St. Louis Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyer
If you have been hurt in a rideshare accident, getting full compensation for your injuries and losses can prove difficult. Rideshare companies promise to provide compensation in certain circumstances for accidents involving vehicles used for their services. However, companies like Uber and Lyft and their powerful insurers fiercely challenge serious injury claims.
Let the St. Louis Uber & Lyft accident attorney of Sumner Law Group, LLC, use our more than 50 years of combined legal experience to fight for the fair compensation you deserve. We have the knowledge and the resources to hold at-fault parties accountable and demand full payment for damages.
Contact us today to talk to a Lyft accident lawyer in a free case review. We can explain your legal rights and discuss the next steps for pursuing your rideshare accident claim.
How Does an Insurance Claim Work in Uber and Lyft Accidents?
Rideshare companies generally provide insurance coverage on behalf of drivers, under certain circumstances, when rideshare drivers cause or get into an accident. Some rideshare drivers provide similar coverage by obtaining a commercial liability policy or a rider on their own auto insurance policy.
The coverage available in an Uber or Lyft accident varies, based on these circumstances:
If the rideshare driver has a passenger or is on the way to pick up a passenger: The rideshare company provides up to $1 million in total liability insurance, plus up to $1 million in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. The rideshare company will also provide comprehensive collision coverage to rideshare drivers if they have selected such coverage on their own auto insurance policy.
If the rideshare driver has the app on and is waiting for a ride request: The rideshare company provides $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage and $25,000 per accident in property damage liability coverage.
If the driver does not have the app on: The rideshare driver’s own personal auto insurance policy applies.
Compensation After a St. Louis Lyft or Uber Accident
When you have been hurt in a rideshare vehicle accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Costs of medical treatment and physical rehabilitation
- Long-term care costs for disabilities caused by the injuries you suffered
- Lost wages or income if you miss time from work while recovering from injuries, or lost earning capacity if disabilities prevent you from returning to your pre-accident work
- Lost quality of life due to physical disabilities or disfigurement from your injuries, or due to the inability to participate in activities you enjoyed prior to your accident
- Pain and suffering
What to Do If You Have Been Hurt in an Uber or Lyft Accident
After you have been injured in a Lyft or Uber accident, take these steps to help protect your legal rights to pursue financial compensation for your injuries and damages:
- If you were a passenger in the rideshare vehicle, notify Uber or Lyft of the accident through the mobile app.
- See a doctor as soon as possible. Follow through with medical treatment, attend all follow-up medical appointments and rehabilitation appointments, and follow your doctor’s orders. Failing to do so may prompt the insurance company to assert that you are not as injured as you claim.
- Keep all documentation related to your accident, including medical records, medical bills, receipts, pay stubs, vehicle repair estimates, accident photos, and contact information for witnesses.
- Keep a pain journal to track the physical pain and emotional harm you feel each day. Doing so will help show the pain and suffering you have endured since your accident.
- Avoid posting updates on social media. Even seemingly harmless posts may provide insurance companies with the evidence they need to deny or minimize your claim.
Time Limit for Filing an Uber/Lyft Accident Liability Claim in St. Louis
Missouri’s statute of limitations typically gives you five years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. For minor children injured in a rideshare accident, the statute of limitations does not begin until their 21st birthday.
If you do not file your rideshare accident lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires, the court can permanently dismiss your case.
Missouri Uber and Lyft Requirements
Requirements for operating a vehicle on behalf of Uber in Missouri include:
- Drivers must have a vehicle 15 years old or newer.
- The vehicle must have four doors and at least five seats (including the driver’s).
- Vehicles must be in good condition with no cosmetic damage or commercial branding.
- Vehicles must have either temporary or permanent registration documents. (The vehicle does not need to be registered in the rideshare driver’s name.)
- Drivers must maintain their own auto insurance policy that meets Missouri legal requirements.
- Drivers must be 21 years old or older, have a valid driver’s license from a U.S. state, have at least one year of driving experience in the U.S. (three years if under 23 years old), proof of residency, and a clean driving record and criminal history.
Lyft’s requirements for drivers and vehicles in Missouri include:
- Drivers must have a 2004 model year or newer vehicle (2006 or newer in Springfield and 2008 or newer in St. Louis).
- Vehicles must have four doors and five to eight seats, including the driver’s seat.
- Ineligible vehicles include certain subcompact vehicles, taxis, stretch limousines, and vehicles with salvage, non-repairable, rebuilt, or equivalent title.
- Vehicles must be titled and registered.
- Drivers must be 25 years old or older, have a valid driver’s license, have personal auto insurance, and pass a screening that includes a driving history and criminal background check.
- Drivers must display the Lyft emblem in the corner of the windshield whenever logging into the app and should remove it whenever logging off.
- Drivers must take a six-hour uninterrupted break for every 12 hours they are logged into the app (the 12 hours need not be consecutive).
Help from a St. Louis Uber Accident Attorney & Lyft Accident Attorney
Let Sumner Law Group, LLC, get to work pursuing financial compensation for your rideshare accident injuries.
Our Uber car accident lawyers and Lyft car accident lawyers can help by:
- Investigating your accident to recover all available evidence, including accident scene photos, surveillance video footage, eyewitness statements, police accident reports, and vehicle damage reports
- Tapping our network of accident reconstruction, medical, vocational, and financial experts to help us build a strong, persuasive case for the at-fault party’s liability and for the full extent of your damages
- Filing insurance claims on your behalf and aggressively negotiating with insurance adjusters and defense lawyers for a full settlement
- Preparing your case for trial and going to court if necessary to show the other side that we are serious about fighting as hard as possible to get you the maximum compensation
For a free consultation with one of our St. Louis Uber and Lyft accident attorneys, contact us today. With Sumner Law Group, LLC, you do not have to pay any upfront fees for our representation. We do not get paid unless we win compensation for you in settlement or at trial. So there is no risk to having us on your side.
