St. Louis Uber Accident Lawyer
If you were injured in an accident caused by a Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare driver, you may want to consider hiring a St. Louis rideshare car accident lawyer. Rideshare vehicle collisions can be complex because many victims are often unaware of their rights.
Who the courts deem legally responsible for your injuries can differ from who is found at fault in the collision. Sometimes, if the Uber driver is liable, then you’ll need to file a claim against the company’s policy as well as your Uber driver’s policy.
Although Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies are successful businesses, recovering fair compensation from them and their insurers may prove difficult. Uber will have their own team of lawyers in place, and that’s why St. Louis Uber accident specialists recommend that you do the same.
The steps you take after your Uber accident can affect the outcome of your case. It’s important to set yourself up for success from the moment you’re injured by contacting a St. Louis, MO, Uber accident lawyer. Personal injury lawyers can sit down with you for a free consultation to discuss how you can receive fair compensation for your Uber accident claims.
St. Louis Uber Accident Causes
Rideshare companies provide a great service for many consumers. However, if you end up involved in an Uber or Lyft accident, the last thing you want is to be left covering your medical bills all on your own.
Your Uber and Lyft driver has the same duties of care to drive safely and obey traffic laws as any other motorist. However, any driver can engage in unsafe driving practices and cause a collision. Some of the most common reasons for these rideshare car accidents include:
- Speeding: Many Uber and Lyft drivers hurry to transport their passengers to their destination, so they can pick up as many passengers, in as little time as possible to maximize their income.
- Distracted driving: Checking GPS, texting, or talking on a cellphone while driving all increase the risk of serious accidents.
- Driving under the influence: Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol impairs the driving skills of your Uber or Lyft driver. Driving under the influence is reckless and may lead to a car accident.
- Fatigued driving: Driving while tired can be as dangerous as driving when intoxicated. Since Uber and Lyft drivers may work long hours without a break, this can increase their likelihood of causing a car accident.
- Driver inexperience: A lack of experience can also lead to car accidents. Unfortunately, Lyft and Uber drivers do not receive special training to help them concentrate while shuttling passengers.
- Traffic law violations: Failure to follow traffic laws can also lead to car accidents and injuries. Uber drivers must follow local traffic laws wherever they’re driving.
If you’re involved in a ride-sharing accident, refer to Uber’s advice on what to do next. Seek medical attention and consider sitting down with an experienced traffic accident attorney. Speeding, reckless driving, running red lights, and failing to yield are a few of the most common accidents causing personal injuries.
Missouri Uber Accident Injuries
Uber accident victims can suffer serious injury when involved in an accident. If you are injured in a ride-sharing accident, seek medical care as soon as you can. This can assist your legal representation when you seek to recover compensation for your medical expenses or lost wages.
Many injuries like whiplash or other neck and back injuries may not immediately present symptoms. Many ride-sharing accident case claimants are unaware of their internal condition after an accident. Protect your health by getting a medical assessment. During your visit, your injuries and treatments will be documented and can be used by your personal injury lawyer in your case. Once you’ve received adequate treatment, you and your St. Louis rideshare accident attorney can focus on your Uber or Lyft claim.
Rideshare Accidents and Fault
Your rideshare driver is obliged to protect their passengers and other motorists on the road. Uber and Lyft have policies that look to absolve them of responsibility for accidents. That’s why proving fault and determining who’s responsible for injury claims can be difficult in a rideshare accident.
Uber accident lawyers can help you determine who’s at fault, advocate on your behalf with insurance companies, negotiate fair compensation to cover personal injuries, and recover damages to personal vehicles.
Rideshare Accident Liability
When you are looking to recover damages in a rideshare incident, you must determine if the driver is employed by the corporation or not. Both passengers in the rideshare vehicle and occupants of other vehicles injured in an accident caused by the rideshare driver may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Rideshare passengers may be able to file a claim under Uber or Lyft’s liability policy when crashes occur. Keep in mind there are special rules about the applicable coverages based on whether the driver was transporting a passenger, available and waiting for a pick-up, or not using the app.
