What Should I Do if I Was in an Uber or Lyft Accident in New York City?
As rideshare services like Uber and Lyft become more popular, so too do accidents involving their drivers. If you are ever in an accident involving an Uber or Lyft driver, be sure to call 911 and gather as much evidence as possible through pictures and conversations with eyewitnesses.
Once you leave the scene, it is critical that you seek immediate medical care. This can help you establish a link between the accident and your injuries and show that you took your condition seriously, not to mention preventing any further complications in your condition. Soon after, you should contact a Bronx Uber and Lyft accident lawyer.
If you believe you may have a legal claim for your injuries, do not wait for your time to run out. Call the New York City Uber and Lyft accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm today at (718) 841-0083 for you free initial case evaluation.
Steps to Take Immediately After an Uber or Lyft Accident in New York City
It can be hard to think clearly in the wake of an accident involving a rideshare vehicle. That is why our seasoned Bronx Uber and Lyft accident attorneys have provided the following list of steps you should take for your own personal and financial well-being after an accident.
Call 911
You should always call emergency services after any type of auto accident. The dispatcher will send law enforcement to the scene of the accident so that they can investigate the accident, document important information, and submit their findings by way of an official police accident report. Accident reports contain vital information for your later insurance claim or lawsuit.
Talk to Eyewitnesses
If you hope to pursue compensation, the testimony of those who actually saw the accident can be invaluable. Unfortunately, it may be very difficult practically to track down potential eyewitnesses after they leave the scene. Therefore, do your best to get contact information from any cooperative bystanders at the scene.
Take Pictures and Video
The police report should cover the circumstances of the accident in significant detail. However, there is no such thing as having too much evidence, and you should never leave your case to chance. Use your smartphone to document the scene of the accident, damage to vehicles and property, and other relevant details such as tire tracks left on the road.
Go to an Emergency Room
Any collision has the potential to cause serious injury. Some of these types of injury may not be immediately apparent to the victim, allowing their condition to worsen over time. You can prevent this from happening by getting immediate medical attention, even if you believe you escaped the accident uninjured. Further, going to the hospital as soon as possible establishes a medical record that creates a direct relationship between the accident and your injuries.
Call a New York City Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney
After your medical needs have been answered, you can benefit immediately from the services of a Broward County Uber and Lyft accident lawyer on your case. Jamaica, Queens Uber and Lyft accident lawyers can help you gather evidence, estimate damages, and evaluate options for pursuing the monetary recovery that you deserve.
Can I File a Lawsuit After an Uber or Lyft Accident in New York City?
New York follows a unique “no-fault” car accident injury rule. Under this rule, many car accident injury victims are prevented from filing a lawsuit and instead must seek their compensation through their own insurer, even if another driver was at fault for causing the accident. If you are filing an insurance claim with your own provider, you will not have to prove that the other driver was negligent, but you also will not be eligible to receive the same value of monetary remedy, as some of the forms of compensation available in a lawsuit are not available through insurance.
However, there is an exception that allows some car accident injury victims to step outside of the state’s no-fault rule if they can show that their injuries are “serious.” Of course, all car accident injuries should be taken seriously, but this specifically refers to a statutorily defined range of particularly debilitating or impactful injuries.
Generally, the deciding criteria that New York law uses is the 90/180 rule. Under this rule, a condition will be considered “serious” if it materially affects a victim’s abilities for at least 90 of the 180 days that immediately follow the accident. If you can show that your injury caused significant disfigurement or temporary or permanent limitations in the use of a body part, system, or bodily function, your condition will meet the state’s “seriousness” threshold.
If your injuries do not meet the “seriousness” threshold under New York law, you can still seek compensation through an insurance claim with the help of a Syracuse Uber and Lyft accident lawyer. If you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, you can pursue compensation from either the driver’s own personal insurance coverage or the supplemental coverage provided by the rideshare company. Learn more about these policies and how they can benefit you from a dedicated Brooklyn Uber and Lyft accident attorney.
How Long Do I Have to File an Uber or Lyft Accident Lawsuit in New York City?
If you believe you may have a valid case, you do not have much time to wait before acting on it. Under New York’s statute of limitations, you must file a rideshare accident injury lawsuit within three years of the date of the accident itself.
This may seem like plenty of time, but you might be surprised at how long it can take to estimate damages, gather evidence, and prepare filings in cases like these, even with the help of a Schenectady Uber and Lyft accident lawyer. To avoid any procedural hurdles in your case, reach out to your Buffalo Uber and Lyft accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Talk to a New York City Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney for Free
When you call (718) 841-0083 to reach out to the experienced Long Island Uber and Lyft accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm today, you can get your initial case evaluation for free.