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If you were recently injured in an accident involving a rideshare driver—either as a passenger or another motorist—you’re probably staring down the barrel of a long recovery. A collision can lead to life-threatening injuries that often cost a small fortune to treat and can affect everything from your ability to earn a living to being able to live independently.  

Thankfully, you may be able to recover compensation for the damages you’ve incurred as a result of the wreck. However, to obtain a financial award, you will first need to build a strong claim—an undertaking that almost always involves taking certain actions in the weeks following the accident. 

Let’s look at some of these steps in closer detail: 

Document the Scene 

Evidence at an accident scene can disappear very quickly—sometimes even overnight. As such, the sooner you begin documenting the site of the crash, the more proof you will be able to preserve to support your case. 

Firstly, use your smartphone to take pictures of the vehicles involved, road markings, street signs, your injuries, and other elements that could help your attorney or an accident reconstruction expert piece together what happened. Secondly, you should take down the names and contact details of the other parties involved in addition to anyone else who saw the accident happen. Finally, if there are any surveillance cameras nearby, you should note down their locations.   

Visit the Doctor 

Even if you don’t think your injuries are very serious, you should still schedule a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible. Not only will this ensure that any underlying issues—such as an internal injury or brain trauma—are taken care of, seeking treatment will also help you avoid disputes during proceedings.  

For instance, if you didn’t get a diagnosis until weeks after the wreck, the insurer might assert that you failed in your duty to mitigate damages or argue that you suffered your injuries in a different incident as the date of your medical assessment doesn’t line up with the date of the accident. 

Report the Accident 

In California, you are required to report any accident that results in death or injuries within 24 hours of the wreck. Additionally, you will probably need to report the accident to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, too. Failing to report the wreck won’t just affect your claim, but could also result in strict penalties such as fines and even jail time.  

Stay Away from Social Media 

While it might be tempting to plaster your terrifying ordeal all over social media, venting your frustrations online could hurt your chances of recovering fair compensation. Insurance companies often monitor claimants’ social media feeds for evidence that could be used to challenge their credibility.  

As such, it’s best to deactivate your profiles for the duration of proceedings. If this isn’t feasible for you, you should update your privacy settings to limit who can view your posts to only approved friends and followers. Additionally, you should abstain from posting about the wreck, your injuries, pending claim, social activities, and expenses until your case is resolved. 

Speak to a California Rideshare Accident Attorney Today 

At HPIL, we know how devastating a serious rideshare wreck can be. However, if the accident was caused by someone else, our legal team may be able to help you hold the at-fault party/parties accountable for the damage they’ve caused. Contact us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS or by tapping through to our contact page HERE to request a free case assessment with a California rideshare accident attorney.