Rideshare drivers are independent contractors, which complicates the claim process. A rideshare accident lawyer can help clear up any problems with your case. Uber and Lyft carry third-party liability coverage, which pays up to $1 million for injuries and damages depending on the circumstances of the accident.
Rideshare Company Liability
Though Uber drivers and Lyft employees often work independently from Uber, if a crash occurs, these companies have policies in place to protect drivers. Uber offers drivers insurance that covers $50,000 injury liability per person.
Uber’s $1 million personal injury liability insurance only covers drivers and passengers in certain situations, depending on the stage of the ride at which the crash occurred. If the driver has logged into the Uber app and transporting passengers, Uber will cover personal injuries and property damages up to a certain maximum.
If you’re in another vehicle and an off-duty Uber driver crashes into you, you likely cannot file a claim with Uber’s insurance. As a ride request user, you have rights, that’s why Missouri Uber accident professionals suggest speaking with a lawyer following your accident.
Missouri Uber Accident Compensation
Missouri is an objective comparative negligence state. This means that Missouri law allows drivers to seek compensation regardless of their amount of fault. Compensation will be reduced depending on their percentage of responsibility. These laws encourage insurance companies to shift responsibility by reducing their liability.
How Much Is My Rideshare Accident Case Worth?
The compensation you can obtain will be dependent on several factors. These factors often include:
- Percentage of fault
- The severity of your injuries
- Insurance coverage limits
What Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?
If you suffer a personal injury because of another’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover economic damages. In the state of Missouri, fault liability laws mean even the at-fault person can file a liability lawsuit for an accident.
Plaintiffs injured in a car crash by a negligent Uber driver can claim damages. These damages often come in the form of economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover damages for past and future losses. Non-economic damage awards include compensation for the suffering you’ve experienced.
Uber accidents can be complex due to competing insurance policies involved. Uber driver liability coverage is mandatory, but Uber offers commercial insurance coverage. Speak with Hipskind & McAninch, LLC for a free consultation today about recovering damages.
Uber Drivers Versus Uber Company
Missouri employers may be liable for automobile injuries caused while employees are working. However, Uber drivers are not employees of the company. This can lead to Uber accident cases, and Hipskind & McAninch, LLC can help hold the other driver responsible.
Uber Accident Insurance Claims
Uber’s insurance policy covers drivers up to $50,000 for damages in an accident before they have any passengers. Drivers trigger these policies when they login to the Uber app to actively wait for ride requests. Once drivers pick up passengers, their coverage changes. Uber drivers have a $1 million liability insurance coverage from the point of rider receipt. Rideshare companies often insist that their drivers are independent contractors instead of employees, which they claim absolves them of any responsibility for the accident.
If the Uber driver is responsible, then they are liable. If they are not driving with the app on, then you can pursue damages through their personal insurance policy.
What Kind of Insurance Coverage Do Rideshare Drivers Need?
Ridesharing services need to provide certain kinds of insurance. The most common is liability insurance. The second is uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, which covers a driver’s damages when the car is involved in a crash with someone who has no coverage.
St. Louis Rideshare Accident Attorneys
Getting into an Uber accident can be complicated. You could be left footing the bill for your injuries. However, Missouri law offers ways of claiming your damages. If you’re involved in a rideshare accident, consider consulting an Uber accident lawyer in St. Louis immediately. Your attorney will assess the facts in your claim and help you decide who’s liable for your injuries.
Consult a Rideshare Attorney for Your Uber or Lyft Accidents in St. Louis
Uber accidents are not easy to navigate. The confusing nature of these claims—including the complicated rules relating to insurance—often discourages claimants from recovering the full amount available to them by law.
Your St Louis Uber accident lawyer can be of great assistance to you and your family. Hipskind & McAninch, LLC personal injury attorneys represent injured people throughout Missouri. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your claim.