What Should I Do If I Was in a Car Accident with an Uber Driver?

 Posted on April 25, 2018 in Personal Injury

Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are becoming increasingly popular throughout Chicagoland, and many DuPage County residents also rely on ride-sharing apps instead of calling a taxi. Indeed, it is often much more convenient to log into your Uber app to arrange for a car in many different situations, whether you are meeting friends or coworkers for an evening out, or if you want to avoid parking at Chicago O’Hare or Midway airports.

An article in Crain’s Chicago Business tracked Uber usage throughout the Chicago area, emphasizing that younger and more affluent people are the most likely to use ride-sharing services. The bottom line is this: there are many more Uber and Lyft drivers than ever before. With more ride-sharing apps and vehicles on the road, car accidents can happen with Uber or Lyft drivers. What should you do if you were involved in a crash with an Uber driver? In other words, what steps do you need to take if an Uber or Lyft driver was careless or reckless and crashed into your motor vehicle? In most cases, the steps you should take are similar to those in any car accident case.

1. Document the Scene of the Crash

Take photographs of the accident scene with your phone, and be sure to gather information from any witnesses. You want to be certain that you get the name and vehicle information for the Uber driver, as well as the driver’s insurance information. When you are involved in a crash with an Uber driver, the passenger in the Uber might be able to provide a witness statement if she or he saw the events that resulted in the crash. In addition, other Uber passengers might be able to provide additional information about the driver’s care and skill behind the wheel.

2. Seek Medical Attention for Your Injuries

Even if you are not sure whether you sustained a serious injury in a crash with an Uber or Lyft driver, it is important to seek medical attention so that you can be properly assessed by a healthcare provider. In some cases, serious car accident injuries can take days or even weeks to produce signs and symptoms. If you fail to seek medical attention and it turns out that you were seriously injured, it can be difficult to prove that your injury happened in the crash.

At the same time, your injury may have worsened because you failed to see a doctor, the Uber driver may try to argue that your negligence in seeking medical treatment contributed to the severity of your injuries. Under Illinois law (753 ILCS 6/2-1116), plaintiffs can still obtain compensation when they bear some responsibility under a theory of comparative fault, but their recovery will be reduced by their percentage of fault. And if a plaintiff’s fault is more than 50 percent, he or she is barred from recovery.

3. Seek Advice from an Experienced DuPage County Car Accident Lawyer

It is extremely important to have an experienced DuPage County car accident lawyer on your side if you were involved in a collision with an Uber or Lyft driver. An attorney can speak with witnesses, can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, and can take the case to trial if necessary.

Contact a Lombard Car Accident Attorney

Were you injured in a collision with an Uber or Lyft driver? A talented DuPage County car accident lawyer can help. Contact Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices today.