Lyft Accident Lawyers in Kansas City, Holding Negligent Parties Accountable for Your Losses

The development of rideshare programs has had an enormous impact on drivers and commuters across the globe. In addition to providing a relatively cheap and uncomplicated method to travel from place to place, the use of Lyft vehicles was also hailed as a way to reduce drunk driving or distracted driving accidents. Unfortunately, even the best intentions don’t always work out. Recent studies found that services like Uber and Lyft likely increased vehicular and pedestrian fatalities by up to three percent over a 5-year period. If you or a loved one were injured in such an accident, a Lyft accident lawyer in Kansas City, MO, may be able to help.

At Mohlman Gurney Injury Law, we’ve seen what can happen when you combine rideshare apps with unsafe driving behaviors. Even though these drivers have insurance coverage in nearly every instance, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll receive the compensation you need. And since car accidents lead to tens of thousands of deaths and millions of injuries each year, such a collision could leave you facing significant harm that can last a lifetime. Don’t let the negligence of a Lyft driver, the company itself, or any other party destroy your physical, emotional, and financial security. Contact us for a free consultation today.

What Should you do After an Uber or Lyft Accident?

Whenever you request a ride from a Lyft driver, the last thing you expect is to be involved in a rideshare accident. Unfortunately, personal injury clients can be injured in a Lyft vehicle just as easily as in their own. If you’re involved in such an accident, there are certain things you should do to protect your rights. Even if you think you’re uninjured, consider the following steps anyway. Many significant injuries have delayed symptoms. By ignoring this possibility, you could make it incredibly difficult to successfully file personal injury claims later.

Follow these steps to ensure all your rights are protected:

• Contact authorities: This is particularly important if an Uber/Lyft accident results in injuries. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to file a report even when no injuries were sustained. Police reports will serve as official documentation that can be relied upon later if necessary.
• Seek medical attention: If you were injured by an Uber or Lyft vehicle—whether you were a passenger, pedestrian, or another driver—you should seek medical attention immediately if you’re seriously injured. This could wait if no apparent serious harm occurred, but you should still get checked out since delayed symptoms could occur.
• Take detailed notes: You’ll want to document every single aspect of your accident. Personal injury law is based on proving liability, and even the smallest factoid can prove invaluable to this effort. Was driver fatigue involved? Did they have their eyes off the road? Did they admit fault after the accident? No detail is too small!
• Report the accident: Rideshare apps allow riders to report car accidents in their app. Do this so that the company knows a collision occurred. Keep in mind that you may be contacted by an insurance company after this, so it’s often ideal to speak with an attorney prior to reporting the accident or discussing anything with an insurer.

Uber and Lyft have a combined clientele of over 100 million Americans. In most instances, their drivers provide transportation to those who need it the most. If you’ve ever gotten in the vehicle with a Kansas City Uber or Lyft driver, you’ve likely had many uneventful commutes. It only takes one accident involving rideshares, however, to cause serious and lasting harm. Knowing how to respond to such accidents is in your best interest, but in the end, the most important thing you might do is contact a Kansas City Lyft accident attorney for help seeking fair compensation.

Did you Have a Negligent Uber or Lyft Driver?

In an ordinary car accident, injured victims work with the insurance company of the other driver to seek a settlement. If that doesn’t work out, their case might end up in court. When it comes to rideshare accidents, though, there may be several insurance companies involved. This is because liability can be very complex in these cases, and if a driver isn’t properly insured, even your own insurer may get involved. The important thing to remember is those negligent rideshare drivers may not be the only ones to be at fault in such accidents.

Companies like Lyft do not fully employ their drivers; they treat them as contract workers. This can make it difficult to bring a claim against the company for an accident caused by their drivers—even if the accident leads to high medical expenses, years of recovery, and significant harm on your part. In Kansas City and the rest of Missouri, 98% of Lyft drivers either have other jobs or attend school. This makes it clear how independent contractors could end up in an accident related to fatigue. This, along with other potential collision causes, would typically fall under the driver’s liability. Of course, this isn’t always the case.

There are instances where Lyft may have acted negligently as well. Perhaps a driver should’ve never been allowed on their service in the first place, or maybe their mapping app sent a car the wrong way down a one-way street. Lyft has faced lawsuits claiming negligence in the past—as have other rideshare companies—so it’s not unheard of that they may be held liable. Of course, there are also instances where a victim could be partially at fault for their injuries (e.g., distracting the driver or walking outside of a crosswalk). Fortunately, Missouri’s comparative negligence rules mean you could still recover compensation.

How can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help?

A rideshare accident can happen at any time. With so many of this drivers-for-hire on American roads, the risk of such collisions is ever-present. Of course, many people wonder if they need legal representation to secure compensation. After all, most of these accidents are fairly clear on the part of the victim. It’s not as if an Uber or Lyft accident can happen because the passenger is driving drunk or playing on their cell phone. Even when liability is clear, though, an insurance company will likely try to get you to accept a low settlement offer.

When you have a skilled Lyft accident lawyer in Kansas City on your side, such attempts are rarely successful. Adjusters make lowball offers because they suspect that you need money right away. They also assume that you won’t have the motivation to file Lyft accident claims on your own. When you’re represented by a personal injury lawyer, adjusters understand that these strategies will not work. And since they know an experienced attorney will have no qualms filing litigation, they’re far more likely to make a fair settlement offer on your accident claim early in the process.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of having legal assistance after a rideshare accident, however, is that you can focus on healing rather than the legal process. Car accidents often lead to significant injuries, and if you or a loved one is going through this, the last thing you want is an insurer or rideshare company arguing with you over how much you deserve. You can avoid all these headaches by working with a Kansas City Lyft accident attorney. Contact Mohlman Gurney Injury Law today for your free initial case evaluation, and let us do all the heavy lifting.

Lyft Accident Lawyers in Kansas City, MO, can Help

Technological innovations that allow services like Lyft are supposed to make our lives easier. When you combine any such service with negligence, however, the outcome can be tragic. If you’ve experienced an injury in an Uber or Lyft accident, you may be entitled to compensation. These companies say that their top priority is the safety of passengers, but the simple fact is that no driver is perfect. A rideshare accident can lead to serious injuries and financial losses, and if you or a loved one were involved in such an accident, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to face the situation on your own.

At Mohlman Gurney Injury Law, our Kansas City personal injury attorneys have spent years serving our hometown and KCMO surrounding areas. We understand that an auto accident can lead to lost wages, significant medical expenses, and a variety of other losses. We are dedicated to ensuring our clients can overcome these hardships and move on with their lives. Contact us today by calling (816) 648-6000 to schedule a free consultation. With our Lyft accident lawyers in Kansas City, MO, on your side, you’ll have a dedicated advocate fighting for your right to receive maximum compensation.