What To Do After Being Injured In An Uber Accident In St Louis?

Sansone & Lauber | | Rideshare Accidents
What To Do After Being Injured In An Uber Accident In St Louis

What To Do After Being Injured In An Uber Accident In St Louis?

If you are injured in an Uber accident in St. Louis, the most important things you can do are call 911, get immediate medical care, document everything at the scene, report the crash, and contact an experienced St. Louis Uber accident lawyer at Sansone & Lauber before dealing with Uber’s insurance or any adjuster. Those steps can make the difference between a lowball payout and a result that actually protects your health, your family, and your future.

Below is a detailed guide, written from our perspective as trial-tested St. Louis personal injury lawyers, on exactly what to do after an Uber accident in St. Louis — and how Missouri’s rideshare insurance rules really work.

Why Uber Accidents in St. Louis Are Different From “Normal” Car Crashes

On the surface, an Uber crash looks like any other collision: damaged vehicles, injured people, flashing lights.

Legally, it is very different.

In Missouri:

  • We are an at-fault state — the driver (or drivers) who caused the crash are responsible for paying for injuries and losses through their liability insurance.

  • Rideshare drivers are covered by layered insurance policies that change depending on what the driver was doing in the app at the time of the collision.

  • Missouri law allows personal auto insurers to exclude coverage while a driver is logged into a Transportation Network Company (TNC) app like Uber. That is why specific TNC coverage is required.

That means there may be:

  • The Uber driver’s personal auto policy

  • Uber’s TNC commercial policy (with limits up to $1,000,000 when the ride is active)

  • Another at-fault driver’s policy

  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage required for rideshare passengers under Missouri law

Sorting those out is not something you should try to do alone while you are in pain.

Step 1: Call 911 and Get Emergency Help

After any Uber accident in St. Louis:

  1. Call 911 immediately.

    • Tell the dispatcher there was a crash involving an Uber and that people are injured.

    • Request police and EMS to the scene.

  2. Do not assume someone else already called. Multiple calls are better than none.

  3. If you can safely move out of traffic, do so.

    • Do not move anyone with suspected neck, back, or head injuries unless there is an immediate danger (fire, oncoming traffic).

A police crash report is a key piece of evidence in every Uber case. In Missouri, TNC drivers are required to carry proof of their TNC insurance and disclose whether they were logged into the app or on a prearranged ride at the time of the accident — the officer can and should obtain that information. revisor.mo.gov

Step 2: Document the Scene Like a Lawyer Would

If your injuries allow it (and if not, ask a passenger or trusted person to help), gather as much evidence as possible at the scene:

Take Photos and Video

Use your phone to capture:

  • All vehicles from multiple angles

  • License plates and Uber stickers (windshield or rear window)

  • Damage to the interior of the Uber vehicle

  • The intersection, traffic lights, skid marks, debris, weather, and road conditions

  • Visible injuries (bruising, cuts, swelling, airbag marks, etc.)

These images can become critical in:

  • Reconstructing how the crash happened

  • Disproving false claims from Uber or other drivers

  • Showing the force of impact and severity of injuries

Capture Uber-Specific Evidence

  • Screenshot the Uber app screen showing:

    • Driver’s name and photo

    • Vehicle make/model and plate

    • Trip details and time

  • Save your Uber receipt and trip history as soon as it becomes available.

Missouri’s TNC statute requires drivers to carry proof of TNC coverage and disclose whether they were logged into the app or on a trip; your screenshots help confirm that status.

Get Contact Information

Collect:

  • Uber driver’s name, phone number, and insurance information

  • Other drivers’ names, contact info, and insurance details

  • Names, phone numbers, and email addresses of all witnesses

  • Names and badge numbers of the responding officers

Do not rely on Uber or the insurance company to track these people down later. Often, independent witnesses are the difference between winning and losing a liability dispute.

Step 3: Watch What You Say at the Scene

Your words will show up later in police reports, insurance files, and sometimes in a courtroom.

  • Do not apologize or accept blame.

    • Saying “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t see you” can be twisted into an admission of fault.

  • Stick to basic facts:

    • “I was a passenger in an Uber heading east on ___ when we were hit on the driver’s side by another car.”

Remember, Missouri uses pure comparative fault — your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. Anything that can be interpreted as you admitting fault is money out of your pocket.

Step 4: Get Medical Care Immediately – Even If You “Feel Okay”

After a crash, adrenaline can mask serious injuries:

  • Concussions and traumatic brain injuries

  • Internal bleeding

  • Spinal injuries

  • Soft-tissue damage that worsens over days or weeks

You should:

  1. Accept ambulance transport to the ER if recommended.

  2. If you decline an ambulance, see a doctor the same day — ER, urgent care, or your primary physician.

  3. Tell every provider:

    • That your injuries came from an Uber accident

    • All symptoms you are experiencing (pain, dizziness, headaches, numbness, memory issues, anxiety, etc.)

