s Liable if You Are Involved in Rideshare Car Accident?

Whether you are a passenger or in a rideshare vehicle that collides with a rideshare vehicle, liability will generally depend on who’s at fault for the accident. To prove that someone was at fault (i.e., negligent) for a car accident, you must prove three elements.

• The person owed a duty of reasonable care (all drivers have a duty to drive carefully and obey all traffic laws).
• The person breached that duty (the other person didn’t drive carefully or didn’t obey a traffic law).
• You were injured and suffered damages as a result of the other person’s breach.

Determining fault in a rideshare accident case is just like determining fault in a regular car crash. What makes rideshare accidents a little different is the role insurance plays when the injured party seeks reimbursement from the at-fault party.

5 Things To Do When You Are Involved in Such Accidents

• Reporting the accident to the police creates an official record of the collision. When filing an accident claim with the rideshare company, having an official police report can be helpful.
• Even if you are a passenger in a rideshare vehicle accident, having this evidence can be helpful when you file an injury claim. You need to prove who caused the accident before you can recover money for your personal injury claim.
• Seek medical attention for your injuries.
• File an accident report with the rideshare company.
• Contact rideshare accident lawyer as soon as possible.

The insurance companies for the drivers and rideshare company may argue about fault and liability. As a passenger, you could be caught in the middle. An experienced rideshare accident law firms and their lawyers understand the legal issues involved in these types of personal injury claims. The insurance companies and the rideshare company have teams of lawyers and investigators protecting their best interests. If you or your loved one is involved in such an accident, contact the experienced car accident lawyers based in New York who have been advocating tirelessly on behalf of car accident victims just like you.