Uber Accident
Did you know that nearly 70 million people are using Uber’s rideshare services worldwide? There are many benefits to using a rideshare service like Lyft and Uber. It saves us money on gas, removes the stress of parking fees, and it takes the guesswork out of who will be the designated driver on Saturday night. While many people flock to rideshare services for convenience, a Lyft or Uber accident can still happen.
When a Lyft or Uber accident happens, who you’re going to hold liable for your injuries could vary depending on the circumstances. Though both Uber and Lyft have $1,000,000 insurance policies to cover the cost of injuries passengers sustain while using their services, it’s hard to gauge just how extensive your injuries are by the time the insurance company offers you an early settlement. Unfortunately, accepting a settlement too fast can spell trouble for you and your health later on.
Why Do People Accept Early Settlements?
The answer is usually that injured victims need money. After a Lyft or Uber accident, it’s not uncommon for those involved to suffer significant injuries such as spinal cord damage or broken bones, both of which could make completing your daily tasks or job responsibilities impossible.
Between being out of work, the increased costs of housekeeping, and ongoing medical expenses, injured accident victims may feel pressured to accept an early settlement so they can get the money they need to get back on track. However, that’s usually the problem as it’s impossible to know what you may need in the future.
Another common reason why accident victims tend to accept early settlements is that they fear that the insurance company’s offer will either be taken off the table or that if they reject it, the second settlement offer will be lower than the first. This is simply not true and your Rancho Cucamonga Lyft accident lawyer knows it.
Insurance companies are focused on keeping as much money in their pocket as possible. As such, they will offer a low settlement offer because they know people who are in a tight financial situation will take it. When you hire an Uber/Lyft accident lawyer, you’ll have someone by your side who knows what kinds of tactics insurance companies use and negotiate with them to get you the amount of money you genuinely deserve for your injuries.
Without a lawyer’s help, it’s not uncommon for insurance companies to offer a settlement that is significantly lower than what you’d receive with an Uber accident lawyer’s help or if you bring your case to trial.
Accepting Early Settlements Is a Bad Idea
As briefly mentioned above, accepting an early settlement offer for your Lyft or Uber accident is usually a bad idea if you don’t know how extensive your injuries are or if you’re going to need lifelong assistance due to a significant injury such as paralysis. While many accident victims seek emergency medical care soon after the accident, it may take longer to get an appointment with a specialist who may diagnose you with a serious ailment, recommend surgery, or suggest rehabilitative treatment.
If you accept a settlement offer before meeting with a specialist, you could be eliminating the extra funds you need to assist with your care. Even if you see a specialist later on due to the sudden onset of symptoms, you won’t be able to seek additional compensation from the insurance company. Simply put, early settlement offers don’t consider your long-term care and that’s exactly the point. The more severe your injuries, the more money insurance companies have to payout. Fortunately, a skilled Uber and Lyft accident lawyer knows how to negotiate with these insurance companies and combat these tactics.
How an Uber Accident Lawyer Negotiates Higher Settlements
Your rideshare accident lawyer has several strategies to negotiate with insurance companies who want to issue fast and low settlement offers. One of the easiest ways to do this is by presenting the insurance company with proof of how much your claim is worth. Evidence such as lost wages, the police report, and co-pays for your medical treatment and care can support these claims and place an economic value on how much money you genuinely deserve.
Second, your rideshare lawyer can use these records, along with testimony from witness statements and accident reconstruction experts, surveillance footage, and anything else found in the investigation to show liability. If the insurance company is on the receiving end of the proof of their insured driver’s negligence and liability for the accident, they’re usually more willing to offer a higher settlement.
However, one of the most significant ways a lawyer can negotiate with an insurance company that refuses to negotiate or pay out more money is to file a personal injury lawsuit. Studies show that over 90% of accident victims who hire a lawyer get a sufficient settlement when compared to those who choose to accept the earliest offer. Insurance companies usually don’t want to deal with the costly fees and negative connotation that comes with going to trial, so they will often provide a higher settlement to avoid it.
A Rancho Cucamonga Uber Accident Lawyer Can Help
While it’s understandable why you’d want to accept an early settlement offer after a Lyft or Uber accident, doing so can cost you a lot of money out of pocket moving forward. If you’re injured in a rideshare accident in Rancho Cucamonga, your Uber/Lyft accident lawyer will work with you and the insurance company to determine what you’re owed and negotiate a settlement that will cover your medical bills and lost wages both now and in the future.
Call Sierra Accident Lawyers at 909-942-7632 or visit us on our website to complete our online contact form. With years of experience backing us, we’ll get the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
