East Meadow Uber Accident Attorney
Uber offers a safe way to reach JFK airport, LaGuardia, or your favorite Astoria hotspot without relying on your own vehicle or public transportation. You can schedule it when you want it, get picked up in your preferred location, and not have to worry about whether you’ve had too much to drink or need to pay for long-term parking.
Unfortunately, that convenience does not necessarily mean that Uber does not pose some risks. Did you suffer injuries in an accident due to the negligence of an Uber driver? What should you do next? Contact the East Meadow auto accident lawyers at Jacoby & Meyers, LLP today at (877) 565-2993 to learn more about your legal right to compensation following an Uber accident.
The Aftermath of East Meadow Uber Accident Injuries
Uber drivers often spend long hours behind the wheel. Unlike truck drivers, who must adhere to limits on the number of hours they can drive, Uber drivers’ only limits exist in the platform itself. After 12 hours on the clock, they must shut down the app for at least 6 hours to continue receiving rides. Uber drivers may, over time, grow overconfident. They may eat and drink behind the wheel, fiddle with the radio, or even take more risks in traffic to get you to your destination faster and earn more money throughout the night.
Unfortunately, distraction or recklessness can significantly increase the risk of suffering severe injuries in an Uber accident. People can suffer a variety of injuries in the accident, depending on the type of accident and the damage to the two vehicles.
Common injuries may include:
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury can permanently change the course of a victim’s life. It has a physical, mental, and emotional impact on many victims. Traumatic brain injury victims often lose consciousness or show signs of confusion and disorientation at the scene of the accident. They may have trouble remembering the accident itself, what events led up to it, or the immediate aftermath.
Depending on the severity of traumatic brain injury, victims may show signs of nausea or vomiting. Victims may have memory loss, including problems with both short-term and long-term memory, or problems focusing or concentrating on the task at hand, making it very difficult for TBI victims to work effectively.
Many traumatic brain injury victims also suffer from significant emotional challenges. They may have extreme emotional reactions to relatively minor stimuli, from extreme mirth over a joke that no one else found all that funny to extreme rage over minor irritations. Victims may also suffer from unexpected mood swings or even personality changes as a result of TBI.
Back and Neck Injuries
Injuries to the spinal cord muscles can cause extreme pain, complicate daily tasks, and make day-to-day activities difficult to accomplish. Sitting, standing, or engaging in exercise can exacerbate symptoms of pain related to back and neck injuries, especially if the victim suffered severe trauma. Back and neck issues can linger, especially if the victim does not receive adequate physical therapy to help rebuild strength in the affected area.
Direct injuries to the spinal cord, on the other hand, can cause even more serious complications. Victims with spinal cord injuries may suffer a loss of function and mobility below the site of the injury. Complete spinal cord injury, in which the spinal cord severs completely, usually leads to complete paralysis below the site of the injury. Many victims with spinal cord injuries must redetermine how they want to handle many areas of their lives, including their jobs and leisure activities.
Amputation
The force associated with any type of car accident, including an Uber accident, can quickly lead to amputation. Sometimes, amputees suffer the loss of a limb during the accident itself: they may, for example, lose an arm left hanging out the window or lose a leg due to debris from the accident. In other cases, amputees may realize only after the initial accident that they require limb amputation. Doctors may need to amputate the limb due to extreme damage, including loss of blood flow to the limb that eventually results in the death of that tissue and the limb.
Amputees sometimes choose to use prosthetic devices to restore some function or original appearance after an accident. Some amputees, however, cannot use prosthetic devices. Those who do use prosthetics will need to plan for a regular replacement since prosthetic limbs typically wear out within about three to five years of normal use. Amputees may also go through considerable physical and occupational therapy to relearn how to perform activities they once handled with ease.
Burns
When a car catches on fire during an auto accident, it can spell serious trouble for victims trapped inside. Burn injuries often cause extreme scarring. Some burn victims, especially those with burns on their faces or arms, may struggle with the change in appearance related to the scarring. Burns also have a high rate of infection and complication. Since the skin gets stripped away when burned, it takes with it the protection it usually offers to the flesh beneath. As a result, bacteria can enter the body more easily.
To help decrease infection risk, burn victims often spend a long time in a special burn unit at the hospital. This sterile unit helps prevent debris and particles from making their way into the victim’s room and, ultimately, into the victim. Unfortunately, many victims may still experience complications like failed skin grafts following severe burns.
