Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies have made it faster, easier, and less expensive for people in Independence, Missouri, to get where they need to go. However, since Uber and Lyft have become widespread, there has been a significant uptick in car accidents involving rideshare.
After an accident or injury involving rideshare, our experienced Independence Uber accident lawyers can help. Our legal team has represented countless drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists injured by rideshare vehicles.
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Have you been injured in an accident involving an Uber? Our experienced Uber accident attorneys in Independence, Missouri, can help. Call (816) 382-6915 for a free consult. There is no fee until we win your case.
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What Our Uber Accident Lawyers in Independence Will Do to Help
Our skilled attorneys at Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers have been helping car accident injury victims for 35+ years. Here is how we will help you through the process:
- We’ll assess your case and estimate the compensation you could recover
- We will investigate your accident and gather essential evidence
- We can reach out to our network of expert witnesses when needed
- We’ll handle the logistics of your case so you can focus on healing
- We’ll use our negotiation skills to deal with the other side’s insurance company
- If the insurer won’t offer you a fair settlement, we’ll represent you in court
We understand how stressful and disorienting the legal process can be. Since 1990, our award-winning attorneys have guided countless injured people, and we can help you, too.
What Makes Uber and Lyft Accident Claims Challenging?
Car accident lawsuits are rarely easy. However, claims involving Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare companies come with unique challenges like these:
Insurance Coverage Is Sometimes Unclear
Insurance for rideshare drivers can be challenging to understand. Depending on whether the driver is logged into the app or transporting a passenger, they may have different policy limits — or even be covered by different insurers. Here’s how insurance for Uber drivers generally works:
- When the driver is offline, their personal liability coverage is in effect
- When the driver is logged in and waiting for a trip, Uber offers limited liability coverage
- When the driver is transporting a passenger or en route to pick one up, Uber’s $1 million liability policy is in effect
Although Uber’s liability policy might seem generous, getting its insurance company to actually pay a claim may be challenging.
Our award-winning Independence Uber accident attorneys have extensive experience negotiating with insurers on behalf of our clients.
Determining Liability Can Be a Challenge
If you’re injured as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, that doesn’t automatically mean that the rideshare driver was at fault. The accident could have been caused by a third party, or the rideshare driver and a third-party driver might share liability.
Figuring out who was at fault can be confusing. Our skilled attorneys can look at the facts of the case and determine who was responsible for the accident and hold them accountable.
Who Can Be Held Liable After an Uber Accident?
If you get hurt in a rideshare accident, one or more of these parties may be liable:
- The rideshare driver
- Another driver on the road
- The rideshare company
If you are hurt in an accident caused by another driver, you would likely file a claim against their liability insurance. If the rideshare driver was responsible, you would usually file a claim with the rideshare company’s third-party liability insurance.
Can I Sue Uber For My Injuries?
Ordinarily, if you’re injured by an employee of a company, the principle of vicarious liability allows you to file a lawsuit against the employer. However, Uber and Lyft drivers are not employees of the rideshare companies — they are independent contractors.
Because of this distinction, you may not be able to directly sue Uber after an accident. That doesn’t mean you can’t recover compensation. Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft maintain third-party liability insurance policies to cover passengers who are injured on a trip.
In some exceptional cases, courts have allowed injured passengers to sue Uber or Lyft directly. These cases usually involve negligence on the part of the rideshare company itself.
One example is that of negligent hiring. Although rideshare companies do not hire drivers as employees, they are responsible for screening them and determining whether they qualify to drive on the platform.
Imagine a passenger is badly injured when an intoxicated Uber driver crashes the car. If the driver had two previous DUIs and Uber failed to conduct a background check, the company itself may be liable along with the driver.
The insurance landscape surrounding rideshare companies can be very confusing. Fortunately, you don’t have to determine liability yourself. Our award-winning Independence car accident lawyers can review your case and guide you through your next steps.
Steps to Take After an Uber Car Accident
No one gets into an Uber expecting to get into a crash. However, knowing what steps to take after an accident can help relieve some of your stress. These are some key steps to take after an accident:
Get to a Safe Area and Call 911
If at all possible, get out of harm’s way after the accident. You should then call 911 yourself or ask another person to do so.
Document the Scene
If you can access your phone and take pictures, do your best to document the accident scene. Make sure to include pictures of the following:
- The scene as a whole
- Each involved car’s license plate
- The damage to all involved vehicles
- Skid marks, road debris, or related items
- Road signs or landmarks that indicate location
You should be careful to preserve the photos after the accident. Backing them up to a cloud, storing them on a flash drive, and even emailing them to yourself can ensure you and your legal team can access them later on.
As soon as possible after the accident, you should also write out a detailed account of the sequence of events before, during, and after the accident. Over time, it gets more difficult to recall key details, so having a reliable written account makes things easier.
Gather Information
You also should gather contact and insurance information from all involved drivers. If you see anyone (like a passenger or bystander) who you think could be a potential witness, ask for their name and contact information as well.
Seek Medical Care
When emergency medical personnel arrive on the scene, they can assess you and tell you whether you need further medical care. It’s important to listen — the adrenaline rush of an accident may mask pain and make you think you aren’t hurt as badly as you are.
Missouri Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents
Each state is allowed to set its own statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits. Missouri Revised Statutes Section 516.120 states that the statute of limitations for car accident claims and other personal injury claims is five years.
However, if you are filing a wrongful death claim because the accident resulted in the loss of a loved one, the statute of limitations is three years.
Reach Out to Our Experienced Rideshare Accident Law Firm in Independence, Missouri
It’s always important to seek legal guidance after a car accident. Legal advice is particularly important when the accident involves a rideshare vehicle. Rideshare companies have highly paid attorneys who often make it difficult to successfully file an insurance claim.
If you aren’t sure whether you need an attorney, it’s best to err on the side of caution and schedule a consultation. The Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers team can help you decide whether you should take legal action or not.
If you’ve been injured in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, we want to help. Contact us now to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.
Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers has over three decades experience assisting victims of car accidents in cities including: Â St. Louis, Jefferson City, O’Fallon, Florissant, Joplin, Cape Girardeau, Kirksville, Doniphan, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, and more.
