Work with a Dedicated Rideshare Accident Attorney
Rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft are tremendously helpful to students at Emory University, Agnes Scott College, and other schools in the Decatur area; however, rideshare experiences can sometimes go horribly wrong. Students get injured in accidents or even suffer from criminal violence, such as robbery and sexual assault.
While students who are hurt in these situations are often eligible to receive compensation for their physical and emotional suffering, they frequently have a hard time getting treated fairly because of the complexity of legal liability in rideshare cases. The attorneys representing the interests of rideshare companies know how to use numerous sophisticated tactics to keep victims from receiving full and fair compensation for their losses.
However, an experienced college student rideshare accident attorney at Michael M. Day Law Firm in Decatur knows how to effectively counter their tactics and use their own evidence to ensure that college students injured in an Uber or Lyft incident have the best opportunity to obtain maximum compensation.
What to Do After a Rideshare Accident
No one expects to be in an accident or to get attacked in a rideshare vehicle, so it’s only natural to be confused about what to do when it happens. The most important thing is to take care of yourself physically and emotionally.
Go to the Doctor
Make sure you get a thorough medical exam, even if you don’t feel like you’re seriously hurt.
During an accident or attack, your body is full of adrenaline to help you cope. That adrenaline can hide pain and other signs of injury. Doctors, especially those in hospital emergency departments, are trained to look for symptoms that are not always obvious. When you tell them that you’ve been subjected to bodily trauma, they can run tests to check for damage to organs, internal bleeding, brain damage, spinal injuries, and other injuries that are easy to overlook in the immediate aftermath of an accident.
Getting a medical exam right after the accident not only protects your physical health but also your financial and legal status. Your exam records provide vital evidence of your injuries that can be used to prove to insurance companies involved the harm you’ve suffered.
If you notice additional symptoms or your medical condition worsens, you should seek further treatment. Be sure to follow the doctor’s instructions or the rideshare companies could try to blame you for your injuries.
Mental Health Matters, Too
In addition to your physical health, prioritize your mental health by consulting with mental health professionals. An accident or attack can have long-lasting effects that interfere with your ability to concentrate, sleep, read, and accomplish other critical tasks. Keep a record of how you feel mentally and physically, and how the incident has impacted your life. You can make audio or video recordings on your phone or keep a written journal—it doesn’t matter as long as you make regular informal reports.
Protecting Your Legal Rights After an Uber or Lyft Accident
An experienced Decatur rideshare accident attorney knows that it can be challenging for college students to protect their legal rights after an accident involving Uber or Lyft. These rideshare companies provide insurance for their drivers in certain circumstances, but their attorneys will work hard to avoid paying claims if at all possible. They know a variety of techniques to get college students to do something that allows the insurance company to avoid liability or to pay far less than the injured student deserves to receive.
For instance, an attorney for Uber or Lyft might ask questions in a way that gets the student to say something that can be taken as an admission of guilt for causing the accident or used as evidence to show that they weren’t seriously hurt by the experience. Most of us were raised to be polite and to say, “I’m fine” when someone says, “How are you?” That response can be used to “prove” that you’re not injured. If you say, “I’m sorry” in any context at all, that can be used to show that you’re admitting you caused the accident.
Another common tactic the insurance companies of Uber and Lyft use with college students is to offer money to settle the claim, but to insist that if you don’t take the offer right away, you won’t get another chance. They pressure you to accept much less than you have the legal right to recover, but the legal strings attached to the settlement prevent you from seeking more compensation later when you learn the truth.
It is important to understand that unless the insurance company knows that you are prepared with the arguments and evidence to persuade a judge to award maximum compensation for your losses, the insurance company will not offer a fair settlement. When you are represented by a rideshare accident attorney respected by insurance companies, then they are much more likely to take you seriously.
Protect Yourself by Putting Our Legal Team to Work for You
The easiest and most effective way to protect your rights and get the maximum compensation for the harm you suffer in an accident or attack involving Uber or Lyft is to start working with a knowledgeable Decatur rideshare accident attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney can handle questions from investigators and insurance companies, so you don’t have to worry about what to say.
At Michael M. Day Law Firm, in addition to advocating on your behalf during questioning and settlement negotiations, we can help you collect evidence to prove liability. We know how to accurately value each aspect of your physical, mental, and emotional injuries so that you can receive full compensation for all that you’ve suffered.
If you’ve been hurt in an accident involving a rideshare driver or you were attacked in connection with an Uber or Lyft ride, you can contact us to get your questions answered and your case evaluated for free. We never ask for any money in advance—in fact, if we don’t win your case, you’ll never owe us a single dollar. Our fees are deducted from the compensation provided by the insurance companies at the end of the case.
So, call us at 404-480-4284 or contact us online to schedule a time when we can talk about your case. The sooner we start to work for you, the more help we can provide.