In our serious injury practice, one of the first things insurance companies look at is:

  • How quickly did you seek treatment?

  • Are there gaps in your medical care?

If you wait days or weeks, they will argue you weren’t really hurt or that something else caused your problems.

Step 5: Report the Crash to Uber – Carefully

After you are medically stable:

  1. Use the “Help” or “Trip Issues and Adjustments” section in the Uber app to report the crash.

  2. Keep your description brief and factual:

    • Date, time, location

    • That you were injured and are receiving medical care

  3. Do not:

    • Guess about fault

    • Downplay your injuries (“just sore”)

    • Provide a recorded statement to any Uber or insurer representative before you talk to a lawyer

Uber’s insurance is typically handled by third-party carriers and claims administrators, whose job is to save money, not to protect you. They may contact you quickly, sounding helpful, and ask to record your statement. That recording can and will be used to reduce what they pay you.

Step 6: Understand Who May Pay for Your Uber Injury in Missouri

In Missouri, who pays for your injuries after an Uber crash depends on several factors, including:

  • Who caused the crash (Uber driver, another driver, both)

  • Whether the Uber driver was:

    • Offline (app off)

    • Online and waiting for a ride request

    • En route to pick up a passenger or actively carrying a passenger

Missouri Rideshare Insurance Basics

Under Missouri’s Transportation Network Company (TNC) statute and industry practice:

  1. Uber app OFF

    • The driver is treated like any other motorist.

    • Only the driver’s personal auto policy applies.

  2. App ON, waiting for a ride request

    • Uber provides contingent liability coverage (if the driver’s own coverage is not enough), often up to around:

      • $50,000 bodily injury per person

      • $100,000 bodily injury per accident

      • $25,000 property damage per accident

  3. Ride accepted / passenger in the vehicle (you are a rider)

    • Uber’s commercial policy is typically up to $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage per accident, plus uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage for passengers.

Missouri also requires rideshare companies to provide uninsured motorist coverage that meets or exceeds state minimum UM requirements, specifically to protect passengers when at-fault drivers have little or no insurance.

You May Have Multiple Potential Claims

Depending on the facts, you may have claims against:

  • The Uber driver

  • Uber’s commercial insurer

  • Another at-fault driver’s insurer

  • Your own UM/UIM coverage

  • In rare cases, a roadway contractor, vehicle manufacturer, or other third party

One of the things we do at Sansone & Lauber is identify every single potential insurance policy and responsible party, so we are not leaving money on the table.

Step 7: Avoid Common Mistakes That Kill Uber Claims

As St. Louis trial lawyers, we see the same costly mistakes over and over in rideshare cases:

1. Not Calling the Police

Without a police report:

  • Liability becomes a “he said/she said” argument.

  • Uber’s insurer may try to deny or minimize the claim.

Always insist that police respond and write an official report.

2. Delaying Medical Care

If you wait a week to see a doctor, expect the insurance company to say:

  • “If they were really hurt, they would have gone to the ER.”

  • “They probably hurt themselves doing something else later.”

Prompt, consistent treatment protects your health and your claim.

3. Posting on Social Media

Uber and insurance defense lawyers look at social media.

Sansone & Lauber frequently warn injured people: do not post, do not comment, and call an experienced injury lawyer before you share anything about the crash.

A smiling photo at a barbecue, or a joke about the crash, can be twisted to say “you weren’t really hurt.”

4. Trusting Adjusters to “Take Care of You”

You may hear:

  • “We just need a quick recorded statement.”

  • “Send us all your past medical records and we’ll evaluate your claim.”

  • “We’ll make you a fair offer — you don’t really need a lawyer.”

Remember:

The adjuster’s duty is to their company, not to you.

Once you sign a release, your case is over — even if you later discover your injuries are far more serious than you thought.

Step 8: Call a St. Louis Uber Accident Lawyer as Soon as Possible

Uber cases move fast. Evidence disappears. Electronic data can be overwritten. Witnesses vanish.

When you contact Sansone & Lauber quickly after an Uber accident, we can:

  • Preserve app data, trip records, and driver status information

  • Demand the TNC insurance details and policy limits

  • Protect you from harmful statements and aggressive adjusters

  • Coordinate with your doctors and specialists

  • Begin building the case like we are going to trial from day one

We do this against the backdrop of real courtroom results — including a record-setting $14.2 million brain injury verdict in a contested crash case that was affirmed by the Missouri Court of Appeals and recognized as one of the largest verdicts in the state.