Broken Bones
In a T-bone accident, victims often suffer multiple broken bones on the side hit by the other vehicle. Head-on collisions or rear-end collisions can also cause extensive broken bones.
A single broken bone interferes with the victim’s ability to work or complete normal self-care tasks. Multiple broken bones, on the other hand, can make it impossible for victims to work or engage in normal leisure activities. Some victims with broken bones may face ongoing complications, including pain in the affected limb. They may require surgery to set the limb properly, which can also increase the risk of complication.
Seeking Compensation for an East Meadow Uber Accident: The Basics
Following an East Meadow Uber accident, many victims need to know two things: how much compensation they can expect and who bears liability for their accident. Working closely with an experienced personal injury lawyer in East Meadow can make it easier for you to answer your questions.
Determining the Liable Party in an East Meadow Uber Accident
Who caused your accident? What factors contributed to it? Contact an attorney to review your accident and determine whether additional factors may have contributed to your injuries.
Often, one driver clearly caused the accident. For example, you may note that the Uber driver chose to drive recklessly or ignored the rules of the road, leading to a collision. On the other hand, you might have noted that another driver failed to follow the rules of the road and caused the accident as a result.
In addition to noting drivers that caused or contributed to the accident, you may find that other factors also contribute to Uber accidents. Consider:
- Does Uber share liability? Uber provides a high-dollar insurance policy that compensates its drivers and others injured in an accident with them, so this is usually a moot point. Uber may, however, share liability in some scenarios. Contact an attorney to learn whether, for example, Uber continued to employ a driver with a history of frequently causing accidents, or if Uber may have contributed in some way to the driver’s act of negligence.
- Did a mechanical failure cause the accident? Sometimes, mechanical failure may contribute heavily to an accident. For example, the Uber driver might suffer a brake failure that causes him to plow through an intersection, resulting in a T-bone collision with another vehicle. Likewise, a tire blowout in another vehicle might cause that vehicle to swerve into your lane, making it impossible for the Uber driver to miss that vehicle. In the case of a new part failing, the manufacturer of the vehicle or of that part may share liability for the accident and any injuries caused as a result. On the other hand, if a newly installed part fails, or if the part fails due to an error on the part of a mechanic, the mechanic who installed that part may share liability. If you think mechanical failure may have contributed to your accident, make sure you consult an attorney as soon after the accident as possible.
Assessing Your Compensation After an East Meadow Uber Accident
Following an East Meadow Uber accident, exactly how much compensation should you expect? You have bills to pay and decisions to make about your medical care. You need to know how much money you can expect to come in from your accident.
Talk to an attorney to get a more accurate assessment of exactly how much compensation you can expect following an Uber accident. Uber offers high-dollar insurance coverage that helps protect its drivers when they cause an accident. However, you may need to consider several factors when determining how much compensation you can receive.
Did the Uber driver have a passenger at the time of the accident? An Uber driver waiting for a passenger, but who has not yet accepted one on the app, may have lower insurance coverage than an Uber driver who has a passenger in the car. If the Uber driver has shut off the app and headed home for the evening, on the other hand, the terms of the driver’s personal insurance policy may limit the compensation you can receive.
How much did your medical bills cost? If you suffered severe injuries, including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, you may have substantial, ongoing medical bills. Your medical bills will help form the foundation of your East Meadow Uber accident claim.
Most victims choose to include all medical expenses related to the Uber accident as part of their claim, including:
- Emergency care
- Hospitalization
- Durable medical equipment
- Therapy, including both physical and occupational therapy
- Follow-up treatment and appointments
How much work did you miss due to your injuries? Lost time at work can add up quickly after an accident. Many victims cannot return to work at all in the initial weeks of recovery. If you suffer severe injuries, you may have to stay out of work even longer.
In addition to those lost hours immediately after your accident, you may miss considerable time at work while recovering and treating your injuries. For example, you may need to go back to work on a part-time basis during your recovery, especially if your energy levels fail or you have trouble with increasing pain later in the day. You may also need to miss work for follow-up procedures or modify your hours to attend therapy appointments. All of those missed hours count towards your East Meadow Uber accident claim.
What other limitations did you face following your Uber accident? You may have considerable limitations to deal with following your Uber accident: physical pain that prevents you from enjoying many of the activities you usually engage in regularly, emotional anguish related to your losses, and considerable suffering due to missed opportunities, for example. Consult an experienced Uber accident attorney to learn more about how those factors may contribute to your claim.
