Hurt in a rideshare crash? Here's what happens next.

What happens if you get into an accident in a rideshare? You need medical care first, then a police report, then a report to the app and your own auto insurer. Who pays for your injuries usually turns on what the driver was doing at the moment of impact and who caused the crash. Here is what typically happens next, in the order most people face it. This guide is educational, and every crash turns on its own facts.

Get Medical Care and Make the Scene Safe First

Get medical care first, and make the scene safe if you can. If anyone is hurt, call 911 and ask for police to respond. An officer’s report creates an official record of the crash.

Some injuries don’t show up right away. Fractures, internal injuries, and head or spinal injuries can cause symptoms hours or days later. Spinal cord injuries can result from trauma or accidents, and their effects vary by the injury’s type and location, according to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. That’s why a full medical check matters, even when pain seems mild.

Tell your treating medical doctor exactly how the crash happened. Say that you were a rideshare passenger. Those records feed into any claim. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-1.1-pdf.pdf)-pdf.pdf)-pdf.pdf), medical expense damages are limited to the reasonable value of medically necessary care. Keep every discharge paper, imaging result, and prescription receipt.

Document the Trip, the Vehicles, and the Scene

Document the trip and the scene while details are fresh. Photograph vehicle damage, where the cars stopped, road conditions, traffic signs, and visible injuries from several angles. Screenshot the in-app trip details, including the route, driver name, license plate, and time stamps.

Collect names and phone numbers of witnesses. Get the other driver’s insurance information. Write down your own account of the crash soon after it happens. Keep that account private rather than posting it online, where it could be taken out of context.

Ask for the official crash report. The Georgia Uniform Motor Vehicle Accident Report is the state’s crash report, and the Georgia Department of Transportation explains how to obtain crash reports. Crash victims can also contact the Georgia Department of Public Safety about the status of a crash investigation.

Report the Crash to the Rideshare Company and Your Own Insurer

Report the crash to the rideshare company and to your own auto insurer. Rideshare apps include an in-app option for reporting an accident. The company then opens its own claim file. A report to the app does not replace a report to your own auto insurer.

Timing and wording both matter, so keep your descriptions factual and brief. Save every claim number, adjuster name, and written message. An adjuster works for an insurance company, not for you. If an adjuster asks for a recorded statement, you can ask for time to talk with a lawyer before giving one.

How Insurance Coverage Changes With the App Status

Rideshare insurance generally changes with what the driver was doing when the crash happened. Coverage can differ when the app was off, when the driver was waiting for a request, when the driver was heading to pick you up, and when you were in the car. The rideshare company’s insurance terms set the amounts for each phase.

Your claim may involve more than one policy. The at-fault driver’s personal auto policy may respond. Under Georgia law, auto liability policies generally must include uninsured motorist coverage unless the insured rejects it in writing, as provided in O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11. Those terms undertake to pay the insured for bodily injury caused by the owner or operator of an uninsured motor vehicle, under O.C.G.A. § 33-7-11-pdf.pdf)-pdf.pdf)-pdf.pdf). The trip timeline often decides which policy responds, so write down when the app was on and off.

Who May Be Responsible Under Georgia Law

A passenger may have a claim against the at-fault driver and, in some situations, other parties. The answer turns on the facts. Damages are reduced in proportion to the injured person’s share of fault. If that share is 50 percent or more, the person cannot receive any damages (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33).

Each liable person pays only its own share. Apportioned damages are not joint liability among the persons liable.

A passenger who did nothing to cause the crash usually has little or no fault to be assigned. Insurers may still dispute who was at fault, so evidence from the scene matters.

Deadlines, Early Settlement Offers, and Your Next Step

Georgia generally gives two years to bring a claim for injuries to the person, under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33-2023-pdf.pdf)-2023-pdf.pdf)-2023-pdf.pdf). The statute includes exceptions. Other deadlines can also apply, so track every date from the crash.

Early settlement offers can arrive before you know the full extent of your treatment. You can take time before you accept anything. If you are researching for a hurt loved one, or you are still in treatment, you are not expected to decide everything today.

If a rideshare crash has left you hurt and facing hospital bills or missed work, our team can talk it through with you. Contact Ugwonali Law Group at 3400 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, in English or Spanish, for a free, confidential first consultation, without obligation to continue. Adanna Ugwonali is the responsible lawyer. Reach out at our contact page.