A Lyft or Uber accident in California can be overwhelming, especially when you are faced with injuries, insurance issues, and questions about what to do next arise. Knowing the appropriate steps to take after a collision can help you protect your safety, acquire important information, and understand your options.
Whether you were a passenger or involved in a crash with a Lyft or Uber driver, understanding the circumstances surrounding the collision, and taking prompt action can help you manage the aftermath more effectively.
What Factors Contribute to an Uber or Lyft Accident?
While there are several factors that may contribute to an Uber or Lyft accident, some of the most common factors that can influence an accident are typically correlated with driver behavior and external factors. For instance, the following actions are considered to be the most common causes of rideshare accidents:
- Distracted driving– For rideshare drivers, losing focus of the road may arise from checking the pickup location, interacting with their phone to access the app, or responding to other notifications while driving.
- Fatigued driving– Drivers who spend extended periods on the road may experience reduced alertness and slower reaction times, which can increase the risk of a collision.
- Road conditions- Poor road design can contribute to Uber accident liability, as well as accidents involving Lyft drivers, because inadequate signage, confusing intersections, limited visibility, or inadequately maintained roads may create additional hazards for drivers and other road users.
- Increased urban traffic- Heavy congestion, frequent stops, and interactions with pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles can create additional opportunities for a crash.
What Safety Measures Do Uber and Lyft Use?
As rideshare services continue operating in busy and congested traffic environments, both companies have introduced safety measures as an attempt to help reduce risks and provide stronger protection for users.
For instance, Lyft and Uber’s safety measures include a trip-sharing feature to monitor user locations and an in-app emergency button connecting users to 911. These tools are intended to improve transparency and support safer rides while ongoing efforts can help address risks associated with rideshare transportation.
What Should You Do Immediately After an Uber or Lyft Accident?
After a rideshare accident, you should prioritize your safety by moving to a nearby location and seeking medical care for any visible or hidden injuries. You should also document what you can at the accident scene and request copies of the police report and medical records because they can also be used as important information.
You should also address any reporting and insurance requirements that may apply after a rideshare collision such as filing an SR-1 form with the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) within 10 days of the collision. An SR-1 is generally required when a crash causes an injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage regardless of who was responsible for the incident (California Vehicle Code § 16000(a)).
What If You Were an Uber or Lyft Passenger?
If you were a Lyft or Uber passenger involved in a collision, keep your trip receipt, ride history, driver and vehicle information, accident photos, and witness details at hand. You should also report the crash through the rideshare app and keep a record of that submission. Any injured passengers should also seek treatment and acquire medical bills regardless of whether the rideshare driver caused the collision.
Depending on the evidence, a personal injury lawsuit could involve the rideshare driver, another motorist, vehicle owner, government entity, or vehicle manufacturer. Documentation of lost wages and other damages may support a claim for full and fair compensation, subject to applicable coverage and law.
What If You Were Another Driver, Cyclist, or Pedestrian?
If you were involved in a rideshare crash as another driver, cyclist, or pedestrian, the driver’s Uber or Lyft status may affect available liability and insurance coverage. The driver fulfilling transportation services could be held responsible, but liability depends on the circumstances surrounding the Lyft or Uber crash and the policies that apply.
You may seek compensation for vehicle damage, medical costs, and lost income resulting from the collision. However, no matter what happens, try to collect as much evidence as you can to help establish what happened and determine which coverage will be applicable in your particular case.
What Rideshare Evidence Should You Save Before It Disappears?
Evidence can help establish what happened during a rideshare collision, so save records as soon as possible. App information and other digital information may become harder to access later, making it useful to get them shortly after the crash. Key evidence to acquire includes:
- Trip receipt and ride history- The ride request, pickup and drop-off information, and timing of the rideshare trip
- Driver profile and vehicle information- The driver’s name, vehicle details, license plate, and available insurance details
- Screenshots- Showing the driver’s rideshare app, status, and the stage of the trip when the collision occurred
- Messages- Any that were exchanged through the app, along with photos and videos of the collision
- Location data- Any that shows where the collision occurred and other important details about the trip
Most importantly, try to gather all of the evidence organized because it may be useful when communicating with an insurance company or filing claims with your attorney.
Why Does the Driver’s Uber or Lyft Status Matter?
The insurance available after a collision can depend on what the rideshare driver was doing through the app when the crash occurred. For transportation network companies (TNC), the driver’s status may fall into one of these situations:
- App Off: The driver is not logged into the platform and TNC commercial insurance does not apply, so recovery will rely on the driver’s personal auto insurance policy.