FAQs Concerning East Meadow Uber Accidents
Do you have questions following an Uber accident? Below, we answer some of the most commonly-asked questions regarding Uber accident claims. If you have specific questions about your Uber accident, get in touch with an experienced East Meadow Uber Accident lawyer as soon as possible.
What happens if the East Meadow Uber driver did not cause the accident, but I still suffered serious injuries?
You suffered serious injuries as a passenger in an Uber accident, but the Uber driver was not the driver that caused the accident. What comes next?
First, you should file for compensation through the insurance policy that belongs to the driver that caused your accident. This driver bears primary liability for the accident, and, therefore, their insurance will pay for the first percentage of the damages.
Many East Meadow drivers, however, carry only minimum liability insurance on their vehicles. If you suffer serious injuries in your accident, including injuries like traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injuries, you may need more compensation than those policies can offer. In those cases, you may seek compensation through Uber’s much more extensive insurance policy. Contact an attorney to learn more about what that policy may cover and the compensation you may deserve.
What should I tell Uber’s lawyers or insurance representatives when they call?
Do not talk to Uber’s lawyers or insurance representatives until you have the chance to talk to an attorney of your own. Any time you suffer serious injuries in an accident, you should contact an East Meadow Uber accident attorney to review your claim and give you a better idea of the compensation you deserve.
You may need to provide an accurate report of the events that led to the accident. An attorney can help you go over those events, review your memories, and give a full, accurate report of those events. In the case of an Uber accident, you, as the passenger, bear no liability for the accident. You may, however, provide much-needed testimony that can help establish who caused the accident or whether any additional factors may have contributed to the accident.
Never discuss your injuries with the insurance representative. You may want to discuss your injuries and their implications with your attorney before discussing them with the insurance company. Keep in mind that the insurance company may take steps to minimize the compensation you receive, including using your activities after the accident against you. Talk to an attorney to learn more about what you should avoid sharing with the insurance representative.
What if the insurance representative offers me a settlement?
A settlement from the insurance company may sound like the perfect solution in the days immediately after your Uber accident. After all, you may have a lot of medical bills piling up. Worse, you cannot go back to work for several weeks. Having money from a settlement in hand sounds like it will make it much easier for you to take care of all your bills while you recover.
Before you accept a settlement from the insurance company, however, make sure you have a conversation with an East Meadow Uber accident attorney about the compensation you really deserve for your Uber accident injuries.
Often, insurance companies, including Uber’s insurance provider, will attempt to minimize the compensation the company has to pay out for your accident. While it can help limit the company’s financial liability, it also means decreasing the compensation you receive for your injuries. If you accept that offer, you could end up with less money to cover your medical bills and manage your other expenses.
Right after your accident, you might not even know how much compensation you may need. How long will you remain in the hospital? How long will it take after you leave the hospital before you can return to work? What about your medical bills: how high will they grow while you manage your recovery?
An attorney can provide you with vital information about how much compensation you should expect for your injuries and when to accept a settlement offer.
Do I really need an attorney after an East Meadow Uber accident?
Suffering injuries as a passenger in an Uber accident presents a unique scenario. Unlike a traditional car accident, you know you cannot face blame for the accident in any way. Since you did not operate a vehicle, you could not have caused or contributed to the accident. You may feel that, regardless of who caused the accident, someone will compensate you for your injuries and your suffering.
That does not mean that you do not need an attorney on your side. You also should not rely on an attorney who represents one of the drivers in the accident, since that attorney may not directly have your best interests at heart.
Instead, get in touch with an experienced East Meadow Uber accident attorney to represent you. That attorney will focus on making sure that someone represents your interests in the claim.
- An attorney will help you fully understand the compensation you deserve after an Uber accident. An attorney will go over your injuries, review your financial losses, and give you a full assessment of the compensation you deserve for the injuries you suffered in your accident. By working with that attorney, you can determine when you want to accept a settlement offer or whether you should continue to negotiate.
- An attorney can help collect evidence regarding the accident. Your attorney may talk to witnesses, review any camera footage of the accident, and consult expert witnesses to get a better idea of exactly what contributed to the accident. In some cases, the attorney may identify more than one liable party that contributed to the accident, which can ultimately serve to increase the compensation you can receive for your injuries.
- An attorney can represent you if your claim goes to court. You need legal representation focused specifically on your needs, not on the needs of one of the drivers involved in the accident. An attorney can provide exactly that assistance.
- An attorney can provide vital peace of mind. After your accident, you have enough to worry about. You need to focus on your recovery and on managing your medical appointments, not on your legal claim. An attorney can take on many of the tasks associated with your legal claim for you, freeing up your attention to focus on your recovery.
