I Was a Passenger in a Lyft Accident. What Do I Do?

Lyft passengers have a legal right to compensation after an accident. However, they must take critical steps to secure their rights and ensure they have sufficient evidence to support a claim. At JustCallMoe, we receive many calls from people asking, “I was a passenger in a Lyft accident, what do I do now?” Below, our Orlando Lyft accident lawyer provides tips on what steps to take and encourages you to call us to discuss your injuries in greater detail in a free consultation.

Report the Accident to the Police

An officer should come out to investigate. As a Lyft car accident passenger, you should certainly use your phone and report the crash, even if you weren’t driving. Don’t wait for your Lyft driver to call.

Some drivers want to settle the accident without involving the police so that Lyft doesn’t find out.

You should still call the police. Use your phone to call. The officer’s collision report will serve as the foundation of your personal injury claim. Without it, you could struggle to receive compensation.

Notify Lyft of the Accident Through the App

Again, you probably shouldn’t wait for your driver to notify them. Instead, log in and report the accident yourself. You can start an Accident Report on the app. It will ask for basic information, such as:

• Whether you were a driver or a passenger
• Where the accident happened and when
• Details about the drivers and the vehicle

Completing this Accident Report can get a claim started and smooth the claims process.

Get Information from All Drivers

Ask all drivers involved in the accident for their:

• Name
• Registration
• Insurance information
• License information
• This information can help with an insurance claim.

As the accident victim, don’t assume your Lyft driver is at fault. A different motorist on the road could have crashed into you or cut you off. This driver might have been tailgating or made a turn without sufficient room. You will want each driver’s personal information in case you need to submit a claim on their liability coverage.

Take Photographs of the Vehicles Involved

Photographs can strengthen a claim. These photos help show how the cars collided, which can help establish fault for an accident. Make sure your pictures show:

• Where the vehicles ended up right after the accident and before the drivers pulled them to the side of the road;
• Where the cars are in relation to each other;
• Dents in the cars (where they struck each other);
• Debris lying around the road.

What if a Lyft car accident passenger is too injured to exit the vehicle? Some are in intense, immediate pain or are unconscious. If you can’t gather information at the scene, that’s fine. Just call our office as soon as you can. We’ll start to pull together whatever evidence we can find for your case.

Speak with Anyone Who Witnessed the Accident

Witnesses can provide important information as well. They might testify that they saw your Lyft driver make an illegal turn, which led to a collision. You can testify to that fact, too. But it’s always best to have objective, third-party witnesses who can back up your story.

After the crash, talk to any witnesses who stick around. You can ask them for their name and email or phone number. Your Lyft accident attorney will dig deeper into what they remember in an interview.

Write Down Anything Important

When you can collect your thoughts, write down anything you remember about the crash. Share your observations with your Lyft accident lawyer when meeting for a free consultation. We can use this information when proving fault for your accident.

Get Medical Help Promptly

Injured passengers should immediately seek medical treatment once they are done at the accident scene. Go to the hospital emergency room and tell them you were involved in a car accident. Explain where you feel pain.

Most people use their personal health insurance, at least initially. Once we settle a claim, we can seek financial compensation for medical care. Some injured victims will need to pay for medical care out of pocket, at least at first.

What Happens if My Lyft Driver Gets in an Accident?

If you hire JustCallMoe, we can investigate the accident in greater detail and then submit a claim on the at-fault driver’s insurance policy. As a Lyft passenger, you are entitled to up to $1 million in compensation if your Lyft driver is to blame for the crash. That should cover the cost of medical care, lost wages, and pain and suffering, among other damages. Let us negotiate a settlement for you.

There are some snags. As a passenger, you probably aren’t liable for the accident. But an insurance adjuster might allege you didn’t receive medical care quickly enough, so you are partially to blame for your pain and disability. We can make sure the focus stays on the driver who is to blame. You are the victim.

Call for a Free Case Evaluation

Lyft passengers benefit from experienced legal help immediately following an accident. No one should assume that Lyft or their insurer is eager to pay a fair settlement for injuries suffered.

Instead, insurers typically drive a hard bargain. Their goal is to pay as little as they can get away with. Call our office today to speak with a lawyer. We have won cases that other lawyers have turned away, and we’ll put our skills to immediate use for your claim. Our consultations are free.