What To Do Immediately After A Rideshare Accident

The immediate aftermath of a car accident is likely to leave you in shock. It may not be readily apparent what you should do next. Remember: your physical well-being is paramount. Always take care of yourself first. With that in mind, here are the essential steps you should take following a rideshare accident:

Seek Medical Attention

Following an auto accident, seek medical attention immediately. If you own a car and have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage under your insurance policy, that will pay 80% of your medical bills, to a maximum of $10,000, but only if you seek treatment within 14 days of the injury.

In any event, it’s prudent to seek medical treatment immediately following an auto accident. Injuries to soft tissues such as spinal ligaments aren’t always apparent right away. For that reason, you should get yourself checked out, even if you’re not in pain after a day or two.

Get A Copy Of The Police Report

Police at the accident scene should give you a document called a “Driver Exchange of Information” or a card with a case number on it. Either of these will have the information you need to follow up with the police department that handled that matter.

There is also a Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website where you can look up and purchase crash reports for $12 each once they’re available.

If you retain an attorney for your accident injuries, they can and most likely will obtain the police report in the normal course of their representation.

File An Injury Claim

The statute of limitations in Florida for injury claims against others is two (2) years from the date of the injury. If you have Uninsured Motorist coverage and are making a claim against that as well as the at-fault driver, the statute of limitations for that claim is five (5) years.

You can file a claim if you left the accident scene before the police arrived, but doing so will severely damage your chances of succeeding. Leaving the scene will give the impression you are feeling guilty and have fled to avoid getting in trouble. This act will be used against you by the insurance company if you make an injury claim against the other driver.

For more information on what to do following a rideshare crash, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (954) 466-2185 today.