What to Do After an Uber/Lyft Accident in Fresno
What to Do After an Uber/Lyft Accident in Fresno
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports nearly 39,000 motor vehicle deaths occurred in 2020. This motor vehicle accident death rate is the highest in the past 13 years. It is clear that the roads are becoming more dangerous as time progresses. If you are like most people, you feel even less secure when relying on a rideshare driver. Most rideshare accident victims are understandably uncertain as to how to move forward after the accident simply because rideshare crashes are highly unique.
Start With a Focus on Health and Safety
Your adrenaline is pumping, your mind is racing and your body is aching. Though you might not be at full strength, it is important that you do your best to walk, slide or crawl away from the accident. Move to a safe location and use your smartphone to summon an ambulance. Don’t lose sight of the fact that your health matters more than anything. If you cannot exit the vehicle, alert the driver to your condition and request that he or she turns on the hazard lights and call 911.
Collect Evidence
If you are capable of taking pictures and recording video with your smartphone, do exactly that. The evidence you collect in the aftermath of your Fresno rideshare accident just might help you win a sizable court award or pave the path toward a favorable settlement. Write down the rideshare driver’s name, vehicle make and model, auto insurance information, driver number, and vehicle license plate number. Also, take down the names, auto insurance information, vehicle make, vehicle model, and license plate number of all other vehicles involved in the accident.
Contact the Police
Summon the police to the Fresno rideshare accident scene so they can create an official accident report. The police accident report will attempt to piece together the puzzle of the accident and determine fault. However, legal fault for the accident will not be determined until the personal injury lawsuit plays out in a court of law. The police report resulting from the accident has the potential to play an important role in the ensuing court proceedings so be sure to contact the police as soon as possible.
The citations issued in the aftermath of the accident are determinants of fault, meaning a citation given to the rideshare driver is a clear sign the police officer believes he or she was in the wrong. A responding police officer’s citations insinuate fault for the accident, meaning they have the potential to help you obtain financial compensation for this egregious injustice.
Do Not Apologize to the Rideshare Driver or Anyone Else
If you were talking during the accident or believe you might have potentially distracted the rideshare driver in any other way, don’t state you are sorry or admit fault. Even the slight admission of fault has the potential to ruin your Fresno Uber accident case. Instead of admitting you might have caused a distraction that caused or led to the accident, let the legal process play out. Be sure to have your smartphone recording video and audio in the aftermath of the accident just in case the rideshare driver or another driver admits fault.
Did Anyone Witness the Accident?
Look around after the Uber accident in Fresno to see if there are any eyewitnesses. If anyone is in the vicinity of the accident scene, ask them for their name and contact information. Record a witness statement with your smartphone’s video/audio recording feature. The eyewitness testimony provided by even a single person has the potential to shift the scales of justice toward your side. Also, make sure that you obtain names and contact information from any present witnesses.
Use the Uber or Lyft App to Report the Accident
Uber and Lyft app interfaces have a section for reporting accidents. Use the mobile app to report the accident. However, this is not an opportunity to delve into all the details of the accident. If you were to submit a detailed written report of the accident and one or several facts were wrong, the rideshare company would use those errors against you in a court of law to damage your character and demonstrate that you were allegedly lying about the crash. Instead of running the risk of making an incorrect statement by delving into the details, allow an experienced rideshare accident attorney to guide you through this process. They can make statements on your behalf, helping better protect your rights.
Contact an Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer in Fresno
Our rideshare attorney in Fresno will review your case to get a sense of whether there is the potential for a successful personal injury lawsuit. As long as the facts of the case support the accusation of negligence on behalf of the rideshare driver or another driver, we will pursue financial compensation in the form of either a settlement or court award. Reach out to our Uber accident lawyer in Fresno today to schedule a no-risk, no-cost initial consultation.