- Waiting for a Request: The driver is logged into the app but has not accepted a ride. California law mandates primary contingent liability coverage of $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident for bodily injury and $30,000 for property damage in addition to a $200,000 excess liability policy maintained by the TNC.
- Ride Accepted or In Progress: The driver has accepted a trip request or is actively transporting a passenger and during these periods, both Lyft and Uber provide $1,000,000 in primary commercial third-party liability insurance.
These particular stages can affect whether personal liability coverage, rideshare coverage, or excess coverage is available. With that in mind, getting screenshots that show the driver’s app status can be important when determining applicable coverage.
Should You Report the Accident Through the Uber or Lyft App?
For rideshare passengers and drivers, they should report the accident through the Uber or Lyft app, because reporting the collision through the Uber or Lyft app is separate from contacting law enforcement, or notifying your insurance company.
Sending a notification through the platform does not determine which insurance coverage applies or replaces a claim, but keeping a record of your report can help document Uber and Lyft accidents and may be useful when negotiating with an insurer or speaking to a Lyft or Uber accident attorney.
Which Insurance Policy May Apply?
The insurance coverage that applies after an Uber or Lyft collision depends on the driver’s app status, who was involved, and fault. Under California law (Assembly Bill 2293 and Senate Bill 371), sources of recovery may include the following:
- Primary Commercial Auto Liability: Rideshare policy covering up to $1,000,000 during active trips (en route or passenger in the vehicle).
- Contingent/Excess Liability: Rideshare coverage when the driver is logged in and waiting for a request (50k/100k bodily injury, $30k property damage, plus $200k excess coverage).
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM): Mandatory rideshare coverage ($60,000 per person / $300,000 per incident during active trips) or a passenger’s personal policy if hit by an uninsured driver.
- Personal Auto Liability: The driver’s individual insurance during offline personal driving (must meet the state minimums).
- Rideshare Endorsement: Supplemental personal policy coverage that fills the “gap” when a driver is waiting for a request.
- Contingent Collision & Comprehensive: Covers driver vehicle repairs during active trips if the driver carries personal collision coverage (subject to a deductible).
Identifying applicable policies requires reviewing app status and official collision reports. Consult a California rideshare accident lawyer to ensure your claims are properly evaluated without anything getting misconstrued by insurance adjusters.
When Should You Get Help With a Rideshare Claim?
Consider seeking legal guidance when a rideshare claim involves a serious injury, a disputed driver status, several insurers, or missing app records. These particular issues can make it more difficult to figure out which coverage applies or who may be responsible.
A Lyft and Uber accident attorney can review the evidence presented, explain your options for legal representation, and help address issues that arise during the claims process. Under California law, the time available to bring a lawsuit and the way fault is allocated can affect a claim. California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 provides a two-year limitations period for personal injury cases.
California also follows a pure comparative fault system, under which a plaintiff’s recovery may be reduced according to their share of responsibility (established in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975)). If you are considering contacting a law office, doing so early may provide more time to acquire records, address disputed issues, and evaluate your potential rideshare accident claim.
What Types of Compensation Can You Recover After a Rideshare Accident?
If you are injured in a rideshare collision with an Uber or Lyft driver, you may be able to seek compensatory damages for losses caused by the accident. These are generally divided into economic and non-economic damages, with each category addressing different effects of an injury.
Victims can seek economic damages for medical expenses. Economic damages may also include lost wages, treatment costs, property damage, and other financial losses that can be documented through bills, receipts, or other records. Meanwhile, non-economic damages include compensation for the physical pain and emotional suffering a person suffers as a result of the accident in question.
These address the physical and emotional effects of an injury that may be more difficult to quantify, such as persistent pain and diminished quality of life. The amount and types of compensatory damages available will depend on the circumstances of the accident, the losses incurred, and applicable California law.
Involved in a Rideshare Accident? Get Legal Help From West Coast Trial Lawyers Today
An Uber or Lyft accident can leave you with injuries, medical expenses, vehicle damage, and questions about insurance coverage and liability. If you are considering a personal injury claim, understanding your legal options can help you determine how to move forward. The circumstances of the collision, severity of your injuries, and insurance policies involved may all affect your potential recovery.
If you are in need of professional guidance, West Coast Trial Lawyers can help. Our California Uber and Lyft accident attorneys have more than 25 years of legal practice and have recovered over $2 billion on behalf of our clients.
We can review your accident, explain your options, and help you understand the next steps toward pursuing compensation. Contact our law office today for a FREE consultation by calling (213) 927-3700 or completing our quick online contact form.
