St. Louis Rideshare Accident Lawyer
How Does Rideshare Insurance Work After an Accident?
Unlike typical car insurance, rideshare insurance works on a tiered system. Coverage hinges on the driver’s status at the time of the accident.
When the driver is offline, their personal auto insurance is the only active policy. When they are logged in and awaiting a ride request, drivers are generally covered by the rideshare company’s insurance. Companies like Uber and Lyft typically provide liability insurance during this period.
Once a ride is accepted or a passenger is in the vehicle, the rideshare company’s insurance coverage will significantly increase and cover uninsured/underinsured motorists as well.
Still, obtaining fair compensation after a rideshare accident can be complex. Disagreements between insurance providers about which policy is responsible for covering damages are a common occurrence. A knowledgeable attorney can navigate these complexities while fighting on your behalf for fair compensation.
Rideshare Accidents
Rideshare drivers are often under pressure to complete as many trips as possible, navigating busy streets while juggling route changes and passenger requests. These pressures can mean running red lights or failing to follow traffic signs. If you’ve been injured in a rideshare accident, you need a St. Louis rideshare accident lawyer to recover the compensation you deserve.
After you are in a rideshare accident, check yourself and others for injuries. You should call the police, even if nobody is visibly injured because this will create an official record of the incident. Collect everyone’s contact and insurance information and take photos and videos of the accident scene. Even if you feel fine, you should seek medical attention to establish a medical record. Then, contact a rideshare accident attorney.
Yes, it is worth hiring a lawyer after a rideshare accident, as establishing fault can be more confusing and complex than in typical car accidents. Multiple parties could be involved, including the rideshare driver, the company, and others. Determining who is found at fault can also determine the types of compensation you could recover, so having an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer on your side can improve your ability to seek equitable compensation.
If you’re injured in a rideshare accident, you could recover:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- Future care costs if your injuries resulted in long-term disabilities
- Lost income due to time off work for recovery
- Reduced earning potential
You could also recover damages for non-quantifiable losses, including diminished quality of life and pain and suffering.
In Missouri, you generally have five years from the day the injury occurred to pursue a personal injury claim. There are exceptions, including the discovery rule, which sets the statute of limitations to the date when the injury was discovered or should have reasonably been discovered. If the injured was a minor at the time of the accident, the statute of limitations begins on their 18th birthday.
Rideshare companies do provide compensation for accidents through their insurance coverage, which will include extensive liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. This compensation will only be for tangible losses, like property damage, medical costs, and loss of income. To file a personal injury claim and recover additional compensation, your legal team will need to prove that the company’s negligence caused your injuries.