What Should You Do If Uber or Lyft Won’t Cooperate After a Crash?

If Uber or Lyft won’t cooperate after a crash, you need to move quickly. A lot of the data that might be important to your case, like the “black box” data from the car or information the company holds on the driver, could “disappear” if you wait too long. Call a Central Islip, NY rideshare accident lawyer right away to make sure you’re exploring all your rights.

What Should You Do If Uber or Lyft Won’t Cooperate After a Central Islip, NY Crash?

Make Sure There Are Official Reports and Records

Call the police if you haven’t already, as the police report will be a neutral record of what happened and will include some basic demographic info you’ll need for a claim, like the driver’s name, vehicle details, and any citations. Take clear photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signals, and skid marks. Screenshot the Uber or Lyft app showing your ride status, the driver’s name, and your trip time. Note the exact time the driver was logged in, because that is going to be very important to determining which insurance layer applies.Finally, report the crash directly to Uber or Lyft through their apps or official forms, and be sure to save any confirmation emails and reference numbers you’re given. If the company ignores your report or fails to assign a claims handler within a reasonable time, note every attempt you made to deal with them, including the dates and times of all calls or messages.

Consult a Rideshare Accident Lawyer

When Uber or Lyft refuses to cooperate, they usually employ certain  tactics that have worked for them in the past to make accidents like these “go away.” These tactics are designed to delay and make you give up, and they can include:

• Slow responses
• Repeated requests for the same documents
• Outright denial without explanation
• Denying the driver’s status or the ride’s status

Work with an attorney who has experience dealing with these companies. Your attorney will thus know all about these tactics and how to deal with them.  

Protecting You

Do not accept a low settlement offer or give a recorded statement to an adjuster without your lawyer’s advice. You may also need to file a complaint with the New York Department of Financial Services if the company violates its obligations under the Transportation Network Company law, and your lawyer can help you do this if the rideshare isn’t cooperating. This sometimes prompts faster action and can resolve things without having to go as far as a lawsuit.

Fighting for You

Your lawyer can also send a formal preservation letter demanding that Uber or Lyft save the GPS data, driver logs, dash-cam video, and insurance policy details before anything gets deleted. These letters carry legal weight, and if the company continues to stonewall, your lawyer can file a lawsuit against the driver and the rideshare company.If Uber or Lyft won’t cooperate after your crash, contact the Law Firm of Michael R. Franzese in Central Islip or Mineola today for a free consultation.

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