The worst mistake people make is waiting a week and assuming the app, the police, or the insurance company will save everything for them. They will not. In Queens summer crash cases on the Van Wyck, LIE, or Grand Central, the best evidence disappears fast: dashcam files get overwritten, witnesses stop answering, and the rideshare company turns a messy crash into a bland timestamp.

Worst-case, if your sister does nothing now, the claim turns into "minor impact, minimal injury, no proof." That is how insurers kill a passenger case.

What to lock down immediately:

• Screenshot the Uber trip screen, driver name, plate, route, pickup/dropoff, and all in-app messages.
• Photograph every injury, bruising, seat position, airbags, broken glass, vehicle damage, roadway, exit signs, and weather.
• Get the NYPD precinct, officer name, complaint number, and order the police report.
• Save names and phone numbers for witnesses, especially other passengers.
• Ask nearby stores, gas stations, or buildings for video before it is deleted.
• Preserve phone records showing calls, texts, and the exact crash time.
• Keep every hospital, urgent care, and physical therapy record from day one.

Things go much better when this is done fast, because a New York rideshare passenger usually has access to no-fault benefits regardless of who caused the crash. But the no-fault application is due within 30 days. Miss that, and medical bill coverage becomes a fight.

If police did not make a report, New York drivers must file MV-104 with the DMV within 10 days for crashes involving injury or over $1,000 in damage. A passenger should still grab the report information and confirm one exists.

For pain-and-suffering money, New York's serious injury rule under Insurance Law § 5102(d) matters. That makes early medical records, imaging, and proof of missed work critical. If your sister works long shifts in a Manhattan restaurant or hotel and misses time because of neck, back, or knee injuries, document every lost day.