If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident in Alabama, you aren’t alone. These accidents are becoming increasingly common, and we regularly hear from rideshare passengers and other victims who need help seeking financial compensation for their accident-related losses.
While you can try to file a claim on your own, you can also hire an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney to represent you. In this scenario, there are several important reasons to seek legal representation—and hiring an attorney costs nothing out-of-pocket. Not only will an experienced attorney be able to navigate the claims process on your behalf, but your attorney will also use his or her knowledge and experience to help make sure you are seeking the full compensation you deserve.
The Process of Seeking Full Compensation for a Rideshare Accident in Alabama
Here is an overview of the claims process after a rideshare accident and how an experienced Birmingham rideshare attorney can help:
1. Gathering Evidence of Liability
To file a claim for your rideshare accident, you must be able to prove who was at fault in the crash. This means that you need evidence of liability. While rideshare drivers are frequently to blame in these accidents (with phone-related distractions being a common cause), you must be able to prove the specific cause of your accident in order to file a claim for just compensation.
Gathering evidence of liability starts with conducting an investigation at the scene of the accident. But from obtaining the rideshare driver’s phone records to obtaining traffic camera footage and eye-witness testimony, proving fault may involve gathering evidence through various other means as well. When you hire an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney to represent you, your attorney will be able to take all of the necessary steps to gather the evidence you need.
2. Determining What Claim (or Claims) You Can File
After gathering the evidence that is available, your attorney will then be able to determine what claim (or claims) you can file. In this scenario, there are several possibilities—including:
- A claim under the rideshare driver’s insurance policy
- A claim under the rideshare company’s insurance policy
- A claim under another driver’s insurance policy
- A claim against a vehicle manufacturer or dealership
- A claim against a government agency or contractor
If the rideshare driver was at fault in your accident, seeking just compensation will most likely involve filing a claim under his or her insurance policy. Rideshare drivers are required to carry liability insurance under Alabama law. If you aren’t able to file a claim with the rideshare driver’s insurance company (i.e., because the driver’s coverage lapsed before the accident), then you may be able to file a claim with the rideshare company’s insurer instead.
3. Documenting Your Losses
Along with evidence of liability, seeking just compensation for your rideshare accident will also require evidence of your accident-related losses. With this in mind, you should start documenting your losses to the best of your ability. This includes taking steps such as:
- Asking for copies of your scans and medical records each time you go to the doctor’s office (or downloading copies through your doctor’s patient portal)
- Keeping copies of your medical bills and receipts (including receipts for any copays)
- Keeping copies of your receipts for prescriptions and other purchases
- Keeping any insurance documents you receive related to the accident
- Taking notes about your daily pain levels and your injuries’ other day-to-day effects
The more documentation you can collect, the better. With that said, if you don’t have any of the records you need, your attorney will be able to help with collecting all necessary documentation during your claim. Crucially, your attorney will be able to help with calculating just compensation for your present and future losses (including both financial and non-financial losses) resulting from the accident as well.
4. Protecting Your Claim (or Claims)
If you have a claim (or claims) for your rideshare accident, you need to be careful to protect your ability to seek the financial compensation you deserve. Among other things, this means you should follow your doctor’s advice, and you should not let the insurance companies talk you into providing a recorded statement or signing a medical release. Once you hire an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney to represent you, your attorney will be able to walk you through what to do—and, crucially, what not to do—while your case is pending.
5. Convincing the Insurance Companies to Accept Liability
Filing an insurance claim after a rideshare accident is a two-step process. The first step is focused on liability. If you can convince the insurance companies to accept liability, your claim will then proceed to the second step. This step involves determining how much the insurance companies will be willing to pay.
6. Negotiating a Fair Settlement
Determining how much the insurance companies will be willing to pay involves engaging in settlement negotiations. If you hire an attorney to represent you, your attorney will negotiate on your behalf. Your attorney will seek a settlement that adequately compensates you for the accident; and, if a settlement offer is on the table, your attorney will help you decide whether to accept.
7. Going to Court if Necessary
If settling isn’t a viable option in your case, then seeking the financial compensation you deserve will involve going to court. If you need to go to court, it will be imperative to have an experienced attorney on your side. While going to court isn’t necessary in most cases, it is important to understand that this is a possibility—and showing that you are prepared to go to court can help convince the insurance companies to offer a fair settlement.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Birmingham Rideshare Accident Attorney Today
Were you injured in a rideshare accident in Alabama? If so, we can fight for just compensation on your behalf at no out-of-pocket cost. To schedule a free consultation with an experienced Birmingham rideshare accident attorney, call 205-855-2745 or contact us online today.