On This Page
- Call 911 and Stay at the Scene
- Exchange Information With Everyone
- Document the Accident Scene
- Report the Crash in the Uber or Lyft App
- Get Medical Evaluation Right Away
- Contact a Rideshare Accident Lawyer
- Things To Avoid After an Accident in an Uber or Lyft
- How Uber and Lyft Insurance Policies Work
- Get Help From Our Massachusetts Rideshare Accident Lawyer
An Uber or Lyft accident can turn a routine ride into a frightening experience. Whether you were a passenger or a driver, your actions in the first few moments can help you protect your health and potential injury claim.
DiBella Law Injury and Accident Lawyers is here to provide the clear guidance you need during this stressful time. The steps below will walk you through what to do after an accident with an Uber or Lyft vehicle in Massachusetts to improve your odds of recovering fair compensation.
Call 911 and Stay at the Scene
After any car accident, even a minor one, you should call 911. Inform the dispatcher of the location of the crash, the number of vehicles involved, and whether anyone appears to be injured.
When police arrive, they’ll assess the scene and create an accident report. Their report creates an official record that can later support your injury claim. Emergency medical personnel will also check for injuries and provide care if needed.
Stay at the scene until officers say you can leave. Massachusetts law requires drivers to remain at the scene of an accident when it causes injuries or property damage. Leaving early can hurt your claim by raising doubts about fault or your involvement in the crash.
Before you leave, ask for the police report number so you can request a copy later.
Exchange Information With Everyone
Take some time to collect information from everyone involved in the accident. This step is necessary to determine who’s at fault for the crash and file an insurance claim against them.
From any driver involved in the crash—including the Uber or Lyft driver—you’ll need their name, phone number, driver’s license number, and license plate number. You’ll also want to write down their insurance company and policy number. If there are witnesses, ask for their names and phone numbers.
Document the Accident Scene
You have only a short window to capture the scene exactly as it looked after the crash. Once vehicles are moved and debris is cleared, that evidence is gone. Thorough documentation can make a major difference in your ability to prove what happened and secure fair compensation later on.
Photos To Take
Use your phone to photgraph every relevant detail while the accident scene is fresh. Key elements to capture include:
- Damage to all involved vehicles from multiple angles
- Your position inside the vehicle at the time of the crash, if you were a passenger
- Nearby street signs, intersections, and traffic lights
- Road and weather conditions, such as ice or debris
- Visible injuries
- A wide shot of the overall crash scene, if it’s safe to do so
Screenshots To Save From the App
Rideshare records are essential for verifying your trip details and the driver’s status at the time of the Uber or Lyft crash. Without them, you may have trouble proving that the rideshare company is liable for your injury. Take screenshots of anything available in your app or confirmation email, including:
- The trip summary and receipt
- The driver’s name, photo, and vehicle information
- The route map
- Pickup and drop-off times
Information To Write Down
Written notes can fill in gaps that photos and screenshots can’t. Write down these details and keep them somewhere safe:
- The police report number and the responding officer’s name
- Witness names and phone numbers
- A description of what you remember before, during, and after the crash
Report the Crash in the Uber or Lyft App
Once emergency responders have cleared the scene, report the crash to the rideshare company as soon as possible. This doesn’t replace an official police report, but it helps to document the incident with Uber or Lyft for insurance purposes.
- Uber drivers can use the Safety Toolkit feature in the Driver app by tapping the blue shield symbol and choosing “Report a crash.” If you were injured as a rider, you can make the crash report by navigating to the Help section of the app and following the prompts. Drivers, riders, and third parties can also visit Uber’s accident reporting page to submit an accident report through a web browser.
- Lyft drivers can report an accident directly through the Driver app by selecting “Help,” then “Accident, damage, or unsafe ride,” and “Report an accident.” Riders can follow a similar in-app process or use Lyft’s accident reporting browser page. That web page also allows third parties to submit a report online after indicating whether they’re a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist.
Stick to the facts when submitting your report to either company. Only provide basic details about the accident’s time, date, and location, and avoid giving formal statements until you’ve spoken with a lawyer.
Get Medical Evaluation Right Away
See a doctor immediately after an Uber or Lyft accident, even if you don’t feel injured. Some injuries may not show symptoms right away, and early treatment can protect both your health and your potential legal claim.
Waiting too long to get medical care can give insurers reason to argue that something other than the rideshare accident caused your injuries. Prompt medical attention creates a clear record linking your condition to the crash and shows that you took your recovery seriously.
Keep copies of all medical records and receipts for any medical care you paid for out of pocket. These documents will be key forms of evidence when building your claim.
Contact a Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Lyft and Uber injury claims are often more complicated than ordinary car crashes. Multiple parties may be at fault, including the rideshare driver, another driver, or even the rideshare company.
This leads to many overlapping insurance policies and questions about which coverage applies at different points in the driver’s trip. Massachusetts personal injury laws can further influence your claim and create additional layers of complexity.
A local attorney familiar with rideshare collisions can identify every responsible party and determine which insurance policies should cover your injuries. From there, they can navigate your claim on your behalf, protect you from the insurer’s tactics, and pursue the compensation you deserve.
Things To Avoid After an Accident in an Uber or Lyft
What you don’t do after a rideshare crash can be just as important as what you do. Here are some key precautions to protect your case:
- Don’t discuss fault at the scene. Avoid making any statements that might suggest you caused the crash. If you apologize or say things like “I didn’t see you,” insurers may treat those words as an admission of liability.
- Don’t wait to take action. Evidence can disappear quickly. Delaying action can also cause you to miss Massachusetts’ three-year filing deadline for personal injury claims.
- Don’t talk to the other party’s insurance company. It may use anything you say against you.
- Don’t post on social media. The insurer may take photos or comments out of context and use them to question your injuries.
- Don’t skip medical appointments. Missed follow-ups can make it appear like your injuries are less serious than you claim.
- Don’t accept the first settlement offer. Early offers are likely far lower than what your case is worth.
How Uber and Lyft Insurance Policies Work
Insurance coverage in a rideshare accident depends on the driver’s status in the app at the time of the crash. If the driver is not logged in, neither Uber’s nor Lyft’s insurance applies. In that situation, the driver’s personal auto insurance is responsible for any damages.
If an accident occurs while the driver is logged in and waiting for a ride, both Uber and Lyft provide liability coverage. These policies offer at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury. They also offer $25,000 for property damage.
Once the driver accepts a ride request or has a passenger in the vehicle, the rideshare company’s primary coverage takes effect. Both Uber and Lyft offer liability coverage of $1 million in most markets to pay for injuries and property damage.
Get Help From Our Massachusetts Rideshare Accident Lawyer
Recovering from a rideshare crash is hard enough without the added stress of insurance disputes. DiBella Law can take that burden off your shoulders. Our Boston rideshare accident lawyers can investigate the collision, gather strong evidence, and negotiate for fair compensation, allowing you to focus on moving forward.
Our team is committed to leveling the playing field between our clients and the powerful rideshare companies. We’ve helped numerous people in Massachusetts and beyond pursue favorable results after getting involved in a car accident with Uber or Lyft. Let us do the same for you—contact us online or call 855-342-3552 (855-DiBella) for a free case evaluation.