That matters because Uber’s insurers know:

  • We do not bluff.

  • We prepare cases to win at trial.

  • We have a documented history of turning low offers into life-changing verdicts for seriously injured clients.

How Sansone & Lauber Handles Uber Accident Cases

When we take on an Uber or Lyft case, we approach it with the same intensity we bring to any serious injury or wrongful death case.

1. Deep Liability Investigation

We analyze:

  • Police reports and scene diagrams

  • Vehicle damage and EDR (“black box”) data when available

  • Video from dashcams, traffic cameras, nearby businesses, or doorbell cameras

  • Phone records if distracted driving is suspected

  • Uber trip data, including time stamps, routing, and driver status logs

2. Medical and Life Impact Analysis

We work closely with your:

  • Treating physicians

  • Specialists (orthopedic, neurologic, pain management, etc.)

  • Physical and occupational therapists

In serious cases, we bring in:

  • Life-care planners to map out future medical needs

  • Economists to calculate lost earning capacity and lifetime costs

Sansone & Lauber’s practice is built around catastrophic injury cases — including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and permanent disability.

3. Identifying All Insurance and Assets

We dig into:

  • All applicable TNC coverage (Uber’s policies)

  • The Uber driver’s personal policy

  • Other drivers’ policies

  • UM/UIM coverage, including for you or any family policy

The goal is simple: maximize the total pool of money available to fairly compensate you.

4. Strategic Settlement Negotiations

We do not push quick, cheap settlements.

We build your case as if we are going to stand in front of a jury, and then:

  • Make a comprehensive demand that fully explains liability, damages, and the evidence supporting our position.

  • Negotiate from a position of strength, backed by our trial history and willingness to file suit.

5. Filing Suit and Going to Trial When Necessary

If Uber’s insurer refuses to pay full value:

  • We file a lawsuit in the appropriate Missouri court.

  • We take depositions, challenge defense experts, and prepare you thoroughly.

  • We present your story to a jury — the same way we did in the cases that led to our record verdicts.

Frequently Asked Questions After an Uber Accident in St. Louis

Do I have a claim if I was a passenger and my Uber driver wasn’t at fault?

Often, yes.

If another driver caused the crash, you may have claims against:

  • That driver’s liability insurance

  • Uber’s UM/UIM coverage if the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured

You do not have to choose who to pursue on your own — we handle that analysis.

What if I was driving my own car and an Uber driver hit me?

You may have a claim against:

  • The Uber driver’s personal policy

  • Uber’s TNC policy, depending on whether the driver was:

    • Offline

    • Online waiting for a ride

    • On the way to pick up or carrying a passenger

We determine which coverage applies and how to access it.

How long do I have to file a claim?

In most Missouri injury cases, the statute of limitations is five years from the date of the accident, but there are exceptions — especially for claims involving government entities or medical malpractice if your case involves negligent emergency care after the crash.

Do not wait. Evidence and witnesses are far easier to secure in the first weeks and months.

How much does it cost to hire Sansone & Lauber?

There is:

  • No upfront cost

  • No hourly fee

  • We are paid a contingency fee — a percentage of the money we recover for you.

  • If we do not win money for you, you owe no attorney’s fee.

We explain the fee and case-expense structure clearly in your free consultation.

What To Do Right Now After an Uber Accident in St. Louis

If you or a loved one were injured in an Uber crash anywhere in the St. Louis area or across Missouri, here is your immediate action list:

  1. Get medical care and follow your doctor’s advice.

  2. Do not give recorded statements to Uber or any insurance company.

  3. Do not post about the crash or your injuries on social media.

  4. Gather and save:

    • Photos

    • Screenshots of your Uber trip

    • Medical records and bills

    • Time-off-work information

  5. Call a proven St. Louis Uber accident lawyer.

Call Sansone & Lauber Today For HelpWhat To Do After Being Injured In An Uber Accident In St Louis

Your Uber accident claim is not just “another file” — it is your recovery, your career, your family’s financial stability.

At Sansone & Lauber, we bring:

  • A record-setting $14.2 million brain injury verdict and many other seven-figure results

  • A practice focused on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases

  • Deep experience fighting insurance companies — including major national carriers on high-stakes cases

We handle Uber and rideshare cases throughout Missouri and Illinois, with our main office in the St. Louis metro:

Sansone & Lauber
7777 Bonhomme Ave, Suite 2100
St. Louis, MO 63105
📞 (314) 863-0500

There is no fee to talk with us, and no attorney’s fee unless we win money for you.

If you were injured in an Uber accident in St. Louis, don’t try to take on Uber and its insurers alone. Call us, and let a proven trial team fight to secure the full compensation Missouri law allows.