10 key things to do if you’re injured in an Uber
You’re in an Uber, coming back from a meeting. You’re in the back seat, minding your own business, scrolling through social media, and the next thing you know, you’re asking yourself if that really just happened.
The person behind you was probably texting and didn’t see that your driver stopped at a red light and hit you from behind.
You definitely feel it, but on the spot, you rationalize that you’re probably okay. As your driver gets out to check the damage on the car, you’re at least partially in shock.
What should you do from here?
Here are 10 Important things you should do even if you’re involved as a passenger in an Uber accident:
1. It’s absolutely worth calling the police:
This will be the fastest and best way to get a record of what happened. You may eventually need this for your insurance.
Krenar Camili, an accident attorney with years of experience in ridesharing accidents, advises us to get everything recorded in real-time:
“The police know exactly what to do in situations such as these. They know how to record and report the accident and what documentation to get from the Uber driver and the other party. They are also experienced in asking you the right questions to help determine whether you might need on-scene medical attention.”
2. Use the reporting features in the Uber app
You can report the incident to Uber. Once you’re delayed a few minutes, the app should actually notify you that your ride has been stopped for a few minutes and inquire as to whether you’re okay.
Whether or not the app does this, report the accident to Uber as soon as possible.
Understand in advance, that all of your interactions with Uber are going to be as opaque as can be — by design. In other words, don’t delude yourself into believing that Uber is your ally, even if the Uber that you were in was hit by another car.
More than likely, your dealings with Uber are going to be slow, often difficult to understand, and seemingly intended to confuse. Just be prepared for this.
3. Insist that the driver report the incident to Uber Safety
Even if the driver didn’t sustain damage to their vehicle, they should report the incident to Uber Safety if they have passengers in the vehicle. This is something you can also raise with the police when they arrive if the driver has yet to do so, as they may choose to document it.
4. Gather any information you can on the scene
This is where things get a little tricky. It’s always good if you can gather as much information as possible on the scene of the accident. But in our scenario, where there may be no damage to the Uber driver’s vehicle and you might or might not be okay, it’s possible that both drivers would be inclined to leave without sharing information.
You’re in a tough spot here as the passenger in an Uber. You can ask to see the other driver’s license and registration, but they may not be inclined to show it to you, or they may have already left the scene.
At a bare minimum, capture both sets of license plate numbers, ideally by taking pictures. On the Uber end, they will have all the information on your driver. If you nicely ask to see their license, they might share that information with you on the scene but rest assured that Uber has it.
The most important thing — by far — when it comes to gathering any evidence at the scene is to be aware of your surroundings. Especially if you are partly in shock because of what happened, you need to be extremely careful about opening the car door, stepping out into traffic, or any other number of hazards that might be waiting in the minute you take off your seatbelt and open that Uber door.
5. Contact your insurance company
Do this as soon as possible. Your insurance company has been through this a lot and can offer advice you don’t even know you need. They might open a file for things like any medical treatment you receive. At a minimum, a good insurance company will give you good advice about what to do next. It’s worth calling them as soon as possible, but you don’t need to do this from the scene.
6. Get medical care as soon as you think you might need it.
If you call the police, they will inquire about how you feel and might call paramedics. It’s always better to be safe than sorry on the scene. With the most minor of accidents, you can still be injured, even if the vehicles involved didn’t sustain any damage.
Maybe you feel well enough to have the Uber take you home and only experience pain and discomfort a few hours later. That’s not abnormal — get medical help if and when needed.
7. Be persistent with Uber
It’s intentionally hard to find out how to communicate with Uber on the app.
Once you figure out how to send a help message, it’s intentionally difficult for you to find the message archives of that chat.
It’s a good habit to screenshot any of the chats you’re having with Uber. There’s no downside to this and given how circuitous communication can be with Uber on the app (and confusing, given that you’ll also receive an email of each message) having this collection of screenshots is a good idea. You won’t regret taking the few seconds needed to screenshot these messages.
8. Document everything that happens to you after the accident.
If you wake up sore the next day or the next week, write this for somewhere like a Google doc as part of an ongoing record. Keep track of any medical treatment, lost time at work, etc.
Remember that just because you feel a little sore but probably fine, you think, three hours or three days after the accident, that may not be an accurate reflection of the full picture.
9. Take care of yourself
Even a minor accident can have you feeling off-balance for a while. Whether you need a massage, some time in a pool or the sauna, or just a mental health day, do what you need to do to feel better. The most minor accident is still a trauma, so don’t just brush it off.
10. Contact an accident lawyer if anything in the process doesn’t feel right.
This is probably your first time dealing with an Uber accident. An experienced Uber accident lawyer has dealt with hundreds of Uber accidents, both minor and serious. They will understand what you’re going through and have not only the right answers for you, but will ask the right questions.
Perhaps most importantly, an excellent Uber accident lawyer is going to be empathetic. They understand that it’s not easy being in even a minor accident and just talking to them is probably going to help you put the experience in perspective. Given that the vast majority of Uber accident lawyers don’t charge for an initial consultation, there is no downside to contacting one to share your story.