Rideshare Accidents
Accidents involving rideshare drivers like Uber and Lyft can be complex because multiple coverages may apply. We're experienced in navigating these claims — whether you were a passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian.
Accidents involving rideshare drivers like Uber and Lyft can be complex because multiple coverages may apply. We're experienced in navigating these claims — whether you were a passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian.
Accidents involving rideshare drivers like Uber and Lyft can be complex because multiple coverages may apply to your case. The driver will likely have personal insurance, but the rideshare company's coverage may apply as well. This applies whether you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, a driver struck by a rideshare vehicle, or injured as a pedestrian by a rideshare vehicle. It is important to hire an attorney familiar with rideshare claims to ensure all coverage options are explored.
In an ordinary car accident there is usually one policy to look at. In a rideshare crash there are often three or more: the driver's personal auto policy, the rideshare company's commercial policy, and — where the at-fault driver was someone else entirely — that third party's coverage plus any uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage you carry. Which of those actually pays turns on a single question that most people never think to ask at the scene: what was the driver's app doing at the moment of impact?
Uber and Lyft both structure their coverage around the status of the driver's app. Insurers treat these as distinct periods, and the difference between them can be the difference between a $25,000 policy and a $1,000,000 one.
The driver is not logged in and is driving for personal reasons. The rideshare company's coverage does not apply at all. Only the driver's personal auto policy is in play, which in Arizona may be written at the state minimum of $25,000 per person for bodily injury.
The driver is logged in and available but has not accepted a ride. Both companies typically provide contingent liability coverage in this window — generally in the range of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus property damage coverage. "Contingent" matters: this coverage usually sits behind the driver's personal policy rather than replacing it, and personal auto policies often exclude commercial activity, which is exactly where claims get denied and where an attorney earns their keep.
The driver has accepted a request and is either driving to pick up the rider or carrying them. This is where the rideshare company's $1,000,000 third-party liability policy generally applies, along with uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and, if the driver carries personal comprehensive and collision, contingent coverage for the vehicle itself.
If you were a passenger, you were by definition in Period 3, and the $1M policy is typically available to you. If you were another driver, a pedestrian, or a cyclist, the period is a fact that has to be established — and it is one the insurer has every incentive to characterize in the way that costs it least. Trip records, app data, and the driver's own account can all be obtained, but they need to be requested before they are lost. Coverage terms are set by the rideshare companies and change over time; the figures above describe how these policies have generally been written, not a guarantee of what applies to your case.
Arizona follows pure comparative negligence (A.R.S. § 12-2505). Your compensation is reduced by your share of the fault, but there is no cutoff — you can be found 70% responsible and still recover 30% of your damages. This matters in rideshare cases because insurers routinely argue that a passenger was distracting the driver, that another motorist was speeding, or that a pedestrian crossed outside a crosswalk, and every percentage point they assign to you comes straight off the settlement. Arizona also does not cap compensatory damages in personal injury cases.
In Arizona, you generally must bring a claim for your injuries within two years of the date of the incident (A.R.S. § 12-542). If legal action is not sought within this time you forfeit your right to sue the negligent driver, regardless of how strong the case was.
Some deadlines are much shorter. If a government vehicle or public entity was involved, a notice of claim must generally be served within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01) — a window that closes long before most people have finished treatment. Claims involving a minor, or a death arising from the crash, follow their own timelines. Because these deadlines are unforgiving and the evidence that establishes app status degrades quickly, the practical deadline for getting advice is far earlier than the legal one.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a rideshare accident, contact Sher Law Group for a free case review. If we take your case, we will not only help you navigate through the legal process but also help you find medical providers that can properly manage your injuries and await compensation for their services until your claim is resolved. We are here to protect your rights and ensure you receive the maximum settlement to help make you whole.
It depends on what the driver's app was doing at the time of the crash. The rideshare company's $1,000,000 policy generally applies while a driver is en route to a rider or carrying one; lower contingent limits apply while they are logged in and waiting; and only the driver's personal insurance applies when the app is off.
Usually not. Both companies classify their drivers as independent contractors, which generally shields them from direct liability for a driver's negligence. In practice you claim against the insurance policy the company carries rather than suing the company itself — which is why identifying the correct coverage period matters so much.
You would claim against the at-fault driver's insurance. If that driver was uninsured or carried too little coverage, the rideshare company's uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may apply while the driver was en route or on a trip, and your own UM/UIM coverage may apply as well.
Generally two years from the date of the crash under A.R.S. § 12-542. If a government vehicle or public entity was involved, a notice of claim is generally due within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01.
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — there is no fee unless we win your case, and the initial consultation is free.
Not before speaking with an attorney. Early offers are typically made before the full cost of future treatment is known, and accepting one generally closes your claim permanently, even if your injuries later prove worse than they appeared.
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