Can you sue Uber or Lyft after an accident in Missouri? Talk to a St. Louis Uber and Lyft accident lawyer. (314) 361-4242 – Free consultation.
Rideshare accidents raise a question that doesn’t come up in an ordinary car crash: who exactly do you file a claim against? Uber and Lyft drivers aren’t employees, and that distinction shapes almost everything about how these claims get handled in Missouri, from which insurance policy applies to whether the company itself can be named at all.
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Can You Sue Uber or Lyft Directly?
Generally, no, not in the way most people expect. Uber and Lyft classify their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, and that structure is deliberately designed to shield the companies from direct liability for a driver’s negligent driving. In most cases, a claim after a rideshare accident is made against the driver’s insurance or against the rideshare company’s insurance policy, not against Uber or Lyft as a corporate defendant.
There are exceptions. If a claim involves something the company itself did or failed to do, such as negligently allowing a driver with a disqualifying record onto the platform, a direct claim against the company may be possible. Those cases are less common and depend heavily on the specific facts.
How Rideshare Insurance Coverage Works in Missouri
The insurance that applies to a rideshare accident often depends on what the driver’s app status was at the moment of the crash. Missouri law recognizes several distinct periods:
- App off. The driver’s personal auto policy applies, as with any other driver.
- App on, no ride accepted yet. Rideshare companies must provide contingent liability coverage during this period, which typically applies as a backstop if the driver’s personal policy doesn’t respond.
- Ride accepted, en route to pick up the passenger. Higher-limit coverage from the rideshare company generally applies during this period.
- Passenger in the vehicle, trip underway. The same higher-limit rideshare company coverage generally continues through the trip.
The exact coverage amounts and how they apply can shift depending on the facts of the crash, so it’s worth having any claim reviewed rather than assuming a single policy automatically covers everything.
Who Can File a Claim After a Rideshare Accident
Several different people may have a claim depending on how the accident happened:
- A rideshare passenger injured during the trip
- The driver or passengers of another vehicle involved in the crash
- A pedestrian or cyclist struck by a rideshare vehicle
- The rideshare driver themselves, in some circumstances
Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule, meaning more than one party, including a passenger or another driver, can share some responsibility for a crash. You can still often recover compensation even when fault is partially shared, though the amount may be reduced based on the percentage assigned.
What Makes These Claims More Complicated
Rideshare accident claims tend to involve more moving parts than a typical two-car collision:
- Identifying which insurance policy applies based on the driver’s app status at the time of the crash
- Rideshare companies and their insurers sometimes dispute which coverage period was active
- Multiple potentially liable parties, including the rideshare driver, another driver, or both
- App data, trip logs, and driver records that may need to be requested and preserved early
Because app status and trip data can be central to the claim, gathering that evidence early often matters more in a rideshare case than in an ordinary accident.
What to Do After a Rideshare Accident
- Get medical attention, even if injuries seem minor at first.
- Take a screenshot of the trip details in the app before they become harder to access.
- Get the driver’s name and contact information, along with any witnesses.
- Report the accident through the app, since both Uber and Lyft have internal reporting systems.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to any insurance company before speaking with a lawyer.
Why Work With The Hoffmann Law Firm
Rideshare claims often come down to determining which insurance policy applies and pushing back when a company’s insurer tries to avoid coverage. The Hoffmann Law Firm has served St. Louis since 1998, and clients work directly with Attorney Christopher Hoffmann rather than being handed off between staff. As a locally owned Missouri firm, the team knows how Uber and Lyft claims are typically handled in this state.
Talk to a St. Louis Uber and Lyft accident lawyer. (314) 361-4242 – Free consultation.
Every case is different; results depend on the facts. This page is attorney advertising and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the driver’s app status at the time of the crash. Often the claim is directed at whichever insurance policy, personal or rideshare, was active at that moment.
The rideshare company’s contingent or trip-period coverage may still apply, depending on the driver’s app status when the crash happened.
Often, yes. A passenger’s claim doesn’t always require pinpointing fault upfront, since an investigation sorts that out.
Deadlines depend on the specifics of the case, so it’s best to have the facts reviewed as soon as possible rather than assume a general timeline applies.