If you've been involved in a car accident as a driver, you may already know the steps you need to take to file a lawsuit. Things become more complicated when you're a passenger in an Uber.
While you want to hold somebody accountable, you may not want to accept the first settlement that comes your way. You may worry that you'll need to accept the settlement because you weren't the driver. Here's what you should know.
Passengers Can Still Go to Court
Just because you weren't behind the wheel doesn't mean that you can't go to court if you're not happy with the settlement offer. You can still file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
Passengers have personal injury claims all the time. Any time somebody is injured due to another person's negligence, they have the right to file.
If you're in an Uber, things do get more complex. The reason is that you may need to sue both the at-fault driver and Uber. This is because Uber has insurance that covers passengers who are injured. You may need to collect from both insurance policies depending on the circumstances.
The Settlement Offer Is Negotiable
When an insurance company makes you a settlement offer, that doesn't mean you have to accept it. The first offer is usually low because the insurance company wants to save money.
You can negotiate the settlement offer. If you have a lawyer, they will do this for you. If you don't have a lawyer, you can try to negotiate the settlement yourself.
You Shouldn't Settle Too Quickly
It's important that you don't settle your case too quickly. If you accept the first offer, you may not be able to get more money later on down the road.
As a passenger in an Uber, you didn't have a lot of power to make decisions when the accident happened. The driver was the one in control. You are not subject to the same settlement that the driver was.
You Should Hire a Personal Accident Attorney
You may not have all the information you need to make a decision about your case. That's why it's important to hire a personal injury attorney.
Your attorney will be able to investigate the accident and help you get the evidence you need to make a strong case. If you try to handle the case yourself, you may not be able to get the same results.
Reach out to an Uber accident attorney for more information.
