RIDESHARE ACCIDENT LAWYER IN WEST PALM BEACH

The most important thing you need to know after an accident is that the rideshare company is almost always liable for any losses you suffered from the accident. Both major rideshare companies (Uber and Lyft) cover drivers and passengers while the driver is under contract to provide a ride. While the other driver may also have some liability, that likely won’t matter to you.

Thus, the most important step you need to take after ensuring the safety of yourself and others after a rideshare accident is to immediately report the accident to the appropriate authorities and the rideshare company. 

Get the insurance company information for the rideshare company. While doing this, be careful not to give any statements about what happened in the accident or how bad your injuries were. Insurance companies can use any statements you make to potentially decrease the amount of compensation they give you.

You must also avoid agreeing to any form of settlement. Insurance companies will often try to quickly get you to sign something or make a verbal agreement, possibly even when you make your initial claim. Agree to nothing and only provide the minimum information necessary for the insurance company to contact you in the future. 

By agreeing to a settlement, you might get a small amount of money and then not be eligible for additional money that you need to pay for your expenses.

The first thing you should do after any accident is to call emergency services, report your accident, and request medical attention. Even if you think you aren’t injured, you can’t be certain. Most people are in shock or filled with adrenaline after an accident, which confuses their senses.

After you have received medical attention and medical personnel have guaranteed that you are safe, you can focus on other priorities. This is when it is safe to report your accident to the rideshare company and file a claim with its insurance company.

This is also an excellent time to contact a Morgan & Morgan attorney. Our rideshare lawyers in West Palm Beach can help you locate doctors or hospitals to further treat your injuries if you need follow-up care. We can also take the lead in any communications with the insurance company and the rideshare company. This reduces your stress in an otherwise difficult situation.

If you are safe to move around, you should also document the accident scene. Assuming you own a smartphone or otherwise have access to a camera, take pictures of every detail that seems relevant, including any injuries you suffered. Also, record the contact information of all drivers and any witnesses to the accident. This information could potentially aid you when your attorney is fighting for compensation.

Finally, if you are away from home, get in touch with your emergency contact and briefly let them know what has happened and where you are.

At Morgan and Morgan, we understand that the last thing you need when you are commuting or on vacation is to have to deal with the fallout of a car accident. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to prevent you from having to visit doctors or get medical attention after an accident. We can, however, reduce the stress and aggravation of every other part of the accident claims process.

As soon as you hire our rideshare lawyers in West Palm Beach, we will immediately take over communication with the insurance company. We may still occasionally need information from you, but we will try to gather it all quickly and limit the time you need to surrender to this accident. Since we understand the insurance process, we know what questions we need to ask you and how to get the information that you don’t immediately have access to.

Once we have that information, we will perform an independent investigation of the accident. During this investigation, we will collect evidence that supports your claim. We may also speak with your doctors and examine your medical records.

Once we have enough evidence, we will negotiate with the insurance company to get you fair compensation for your claim. Our goal is to get you compensation for your medical bills as quickly as possible.

We understand you want to enjoy your time in West Palm Beach, even if you are injured. The last thing you need is to have constant meetings and conversations with attorneys or insurance company agents. If there is anything we can do to prevent that, we will.

One of the best reasons to hire rideshare lawyers in West Palm Beach from Morgan & Morgan is that we have offices in every state in the country. This means that even after you leave West Palm Beach, you can speak with a local attorney any time you want. Our West Palm Beach attorneys will continue to work on your case for as long as necessary, while local attorneys will apprise you of the progress of your case.

There are two hospitals conveniently located near West Palm Beach: Columbia Hospital and Oakwood Center of the Palm Beaches. If you need specialized medical attention while in West Palm Beach, one of our attorneys can help you find the doctors that you need.

Vacation interruptions are typically covered by vacation insurance. However, if you were injured in a rideshare accident while on vacation, you may be able to get compensation from the insurance company for services you paid for and weren’t able to enjoy due to your injuries. Tell your attorney about what you missed out on, and provide receipts of payments. Your attorney may be able to get you additional compensation to cover those costs.

Florida is a no-fault state, which means that your insurance covers your accident regardless of who was at fault. However, there are situations where the other driver’s insurance may be responsible for providing some compensation.

If the other driver had a passenger or was driving to pick up a passenger, typically, the insurance company for the rideshare company will cover any compensation for the accident. However, if the driver was not currently under contract to transport a passenger, their insurance is responsible for any costs. 

The best option is to get insurance information for both the driver and the rideshare company and to allow any lawyers or insurance agents to work out which company is responsible for costs.

You might be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement as part of a settlement. You can’t be forced to sign the agreement, but typically, you will be offered a higher settlement if you do sign it. Whether you want to sign one is entirely up to you. Tell your lawyer what your preference is before negotiations start so they can better negotiate for what you want.

If you have been injured in a rideshare accident in West Palm Beach, you need attorneys that will fight zealously to get you compensation while ensuring that you suffer as little stress from the accident as possible. The attorneys at Morgan and Morgan are the lawyers that you need. Contact us immediately after an accident to schedule a free case evaluation and learn more about our services.