Common Mistakes Passengers Make After an Uber Crash in Westlake Village
Rideshare collisions feel surreal: one second you’re chatting about dinner plans on Westlake Blvd; the next, you’re staring at a cracked phone and airbags by the 101 on-ramp. What you do in the next few hours can decide whether your medical care gets covered and whether your settlement reflects what you’ve actually lost. Here’s a plain-English guide—built from real cases—on what not to do after a crash, and what to do instead. If you need help right now, a Westlake Village Uber accident lawyer can step in immediately to protect evidence and line up the right coverage.
Mistake 1: “I feel okay—no need for a doctor.”
Adrenaline is a liar. Concussion symptoms, neck and back injuries, and shoulder issues often bloom overnight. If you wait a week to be seen, the insurer will say your pain must have come from something else.
Do this instead: get evaluated within 24–72 hours—even if it’s urgent care. Describe every symptom (headache, brain fog, neck stiffness, radiating arm pain, dizziness). Ask the provider to document objective findings like range-of-motion limits and muscle spasm. Consistent notes beat “I toughed it out.”
Mistake 2: Assuming Uber’s $1M automatically applies
Coverage depends on app status at the time of impact. If your driver had accepted your trip or you were already onboard, a large commercial policy is usually in play. If they were just “online and waiting,” the limits are lower. If the app was off, it’s a standard auto claim.
Do this instead: screenshot the trip screen (driver name, plate, route, timestamps) and report the crash inside the app. A Westlake Village Uber accident attorney will pull the official trip logs so the correct insurer pays.
Mistake 3: Giving a recorded statement because the adjuster “just needs a few details”
In practice, that “few details” becomes a transcript used to argue you weren’t hurt, you’re partly at fault, or your symptoms are minimal. Off-the-cuff guesses about speed or pain levels almost always backfire.
Do this instead: keep your first notice basic—time, place, that you were a passenger—and decline recorded statements until you’ve spoken with counsel. Your Uber accident lawyer in Westlake Village will handle all Q&A in writing.
Mistake 4: Not preserving video around the scene
Around Westlake Village, cameras are everywhere: shopping centers off Thousand Oaks Blvd., apartment gates, buses, neighboring businesses. Most overwrite within days.
Do this instead: note nearby cameras the same day and get names of managers/security if you can. Your lawyer will send preservation letters immediately so critical footage doesn’t “disappear.”
Mistake 5: Relying on the police report to tell your story
Reports are helpful, but they’re rushed and sometimes miss key facts (signal phase, lane markings, what the Uber was doing). Adjusters treat them as one piece of evidence, not gospel.
Do this instead: file a short, signed supplemental statement with photos or a simple diagram. Make sure your version sits in the same file the insurer will read.
Mistake 6: Letting gaps appear in your medical timeline
Life gets in the way—shift work, kids, traffic on Lindero Canyon—but blank weeks in your chart give the insurer ammo to argue you recovered quickly or weren’t really injured.
Do this instead: if you must miss a visit, call the clinic and have the reason noted in your chart. Use telehealth if transportation is an issue. Steady care > sporadic “catch-up” visits.
Mistake 7: Posting about the crash or your “comeback” online
A smiling photo at the lake turns into “Exhibit A” that you’re fine. Insurers love context-free screenshots.
Do this instead: keep your recovery off social media. Let your medical records and witness statements speak.
Mistake 8: Fixing the car (or tossing damaged items) before documenting
Modern bumper covers can look “okay” while internal components—absorbers, crash bars, trunk pan—show the real energy transfer. Your torn clothing, broken glasses, or cracked phone also help tell the story.
Do this instead: photograph the vehicle’s internal damage before repairs, save parts lists/estimates, and keep damaged personal items until your attorney documents them.
Mistake 9: Ignoring your own policies
Even as a passenger, your MedPay can cover early medical bills, and your UM/UIM (uninsured/underinsured motorist) can bridge low-limit drivers or hit-and-runs.
Do this instead: bring your declarations page to your consultation. A seasoned Westlake Village rideshare accident lawyer will stack every available dollar—Uber’s coverage, the other driver’s policy, and your own protections—so you’re not stuck waiting.
Mistake 10: Accepting the “ER bills only” offer
Fast checks feel tempting, but they rarely cover follow-up care, MRI findings, injections, missed work, or pain and suffering. Once you sign, it’s over.
Do this instead: wait until your condition stabilizes or a doctor can credibly project future care. Your attorney will time the demand for maximum leverage and, if needed, file suit to add real deadlines.
The Westlake advantage: local proof that moves numbers
Cases near Westlake Village often turn on details outsiders miss: sun-angle glare on Westlake Blvd. at rush hour, signal timing by the 101 ramps, merge geometry at Lindero Canyon, or construction cones that confuse lane lines. A Westlake Village Uber accident lawyer knows where to look for video (The Promenade, markets, fuel stations), how long those systems retain footage, and which intersections consistently create blind turns or short merges. That local knowledge shortens the timeline and raises the value.
What to do in the first 72 hours (human, not robotic)
- Get checked today or tomorrow. Tell the doctor exactly how the crash felt and what you can’t do now (sit more than 30 minutes, focus on screens, lift your toddler).
- Screenshot the trip and report through the app so there’s an incident record tied to your ride.
- Take real photos: the lanes, signal heads, debris, headrest and seat settings, and any bruising.
- Collect two witness contacts if possible; ask for one sentence about what they saw.
- Call a lawyer before recorded statements. It’s not about being “litigious”—it’s about preventing avoidable mistakes.
How we actually help (no fluff)
A good Westlake Village Uber accident attorney does four things fast:
- Locks down proof: trip logs, telematics/EDR, 911/CAD, and video before it’s overwritten.
- Builds medical credibility: objective findings, clear diagnoses, and a treatment plan that makes sense to an adjuster and a jury.
- Maps every coverage layer: Uber’s period-based policy, the other driver’s limits, your UM/UIM and MedPay, and any commercial/umbrella policies.
- Presents a trial-ready demand: a concise packet with the key pages highlighted so serious offers come sooner.
Talk to a Westlake Village Uber Accident Lawyer
If you were hurt in a rideshare crash anywhere around Westlake Village—or the nearby Thousand Oaks and Agoura corridors—don’t let fixable mistakes shrink your claim. Bojat Law Group builds cases on evidence and medicine, not guesswork. Speak with a Westlake Village Uber accident lawyer, Uber accident attorney in Westlake Village, or rideshare accident lawyer who knows the local roads and the rideshare coverage maze.
Free consultation. No Win No Fee. Call (818) 877-4878 or contact Bojat Law Group today.
