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You trusted a ridesharing service, expecting a safe ride to your destination. Instead, a crash caused by a negligent driver has left you injured and facing a complex legal puzzle.
Who is responsible? The driver? The multimillion-dollar corporation? At Walner Law, we answer these questions. A dedicated St Louis, MO Ridesharing Accident Lawyer can untangle the intricate insurance policies and fight for the fair compensation you need to recover.
We provide the strong, capable assistance required to hold all negligent parties accountable.
Key takeaways
Following a crash in an Uber or Lyft, you need a legal team that understands the specific challenges these cases present. Insurers for these large corporations are skilled at minimizing payouts.
Walner Law has the experience and resources to level the playing field, ensuring your rights are protected from day one.
For years, our firm has been a steadfast advocate for individuals injured by the carelessness of others. We have built a formidable reputation by focusing exclusively on personal injury law.
This singular focus allows us to stay ahead of legal trends and develop effective strategies for even the most complex claims, including those against powerful ridesharing companies.
Our history of significant settlements and verdicts speaks for itself. We are not afraid to take on large corporations and their insurance carriers. We meticulously prepare every case as if it will go to trial, which positions our clients for the best possible outcome, whether through a negotiated settlement or a court award.
When you work with Walner Law, you are a valued client, not a case file. We prioritize clear, consistent communication to ensure you always know the status of your case and feel confident in the direction it is heading.
We believe in providing a supportive and transparent experience. Our commitment to you includes:
This personalized approach empowers you throughout the legal process. You can focus on your recovery knowing that a dedicated team is managing every detail of your claim.
We handle all ridesharing accident claims on a contingency fee basis. This means you will never pay upfront costs or attorney’s fees. We only get paid if we successfully secure financial compensation for you.
Our firm invests our own resources into building your case, removing any financial risk for you and your family.
Unlike a typical two-car collision, an accident involving an Uber or Lyft introduces multiple layers of insurance and potential liability. A skilled St Louis, MO Ridesharing Accident Lawyer knows how to investigate these intricate relationships to identify all available sources of compensation for your injuries.
The first step is determining who caused the crash. The at-fault party could be your Uber or Lyft driver, the driver of another vehicle, or even a government entity responsible for unsafe road conditions. A thorough investigation is required to establish fault conclusively.
If the rideshare driver caused the crash, their personal auto insurance is often the first line of defense. However, many personal policies contain a “business-use exclusion,” which allows the insurer to deny coverage if the driver was engaged in commercial activity, such as driving for Uber or Lyft.
Ridesharing companies are required to carry substantial commercial insurance policies to cover accidents caused by their drivers. However, the applicability and amount of this coverage depend entirely on the driver’s activity at the exact moment of the crash.
The key to a rideshare claim is understanding the different “periods” of a driver’s activity, as each phase triggers a different level of insurance coverage. An insurer may try to argue the driver was in a period with less coverage to limit their payout.
When the driver’s rideshare app is off, they are not working for the company. If they cause an accident during this time, only their personal auto insurance policy would apply. The rideshare company has no liability.
Once a driver turns the app on and is available to accept a ride, limited liability coverage from the rideshare company becomes active. This coverage is for injuries the driver causes to other people.
This period begins the moment a driver accepts a ride request and continues until the passenger exits the vehicle. During this phase, the rideshare company’s full commercial insurance policy is in effect.
The insurance available during Period 3 provides the highest level of protection. This coverage typically includes:
This multi-million-dollar policy is what covers your injuries if you were a passenger in the rideshare vehicle or if you were hit by a rideshare driver who was actively on a trip.
Building a successful rideshare accident claim requires swift and strategic action. Your legal team must move quickly to gather evidence, communicate with insurers, and protect your rights before critical information is lost.
Your attorney will obtain the official police report, interview eyewitnesses, and may even hire accident reconstruction specialists. This helps create a clear picture of how the crash near landmarks like the Missouri Botanical Garden or Tower Grove Park occurred and who was at fault.
Rideshare cases are unique because so much of the key evidence is digital. The rideshare company and the driver possess data that can prove what happened. Your lawyer will send a legal notice, known as a spoliation letter, to demand this evidence be preserved.
This digital information is vital for proving your case. Your legal team works to secure:
This evidence can definitively show the driver’s status at the time of the crash, which is essential for triggering the correct insurance coverage.
We work with you and your medical providers to document the full extent of your losses. This goes beyond current medical bills to include the long-term physical, financial, and emotional costs of the accident. This comprehensive calculation is the basis for our demand for fair compensation.
A personal injury claim lawyer secures the financial resources needed to make you whole again. We fight for compensation that covers every aspect of the harm you have suffered, from medical costs to the personal impact on your daily life.
This includes reimbursement for all accident-related medical treatment, such as emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, and physical therapy. If your injuries require long-term care, we calculate the estimated future costs to include in your claim.
If you are unable to work while you recover, your claim will include the income you have lost. For catastrophic injuries that prevent you from returning to your former job, we may seek compensation for diminished future earning capacity.
Missouri law allows accident victims to seek compensation for non-economic damages. These damages acknowledge the immense human cost of the injury, including physical pain, emotional trauma, and loss of enjoyment of life.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has documented the significant psychological distress, such as PTSD, that can follow serious traffic accidents.
If a non-rideshare driver was at fault, you would first file a claim against that driver’s auto insurance policy. If that driver is uninsured or their policy limits are too low to cover your damages, you may be able to use the Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage provided by the rideshare company’s policy.
You are not obligated to provide a recorded statement to any insurance adjuster, including one from Uber or Lyft, without first speaking to an attorney. Their goal is to find information that could be used to minimize or deny your claim. It is best to let your lawyer handle all communications.
The main difference is the complex insurance structure. A regular claim usually involves one or two personal auto policies. A rideshare claim can involve the driver’s personal policy and the rideshare company’s multi-layered commercial policy, making it critical to prove the driver’s status at the moment of the crash.
In Missouri, the statute of limitations for most personal injury cases, including rideshare accidents, is five years from the date of the incident, according to Missouri Revised Statute § 516.120. Acting much sooner to preserve evidence and build the strongest possible case is beneficial.
You do not have to confront the legal and financial challenges of a ridesharing accident blindly. A strong, experienced legal team makes all the difference.
At Walner Law, we are prepared to handle the complexities of your claim so you can focus on what matters most: your health and your family.
Contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a St Louis, MO Ridesharing Accident Lawyer. We will listen to your story, explain your options, and outline how we can fight for you. Call (312) 410-8496 or fill out our online form to get started today.
