Steps To Take After a Ride-Share Crash in Illinois

Knowing the correct steps to take if you were in a ride-share crash in Illinois can significantly strengthen your case. This will improve your chances of securing the compensation needed for your lost wages, medical expenses, and other losses, which are the adverse effects the accident has on your life.

The three main steps are seeking medical treatment, determining fault by documenting the scene, and determining liability by understanding the insurance policies at play. An experienced auto accident lawyer can assist you with each of these steps.

Seek Medical Treatment

Seeking medical treatment should always be your first step after any car accident. Even if you initially feel okay, you may have underlying injuries masked by your adrenaline. A medical professional can identify these injuries and prescribe the treatment you need to recover.

Additionally, seeking prompt medical treatment shows the at-fault party’s insurance company that you took your injuries seriously, and your diagnosis and prognosis will be recorded in your medical records. This helps establish the severity and extent of your injuries, which is necessary for seeking fair compensation.

Finally, you should always keep track of medical bills related to the accident. Your lawyer will use these bills when calculating your medical expenses. Medical expenses can make up a significant portion of your damages, which are the compensation you seek through your insurance claim or a lawsuit.

Determine Who Is At Fault

Determining who is at fault for the accident is crucial for holding them financially liable for your injuries. In most ride-share accident cases, the at-fault party will be the Uber or Lyft driver, another motorist involved in the crash, or both.

However, in some cases, other parties may have contributed to the accident, including:

• Vehicle manufacturers, if a defective component caused the accident or your injuries
• Vehicle maintenance providers, if poor maintenance led to a component’s failure
• Government entities, if poor road conditions, such as large potholes, missing signs, or malfunctioning traffic signals, contributed to the crash

To help your lawyer identify the at-fault party or parties, you can take photographs of the accident scene, collect eyewitness contact information, and write down everything you remember about the accident.

Determine Liability

Determining liability in a ride-share accident isn’t always as straightforward as identifying the at-fault parties. If another motorist is at fault for the accident, their insurance company will be liable for your injuries. However, things can get more complicated if the ride-share driver is at fault.

Depending on when the accident occurs, the ride-share driver’s personal auto insurance policy or the ride-share company’s auto insurance policy may apply:

• If the ride-share driver is offline and not on the app when the crash occurs, you must file your claim with their liability coverage policy.
• If the driver is online and available for a trip, Uber and Lyft carry bodily injury coverage of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.
• If the driver is en route or on a trip, Uber and Lyft carry at least $1 million for all injuries and property damage caused.

Contact Our Illinois Ride-Share Accident Lawyers

After a ride-share accident, contacting an experienced and knowledgeable car accident lawyer is always in your best interest. A lawyer can handle your case while you focus on recovering from your injuries. This includes identifying at-fault parties, gathering evidence, calculating your case’s value, and negotiating with insurance companies, among other things.

The Law Offices of Goldfine & Bowles, P.C., is a local firm known for treating its clients and neighbors with respect. We’ve been serving Central Illinois for the past 60 years and have recovered $100 million for our clients over the past decade alone.

Contact our firm for a free initial consultation and to learn more about how our team-based approach to car accident cases can maximize your compensation.