Will my East Meadow Uber accident claim need to go to court?
Most of the time, auto accident claims, including Uber accident claims, settle out of court. Taking a case to court involves considerable time and expense, and most insurance companies want to avoid that additional expense if at all possible. In some cases (especially if you must demand a high level of compensation due to extensive injuries), you may have to take your claim to court to get the full compensation you deserve. If you do need to take your claim to court, having an experienced East Meadow Uber accident attorney on your side can make all the difference in your claim.
What should I do about my medical bills following an East Meadow Uber accident?
As the injured party and the person receiving care at a medical facility, you will need to work with your care providers to agree on how you will pay your medical bills. While you have some options that can help alleviate the strain associated with your medical expenses, you should expect to find a way to pay for your medical bills.
You may receive aid to help you pay those bills and manage your finances following an Uber accident.
- Your East Meadow Uber accident claim. Filing a claim can help you seek compensation for the injuries you suffered and the losses you faced as a result of your Uber accident. Many people rely on that claim to help them pay for their medical expenses. It can take time for the funds to come in from an East Meadow Uber accident claim. If you have trouble with your medical care providers while you wait to pay your bills, your attorney can write a letter of protection that will establish your intent to pay those bills once you receive the funds from your claim. This letter of protection will make it easier for you to continue to receive high-quality medical care following your accident.
- Your medical insurance. Your medical insurance serves as vital protection any time you require medical treatment of any type. If you suffer serious injuries in an Uber accident in East Meadow, your medical insurance can help you cover those expenses and receive the treatment you need. Contact your insurance provider to learn more about how much coverage you can expect, including coverage for long-term care or durable medical equipment. You may also want to ask more about how much coverage you can expect for therapy, since some insurance providers may have limits regarding how much therapy you can get each year.
- Hospital-funded programs. Some hospitals have programs in place designed to make it easier for people on a low income to pay their bills. This may include victims of serious accidents, including Uber accidents. Ask your care team about what programs your hospital has in place and how they may work with you to help make your medical bills more affordable.
How long will it take to get compensation in hand from an East Meadow Uber accident?
When you have bills piling up, you may find yourself stressing out over your inability to pay for those bills. You know you have compensation coming your way. Just how long will it take to get it in hand?
As with many things in your East Meadow Uber accident claim, it depends. Numerous factors can extend the time needed to get the funds from your claim in hand.
For example:
- How much compensation did you ask for? If you ask for relatively low compensation, especially when considering the injuries you suffered, the insurance company may approve your claim faster, with relatively little negotiation. On the other hand, if you suffered severe injuries and require extensive compensation, it may take longer for the liable party to pay out for the claim.
- How many rounds of negotiation do you have to go through? You may go through multiple rounds of negotiation as you attempt to reach an agreement with Uber’s insurance company. Each round of negotiation means more time before you have the funds you need in hand. You do have the right to stop negotiations and accept an offer issued by the insurance company at any point, but that may prevent you from getting the full compensation you deserve for those injuries.
- What injuries did you suffer? Not only can your injuries impact how much compensation you receive after an Uber accident, they can affect how long it takes for you to get compensation. Your attorney may advise waiting until you have time to recover before filing your East Meadow Uber accident claim. Consider, for example, traumatic brain injuries. In the days immediately after your accident, your doctors may not have any idea how much you will eventually recover. They may have no idea what complications you will face on the road to recovery or how those complications will impact your eventual capability. Because of those unknown factors, you may not know how to include all of your anticipated medical expenses or even the pain and suffering you face as a result of your accident in your claim.
- Do you have to go to court to settle your claim? While most Uber accident claims do settle out of court, there will be times when you have to take your claim to court to seek the compensation you deserve. If you do need to go to court, it can extend the time needed for you to receive your settlement or award.
East Meadow Uber Accident Attorney, Andrew Finkelstein
Contact an Uber Accident Attorney in East Meadow Today
Did you suffer serious injuries in an Uber accident due to the negligence of the driver? Do you need to know more about your right to compensation or start the process of filing an East Meadow Uber accident claim? Contact Jacoby & Meyers, LLP today at (877) 565-2993, or open a live webchat with us for a free case evaluation. Our team of experienced East Meadow Uber accident lawyers is standing by to answer your call.
East Meadow Office
90 Merrick Avenue, Suite 601
East Meadow, NY 11554
(877) 565-2993
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