Kansas City Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyers
Hold Negligent Rideshare Drivers Accountable
Commuters across the Kansas City area widely use rideshare services such as Lyft and Uber. Perhaps they’re coming home late at night after a celebration in the exciting Power and Light District or leaving Arrowhead after a Chiefs win. While customers pay fees in exchange for this rideshare service, there is no guarantee they will receive a safe ride.
DM Injury Law is passionate about protecting the rights of victims who have suffered preventable injuries in all types of car accidents, including wrecks involving rideshare operators like Uber and Lyft.
Due to the unique factors involved in these accidents, these cases demand the attention of proven Kansas City rideshare accident lawyers who know how to secure the compensation victims deserve.
Contact us today to set up a free consultation. You don’t pay unless we win your case.
Call (816) 888-7500 or contact us online today for a free consultation.
Common Causes of Rideshare Accidents
Uber and Lyft accidents can happen for a number of reasons. If you were involved in a rideshare accident in Kansas City, call our Uber and Lyft lawyers to discuss the details of your situation.
- Distracted driving
- Drunk driving
- Poorly maintained vehicle
- Road conditions
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Speeding
What Should I Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident?
If you’ve been in an Uber or Lyft accident, remain calm and take the following steps to increase your chances of justice:
- Call the Police: You should call 911 to report the accident. The police will document the scene and create an official report that can be used in your case.
- Seek Medical Attention: Even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured, seeking medical attention will help you find any injuries you may not have noticed. This is also a way to document evidence if you choose to file a personal injury claim.
- Collect Evidence: If it is safe to do so take as many pictures of the scene as possible. If there are any witnesses nearby, exchange information and ask them to make a statement on your behalf.
- Contact a Rideshare Accident Attorney: Speaking to an Uber and Lyft lawyer will help you understand your situation better. They’ll take over your case and speak to the insurance companies, police, and other parties so that you can focus on healing.
Unique Legal Issues in Uber and Lyft Accidents
Uber and Lyft are relatively new services, which means they create many unique and challenging legal issues in cases involving personal injury and wrongful death. While all car accident claims are focused on proving fault and liability, cases involving these rideshare services are not always as straightforward. That’s due to some legal issues that can create challenges in victims’ fight for compensation.
Driver Classification
One of the most challenging aspects of Uber and Lyft accidents stems from the way these companies classify their drivers. While trucking companies and other commercial transportation services are typically responsible for the conduct of their drivers, Uber and Lyft can avoid this responsibility under certain circumstances.
That is because they classify drivers as independent contractors. In the context of a personal injury case, Uber and Lyft may not be liable for damages suffered by victims in accidents caused by rideshare drivers, particularly when they are in between fares or not using the app to pick up customers.
Sadly, this can create challenges when victims try to seek the full amount of compensation they need through the appropriate insurance coverage.
Insurance Coverage
Due to its classification of drivers, insurance coverage works differently in cases involving Uber and Lyft. Victims harmed by at-fault drivers typically file claims against those drivers, which are handled by their insurance provider. However, in Uber and Lyft accidents, insurance coverage may be provided by the company, the driver, or both, depending on what the driver was doing at the time of the accident.
For example, passengers harmed in Uber or Lyft wrecks are covered by commercial insurance policies purchased by the rideshare service. These are typically $1 million policies that cover victims injured not only in wrecks caused by the Uber or Lyft driver’s negligence but also the negligence of other drivers, even if they are uninsured or don’t have enough insurance to cover all of a victim’s damages.
Insurance coverage also varies if victims are occupants of other motor vehicles (or pedestrians or bicyclists) and the Uber or Lyft driver did not have a customer in their car at the time. For example, Uber or Lyft’s contingent insurance policy and driver’s auto insurance may cover victims injured by rideshare drivers who were in between fares or on their way to pick up a customer.
In cases where an Uber or Lyft driver was not driving for the app and was driving “on their own time,” victims may need to pursue compensation through that driver’s personal auto insurance policy.
Driver Qualifications
Drivers in the commercial transportation industry, such as truck drivers, are subject to strict regulations designed to reduce the risks of preventable crashes. Uber and Lyft do not have the same regulatory oversight and have been widely criticized for a lack of safety policies that protect their customers. This means victims may have valid claims against a rideshare company that fails to ensure drivers are qualified and do not pose unreasonable safety risks.
Hiring a driver with a questionable driving record, substance abuse history, or criminal record may result in rideshare companies being held responsible for accidents resulting from drugged or drunk driving, driver fatigue, or even sexual assault.
Because our Kansas City rideshare accident attorneys have dedicated their careers to representing injured victims and fighting insurance companies and corporations that want to pay them as little as possible, we have the tools and resources to effectively address these issues and fight to establish fault and liability. Our experience also allows us to negotiate fair settlements and take cases to trial when necessary.
How Is Liability Determined for an Uber or Lyft Accident?
For major ridesharing companies, the corporate insurance policies that cover drivers and passengers are active at different times during a driver’s work hours.
If You Were a Passenger
If you were riding as a passenger in an Uber or Lyft and were involved in an auto accident, you are covered by a commercial liability policy, which provides $1 million in coverage. If the Uber or Lyft driver was at fault for the accident, you may file a personal injury claim against that driver and/or the rideshare company that employs them.
Some drivers may not have enough insurance to cover all your damages, which is why rideshare companies have large insurance policies. If a driver of another vehicle caused your wreck, they can also be held liable for your damages, and you will likely seek compensation through their auto insurance. You can also recover under the rideshare’s insurance policy, which is especially beneficial if the other driver is underinsured or uninsured.
If You Were Not a Passenger
Issues of liability and insurance coverage can be a little more complicated if you were injured in an accident involving an Uber or Lyft driver and were not a passenger – for example, if you were an occupant of another vehicle, were riding a bicycle, or were harmed in a pedestrian accident.
In these cases, you may be able to hold the rideshare service liable for your damages if the Uber or Lyft driver was actively transporting a customer for a fee. If they were not carrying a customer at the time of the crash, you will typically seek compensation from the at-fault party, but may also be covered by a contingent insurance policy held by the rideshare service if the driver was using the app.
In some notable cases and jurisdictions, courts have ruled that Uber and Lyft’s commercial insurance policies still apply whenever a driver uses the app, even if they don’t have a fare.
If a Defective Product is to Blame
In some cases, auto accidents may be caused by unsafe and defective products, including auto parts like faulty tires, airbags, or brakes. In these cases, victims may need to pursue product liability claims to hold the product manufacturer accountable for defectively designed or manufactured products that failed, malfunctioned, or otherwise led to preventable accidents and injuries.
Call (816) 888-7500 for Your Free Consultation
Car accidents are frightening, and they can create tremendous stress on victims and families. If you or someone you love has been injured in an Uber or Lyft accident in Kansas City or any of the surrounding areas, the rideshare accident lawyers at DM Injury Law are prepared to guide you through these difficult times and fight for the compensation you need and deserve.
Call (816) 888-7500 or contact us online today for a free consultation.
Past results obtained on behalf of clients afford no guarantee of future results, and every case is different and must be judged based on its own merits.
