Lee's Summit car accident lawyer

Uber Accident Attorneys in Kansas City

Experienced representation for victims of Uber & Lyft accidents throughout Missouri and Kansas

The rise of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft have brought a new age of convenient travel and commuting, revolutionizing the idea of a taxi or a limo. They are cheaper, more readily available, and can be controlled right from your phone. In theory, this is all great. In practice, it has, but it certainly isn’t the fool-proof, safest way to be in a car. Whether they work for Uber, Lyft, or a yellow cab service, drivers are still just people. These people can cause accidents just like every other driver on the road, and their passengers are helpless to do anything but stick around for the ride.

Ideally, rideshare services would vet their drivers based off their driving record, and most claim to do this on some level, but whatever they are doing is not enough. To become a driver at Uber, for example, you essentially need a four-door car and a license. That’s it. When that lack of oversight backfires, innocent people get hurt and pay the price, but unlike normal car accidents, there is a third-party entity involved. At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our team has decades of combined experience detangling these complicated cases and securing our clients the compensation they deserve. If you have been injured in a car accident with an Uber driver, we can help.

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What are common causes of Uber accidents in Kansas City?

Uber drivers are still just drivers, and drivers are still just people. This isn’t to say accidents should be expected and accepted, but it does mean we do not necessarily need new data to know what causes accidents with Uber specifically. We know the common causes of car accidents. Those of us local to Kansas City are well aware of how frightening other drivers can be, for a multitude of reasons. Typically, car accidents are caused by:

  • Driver fatigue. Those who can barely keep their eyes open should not be operating a motor vehicle. People such as Uber drivers, though, may be tempted to work longer than they should for more compensation. Truckers also face — and often give into — this temptation.
  • Driver distraction. This is one of the leading causes of car accidents, and refers to any time a driver takes their eyes off the roads. Texting, making a call, looking at the GPS, or even just fiddling with the radio can all lead to disastrous collisions. Because Uber’s interface is entirely through both the driver and the passenger’s phones, drivers may be tempted to stare at their screens to monitor rates, requests, and other messages.
  • Driving under the influence. Whether it is alcohol, marijuana, or prescription medication, one should never be behind the wheel of a car while impaired. Any level of impairment can lead to dangerous mistakes that can’t be taken back, as it muddles everything from reflexes to decision-making skills to basic motor function.
  • We all know people usually do not drive the exact speed limit, but drivers should be matching the traffic around them instead of trying to weave and race past it. Remember, the higher the speed, the deadlier the collision.
  • Traffic violations. Speeding definitely falls under this category, but so does running red lights and stop signs, failing to merge or yield, and driving recklessly. An aggressive Uber driver can be a dangerous one.

While other factors such as weather and road conditions may cause their fair share of accidents, the catalyst is usually a driver making unsafe and negligent decisions behind the wheel, and they deserve to be held accountable for their actions, especially if they are a supposed professional driving people around for a living.

What are common injuries caused by Uber accidents?

When drivers are negligent, they do not have to take someone’s life to severely change and derail it. Cars of any size are large, metal machines moving at incredibly high speeds, and while manufacturers craft them to be as safe as possible, there is only so much they can do. An Uber accident can lead to a multitude of painful, expensive, and extensive injuries, including:

This is not a comprehensive list by any means, and victims may suffer more than one of these traumas at once depending on the severity of the accident. Not only that, but even the most relatively-minor of those injuries involve months of recovery time and treatment, while the more severe may hold victims hostage for the rest of their lives. Therapies, accommodations, caretakers, medications, surgeries, and an inability to work is an expensive and disheartening cocktail.

Now, many people who use rideshare services sit in the back, because we were all trained by yellow cabs and limos that that is where the passengers sit. However, do not make the mistake of assuming you are safer because you are in the back. Recent research has actually shown the opposite is true — even in a head-on collision. Put simply, backseats don’t have airbags or much protection outside of seatbelts and any cushion from the seats in front of them. Therefore, people riding in an Uber may actually likelier to be severely injured in the event of an accident.

How often do people get injured in Kansas City Uber accidents?

This is the bad news, and this is precisely why you should seek legal help immediately: we do not know. Uber specifically has released safety reports, but they all omit key figures and information (such as only counting fatalities and not tracking injuries, no matter how severe). Even the fatalities they report seem to be missing a few, with excuses so weak they practically don’t exist at all.

They depend on success to exist, and they cannot have success with a damaged reputation, which means they are actively hiding and skimming over damning details and cherry-picking what the public can know. While this is legal, it is definitely on the shady side, and should show just what they are willing to do for profit. In other words, they will do everything they can to avoid paying or accepting accountability — and they are good at it.

Request a free copy of our book, Don’t Wreck Your Injury Claim! today!

How much will I get from Uber settlement?

Uber has liability insurance, which activates in the event of an accident in situations when drivers are not covered by their personal insurance. That coverage can and will financially cover your injuries and damages up to $1 million depending on the details, and while this can sufficiently compensate many victims, it doesn't legally help them all. The intent of the insurance is to avoid lawsuits (so is their repeated assertion that Uber’s drivers are strictly contractors rather than employees), but that doesn’t mean you should accept it.

It is true, Uber doesn’t and won’t make it easy. Because they are so adamant about hiring independent contractors, they don’t have the same duty of care towards their customers as other companies. The idea is they are too removed from the process to accept accountability, but this isn’t as solid a defense as they would like it to be. That is why the best thing you can do if you are injured in an Uber-related car accident is seek experienced Kansas City legal representation, alongside documenting and saving every aspect of the case.

What happens if I get hurt in a Kansas City Lyft?

Accidents involving Lyft vehicles work much like accidents with Uber. They too classify their workers as contractors in an effort to get themselves off the hook for liability and accountability when their drivers cause accidents. Lyft also carries insurance but again, they won’t make it easy for an injury victim to make a claim. Our attorneys can help.

How can your Kansas City Uber accident attorneys help?

The only thing that can beat an attorney is a better attorney. Law is a complicated and fickle area that, while designed to be as fair as possible, is all-too-easy to get tangled up in without proper training and experience, which can lead to you missing out on benefits and compensation to which you’re entitled without even knowing it. The opposing side is counting on this. They are counting on you not wanting to deal with court or trying to represent yourself to save money, because that is how they get away with what they do.

So when you hire an experienced car accident attorney, you take that power away from them. You put a “better” attorney on the case on your behalf so they can build it up and advocate for what you deserve, no matter how hard the other side fights it. In essence, it gives you the best chance at winning and keeping your rights protected, as attorneys are skilled at poking holes in defenses and manipulating weak points  — from both sides.

Is there an Uber accident attorney near me?

The Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys are right in the heart of our beautiful city, located at 510 Walnut Street, Suite 100 in Kansas City, Missouri. We also have offices throughout Missouri and Kansas to better serve our clients.

Contact our Kansas City Uber accident attorneys today

No matter how daunting or complicated your Uber accident case seems, it is worth consulting with an attorney, and it is worth pursuing — especially if you have been seriously injured due to the negligent actions of their drivers.

Our experienced team at Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys are here to answer your questions, look over your case, and take those responsible to court while you focus on recovery and rest, and we assure you the only way to guarantee a loss is to try nothing at all. We know how exhausting and terrifying these situations can be, and we are proud to take on as much of it as possible for you, while keeping you informed every step of the way. Alongside our headquarters in Kansas City, MO we have offices in Lee’s Summit, Overland Park, St. Joseph, Parkville, and Olathe for your convenience. To get started, call us today at 816-471-5111 or use our contact form.

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