People who don’t own their own auto, or prefer to get someone else to drive them, may use ride sharing as a way of getting to their destination. It’s a ride hailing service which uses a specially designed smart phone app that connects riders and drivers.
Like any vehicle on busy highways it’s often in a hurry. The driver doesn’t always pay full attention when merging into another lane or at an intersection.
If a driver causes an accident while merging with other traffic and you are injured, you may be eligible for personal injury compensation. You should contact a PI attorney to discuss your eligibility to file a claim.
Injuries From a Merging Accident
Merging accident are some of the worst accidents, because the chances are the other driver will have a foot on the gas which when hitting another vehicle could cause serious injuries to the occupants.
These could include any of the following:
- whiplash, when the passengers and drivers’ neck are flung rapidly forward and backward;
- broken limbs caused by the side of the vehicle being completely crushed;
- internal organ injuries caused by the impact of the crash.
Most of these injuries could mean long hospital stays and long recovery periods, meaning time will need to be taken off work recovering.
Fortunately, as long as you weren’t even partly to blame for the merging accident you should be eligible to file a personal injury compensation claim from the at-fault driver.
This helps to cover the financial hardship caused by the merging accident such as cost of medical treatment, loss of earnings, damage to your car and an amount to compensate you for the pain and suffering you have to endure due to an accident which was not your fault.
Process for Filing a PI Claim for a Merging Accident
When you file a PI claim you will need to provide evidence that proves who caused the accident.
This can be the following:
- a police report from the attending officer;
- eye witnesses’ accounts;
- photographic evidence;
- a medical report detailing your injuries and recovery time;
- receipts for medical treatment so far.
The information will be presented to the insurer of the other driver who is responsible for paying the PI claim. However insurance adjusters aren’t easy to deal with so contacting a PI attorney to help you through the process is worthwhile.
Why you Need a PI Attorney
A PI attorney has years of experience winning successful PI claims for clients. They know how difficult insurers are so they make sure all the evidence is reliable and backs up your PI claim.
Also, you don’t need to worry about paying upfront fees, as most PI attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay the fees once the PI claim has been settled.
Additional Resources
- Am I Protected by Insurance If I Am Hit By a Lyft Driver?
- Top Reasons to Speak with a Personal Injury Attorney
*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Lyft, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
