Whether you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft vehicle — or driving in your own vehicle leading up to a crash caused by a rideshare driver in Michigan — there are several steps you must take regardless of what type of car accident you are involved in. Most important, you must ensure your injury does not require immediate medical attention.

The following are the important steps you must take after an Uber or Lyft accident:

1. CONTACT THE POLICE

• You need to report the collision to law enforcement officials. When the police arrive at the scene of the accident, they can file a police report, which can be used as evidence for your accident claim or personal injury lawsuit.

2. DOCUMENT THE SCENE

• Using your smartphone, take pictures or record videos of the crash scene. Capture as many photos or videos as you can of all vehicles involved, and from multiple angles. Also, capture a panoramic shot of the entire scene. All of these are considered important pieces of evidence to insurers and the courts.

3. EXCHANGE INFORMATION

• Obtain the other driver’s contact and insurance information. If you are involved in a multi-vehicle accident, you must exchange information with every driver involved.

4. REPORT THE ACCIDENT TO THE RIDESHARE COMPANY

• One step that differs from other types of crashes is reporting the incident to Uber or Lyft. Once you reach out to their agents, provide an accident report so that they can start the claims process on their end.

5. CALL YOUR INSURANCE AGENT

• Contact your insurer and inform them you were involved in a collision, but only provide basic information about the crash.

Keep in mind, that all drivers must have PIP insurance under Michigan law, which means drivers generally would have to file a claim with their insurance carrier following an accident. However, if a passenger is involved in an Uber or Lyft accident — and suffers an injury — recovering compensation from a PIP claim could be more difficult. Passengers generally can file a claim against the driver’s insurance.

Our legal team has more than 50 years of experience handling personal injury claims throughout Southeast Michigan.

If you have been injured in a rideshare accident in the Detroit metropolitan area, call Turner & Turner PC at (248) 355-1727 to schedule a free consultation and discuss your options.

Although the majority of personal injury lawsuits are settled by insurance companies, a number of cases do end up going to trial. It is crucial for you to know what to expect should this happen with your claim.

Various Components of a Personal Injury Claim

When cases go to court, they go through various steps — from start to finish. In many personal injury cases, a jury selection will take place. A jury can be composed of 12 or fewer individuals who are selected and questioned by the judge. The judge or your attorney will ask numerous questions to the selected individuals to see their personal views on various case types, and to learn more about them personally. Questioning a juror helps determine if a person is a good candidate or if they have certain biases.

After a jury is selected, the case will move to trial. Trial for personal injury claims typical start with opening statements. The prosecution and the defense will each be allotted time to make an opening statement in support of their legal claim. Typically, the personal injury attorney supporting the victim will give their opening statement first because they have the burden of proof.

Burden of Proof

To file a successful claim against an at-fault party, the claimant must clearly demonstrate the burden of proof. After opening statements are heard, the case will move on to presenting the evidence. Personal injury attorneys will generally call witnesses to testify to back up the evidence presented during the trial. Some witnesses can be individuals who personally witnessed an incident occur: doctors, financial experts, and even experts who re-create the scene of the incident.

After the claimant’s attorney presents all relevant evidence, the defense is provided an opportunity to present evidence of their own. Defense attorneys can call forth witnesses and present documentation to support their argument against the claimant. After both sides present their evidence, each side will be given the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses.

After witnesses are cross-examined, both sides will begin to present their closing arguments. The defense and plaintiff are both given one final chance to try and persuade the jury to present a favorable outcome for them. The jury will then deliberate in a separate room and come to their own conclusion or verdict.

Personal injury cases, like car accidents, are usually deliberated rather quickly. In some cases, they can take several days. Once a verdict is reached, the jury informs the judge, and then they present the verdict to both parties.

For more information on whether you have a case against another party, and whether a settlement is in your best interest, should one be offered, contact Turner & Turner at (248) 355-1727.

Thus, it’s crucial you understand what factors affect the verdict of your personal injury case given you are seeking the most compensation possible to for mental and physical pain and suffering due to the negligence of the defendant.

     1. The Injury or Injuries You Have

This is the first item on the list because it’s the most important factor when it comes to determining how much compensation you’ll receive for your accident. Basically, the more significant your personal injury is, the larger your potential compensation will be.

For more serious injuries — like a broken leg or brain damage — you’re looking at higher medical costs and more pain and suffering than with a minor injury. So, be sure to keep this in mind when taking your first steps in a personal injury case.

     2. Pre-Existing Injuries

You’ll often face insurance companies that want to pay out less because of pre-existing injuries — they’ll argue these injuries were there before the accident and therefore, helped to intensify the injury. Basically, if you hadn’t had the pre-existing condition, you would not have faced such an intense injury.

However, this can be worked around by proving that the accident itself made the injury worse. It wouldn’t have gotten that way on its own, so the defendant would be at fault for making it so much worse.

     3. The Location of the Accident

This is where location of the accident comes into play. If you were injured in a more liberal area of the United States, you will generally be looking at a higher compensation for your accident. However, if you find yourself injured in a more conservative area, you might find yourself with less compensation in the end.

     4. Your “Likeability”

This item is all about personality. Have you ever thought about how much your “likeability” affects the decision of the jury? Essentially, this means if you’re a more likeable person (i.e. more easy going, friendly, and overall outgoing), you are more likely to be awarded a larger settlement than someone who is less likeable.

Generally, this isn’t the way a trial is supposed to work, but this factor definitely can influence your jury’s decision. So, working with your attorney, ensure you’re properly prepared on the court date so you appear put-together and friendly in front of the jury. Even if this won’t sway the jury, it’s better to do all you can to get the most compensation for your injury or injuries.

     5. Your Lawyer

You’ll want to have a lawyer who specialized in personal injury law if you want to have a large settlement coming your way. There are tons of lawyers out there who specialize in the “general law” field. However, if you get a lawyer who doesn’t know all of the ins-and-outs of personal injury law, you’re better off going in there by yourself.

Also, ensure you get a personal injury lawyer who has years of experience in the field, experience and success in the courtroom and positive reviews from past clients. This is crucial if you want to get a positive verdict from the jury.

Personal injury cases are some of the most personal and complicated cases out there. That’s why you should make sure you’re properly educated before you go into one.