St. Louis Rideshare Accident Lawyer

Uber and Lyft rideshare apps are a favored method of transportation for millions of Americans, including St. Louis residents. The ease of swiping an app on your phone to have a private vehicle show up within minutes to whisk you to your destination is an unbeatable convenience. But with rising numbers of cars on the road due to fewer people choosing public transportation in favor of rideshare lifts, traffic deaths have risen as much as 3%, and overall crash numbers have significantly increased. Though over 99% of rideshare journeys have an uneventful outcome with a passenger arriving safely at their destination, for those who’ve been injured in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, it can be challenging to navigate the complex insurance liability issues in Missouri’s at-fault insurance system. A rideshare accident attorney in St. Louis understands how to ensure that you have a voice in recovering full compensation for your economic and non-economic damages, contact us today for a free consultation.

Why Should I Call a St. Louis Uber Accident Attorney After a Rideshare Accident?

When powerful rideshare companies are involved, you need an experienced St. Louis rideshare accident attorney to maximize your compensation for property damage and injuries.

At Miller & Hine of Missouri, we understand the distress and frustration you feel when your medical bills are piling up and you’re missing time for work to deal with your significant injuries.

When you’ve been in an accident, it’s difficult to spare the time and energy to deal with powerful insurance companies who don’t have your best interests at heart and never happily write out checks to cover damages. By hiring a St. Louis rideshare accident attorney to investigate, negotiate, and litigate on your behalf, you can focus on your physical recovery while we focus on your financial recovery.

Liability Insurance Requirements for St. Louis Rideshare Drivers

Mega rideshare app companies, Uber and Lyft, distance themselves from liability by maintaining their status as app-only companies serving to link passengers with drivers who are not employees but independent contractors. Nonetheless, both services now require their contracted drivers to carry liability insurance to cover passengers and other accident victims who sustain injuries and property damage, whether from an accident while riding in a rideshare vehicle or in an accident in another car in a collision with an Uber or Lyft vehicle. Pedestrians and cyclists are also covered under these special policies.

The following complex framework for Uber and Lyft insurance provides coverage for accident victims based on the stage of the rideshare experience at the time of the accident:

• If an accident occurs while the driver is using their vehicle for personal reasons, their own private insurance coverage is in place
• If an accident occurs while the driver has their app turned on and they are awaiting a ride request, the rideshare insurance provides up to $25,000 in property damage per person and up to $50,000 in personal injury coverage per person or $100,000 total per accident
• When the driver is actively on the way to pick up a contracted passenger and throughout the ride to the destination, the top tier of insurance coverage is in place, providing up to $1 million in personal injury protection and property damage.

What to Do in an Uber Car Accident

A car accident is a terrifying experience, and it’s possible that your injuries may be too severe after an accident to do anything other than wait for help. But if you are able to use your phone safely or hand it to someone else to use for you, taking the following steps can help secure your physical and economic recovery after the accident:

• Call 911 to report the accident
• Use the in-app toolbox to report the accident to the rideshare company
• Take photos of the rideshare vehicle, any other involved vehicles, the accident scene, and your injuries
• Include photos of any mitigating factors like traffic signals, intersections, road obstructions, or traffic signs
• Collect contact information from any other involved drivers
• Gather contact information for eyewitnesses
• Allow transportation to the hospital through emergency services and undergo a complete evaluation
• Ask for a complete, detailed medical report with your prognosis and your doctor’s recommendations for treatment
• Follow all of your doctor’s instructions carefully and keep all medical records and bills
• Ask for a copy of the police report
• Call the rideshare accident lawyers at Miller & Hine

An accident can be life-altering, either temporarily or permanently depending on the severity of your injuries. You can take an important step toward recovering to the fullest possible extent by consulting with the accident attorneys at Miller & Hine of Missouri.

Determining Fault After a St. Louis Rideshare Accident

Missouri is an at-fault state with a pure comparative fault system. Compensation depends on determining who is liable in an accident or to what degree was each driver responsible. When more than one driver shares responsibility, the amount of their compensation is reduced by the percentage of their fault.

If you were a passenger in a rideshare accident, you were not at fault. If you were driving a vehicle and had an accident with an Uber or Lyft car, you could recover compensation even if you were partly at fault.

An experienced St. Louis accident attorney can investigate the accident to determine fault. Proving the at-fault party liable requires evidence-backed proof showing the following:

• That the driver or at-fault party owed a duty of care to keep you and others safe on the roadways through reasonable actions like following traffic laws and avoiding distractions
• That the at-fault party breached that duty by a negligent or reckless action
• That the breach directly caused the injury
• That the injury caused significant economic and non-economic damages

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Accident Victims?

Accidents with injuries can quickly become expensive. A successful accident claim can help you recover the following damages:

• Medical expenses and future costs for further treatment
• Lost income
• Diminished earning capacity if you’ve become disabled
• Pain and suffering
• Other appropriate non-economic damages like emotional anguish, loss of consortium, loss of pleasure in life, or disfigurement/catastrophic injury damages

A seasoned St. Louis accident attorney can craft the most compelling case for your recovering your damages even against powerful insurance companies.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After an Uber Accident in Missouri?

Missouri has a generous time limit for filing accident claims. The statute of limitations for filing a rideshare accident claim in Missouri is 5 years. Despite the long time limit, the sooner you file your claim the easier it is to gain full compensation. Once the expenses related to your injury become clear it’s time to file a claim with the best chance of a successful outcome. Call the Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at Miller & Hine of St. Louis for a free case evaluation today.

Why Choose Us?

At Miller & Hine, we perform diligent research on all aspects of an accident to prove liability and draft a compelling demand letter to the appropriate insurance company. We are also ready to litigate aggressively in court if required to secure the maximum compensation for your injuries and damages. With no upfront fee, we will advocate for your rights and best interests through all stages of the process and only take a fee once you recover ample compensation for your damages.

Contact our knowledgeable and meticulous attorneys today to take the first steps toward maximizing your recovery.