Uber and Lyft accidents are not always handled like ordinary car accident claims. A rideshare crash may involve the Uber or Lyft driver, another negligent driver, the rideshare company’s insurance, the driver’s personal insurance, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, app records, trip status, and questions about whether the driver was actively working at the time of the collision.

The steps taken immediately after an Uber or Lyft accident can affect both medical care and the legal claim. Injured passengers, drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and occupants of other vehicles should preserve evidence early and avoid rushing into settlement before coverage and injuries are fully understood.

The Mason Firm represents people and families in serious rideshare accident, car accident, pedestrian accident, bicycle accident, motorcycle accident, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases throughout California.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different.

Get Medical Care Immediately

The first priority after any Uber or Lyft accident is medical care. Some injuries are obvious at the scene, but others may develop or worsen over time.

Prompt medical care is important because it:

• protects your health;
• identifies injuries that may not be obvious immediately;
• creates medical documentation;
• helps connect the injury to the crash;
• and allows doctors to recommend appropriate treatment.

Rideshare accidents may cause concussions, traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, herniated discs, fractures, nerve damage, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, internal injuries, scarring, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.

Do not minimize symptoms because the crash seemed minor or because you were able to leave the scene. If symptoms appear or worsen later, seek follow-up care.

Call 911 and Report the Crash

If anyone is injured, if the crash is serious, or if there is a dispute about what happened, call 911. A police report can be important evidence in a rideshare accident case.

The police report may document:

• where the crash occurred;
• who was involved;
• driver and vehicle information;
• witness information;
• insurance information;
• statements made at the scene;
• whether anyone appeared impaired;
• whether any traffic laws were violated;
• and whether injuries were reported.

Even if you were only a passenger, make sure your injuries are documented and that your name appears in the report when possible.

Save Your Uber or Lyft Trip Information

App evidence can be critical in a rideshare accident case. Do not rely on the app to preserve everything for you.

If you were an Uber or Lyft passenger, take screenshots of:

• the trip receipt;
• the driver’s name;
• the driver’s profile;
• the vehicle make, model, and color;
• the license plate;
• the pickup location;
• the drop-off location;
• the route;
• the time of the ride;
• the fare receipt;
• messages with the driver;
• and any crash report submitted through the app.

If you were a rideshare driver, preserve your app-status information, trip records, screenshots, communications with Uber or Lyft, insurance messages, and any records showing whether you were waiting for a request, driving to pick up a passenger, or transporting a passenger.

Report the Accident Through the App

Uber and Lyft have in-app procedures for reporting crashes. Reporting the accident can help create a record that the crash occurred during a rideshare trip or while the driver was using the platform.

When reporting the crash, be accurate and concise. Avoid guessing. Avoid minimizing your injuries. Avoid saying you are “fine” if you have pain or symptoms.

A simple report may include:

• that a crash occurred;
• the date and time;
• the ride involved;
• the location;
• whether police or paramedics responded;
• whether you were injured;
• and whether you are receiving medical care.

Keep copies or screenshots of any report confirmation, emails, messages, or claim numbers.

Take Photos and Video

Photographs and video can help prove what happened and document the severity of the crash.

If it is safe, photograph or record:

• vehicle damage;
• license plates;
• the Uber or Lyft vehicle;
• the other vehicles involved;
• the crash scene;
• traffic signals and signs;
• skid marks or debris;
• road conditions;
• lighting conditions;
• visible injuries;
• airbag deployment;
• rideshare app information;
• and nearby businesses or cameras that may have surveillance footage.

If you were injured as a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist, photograph the location, crosswalk, bike lane, sidewalk, roadway, traffic controls, helmet, bicycle, motorcycle, clothing, and any visible injuries.

Identify Witnesses

Witnesses can be especially important if drivers later dispute fault. A witness may have seen the rideshare driver speeding, looking at the app, making an unsafe turn, stopping suddenly, blocking a bike lane, failing to yield, or causing a collision.

Try to get:

• names;
• phone numbers;
• email addresses;
• and a short description of what each witness saw.

Witnesses can become difficult to locate later, so early contact information matters.

Preserve All Communications

Save every communication related to the crash, including:

• emails from Uber or Lyft;
• app messages;
• text messages;
• insurance communications;
• police report information;
• claim numbers;
• medical appointment reminders;
• repair estimates;
• photographs;
• videos;
• and notes about conversations.

If an insurance adjuster calls, write down the person’s name, company, phone number, claim number, and what was discussed.

Be Careful With Insurance Companies

Rideshare cases may involve multiple insurance companies. These may include the rideshare driver’s personal insurer, Uber or Lyft’s insurer, another driver’s insurer, your own insurer, or an uninsured/underinsured motorist insurer.

Each insurance company may try to shift responsibility to another party or reduce the value of the claim.

Be careful before:

• giving a recorded statement;
• signing broad medical authorizations;
• accepting blame;
• minimizing injuries;
• discussing prior medical history;
• agreeing to a settlement;
• signing a release;
• or assuming one policy is the only available coverage.

Once a release is signed, the claim may be over, even if the injuries later turn out to be more serious.

Understand Why App Status Matters

One reason Uber and Lyft accident cases are complicated is that insurance coverage may depend on what the rideshare driver was doing at the time of the crash.

Important questions include:

• Was the driver logged into the app?
• Was the driver waiting for a ride request?
• Had the driver accepted a ride?
• Was the driver driving to pick up a passenger?
• Was a passenger already in the vehicle?
• Had the ride ended?
• Was the driver using a delivery platform instead?
• Was another driver responsible for the crash?

These facts can affect which insurance policies apply and how much coverage may be available. App records, trip receipts, GPS data, and company records may become important evidence.

Injured as an Uber or Lyft Passenger

If you were injured as a passenger, you may have claims against one or more responsible drivers and applicable insurance policies. Even though you were not driving, the case can still become complicated.

Passenger claims may require determining:

• whether the rideshare driver caused the crash;
• whether another driver caused the crash;
• whether both drivers share fault;
• whether the rideshare trip had started;
• what insurance coverage applies;
• whether uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage is available;
• and the full extent of your injuries and damages.

Passengers should preserve the trip receipt, driver information, app screenshots, photographs, medical records, and all communications with Uber, Lyft, and insurance companies.

Hit by an Uber or Lyft Driver as a Pedestrian or Cyclist

Rideshare drivers often operate in busy areas, near restaurants, hotels, airports, downtown streets, stadiums, residential neighborhoods, and event venues. Pickup and drop-off activity can create hazards for pedestrians and cyclists.

These cases may involve:

• unsafe pickups or drop-offs;
• sudden stops;
• blocking bike lanes;
• stopping in traffic lanes;
• unsafe U-turns;
• distracted driving;
• failure to yield;
• unsafe turns;
• and opening doors into cyclists.

If you were hit by an Uber or Lyft driver while walking, biking, or riding a motorcycle, try to preserve information showing the vehicle, driver, license plate, app status, witnesses, location, and any surveillance cameras nearby.

Injured as an Uber or Lyft Driver

Uber and Lyft drivers can also be seriously injured while working. Coverage may depend on whether the driver was logged into the app, waiting for a request, driving to pick up a passenger, actively transporting a passenger, or off the app entirely.

Potential sources of recovery may include:

• the at-fault driver’s insurance;
• rideshare insurance;
• the driver’s personal auto insurance;
• uninsured motorist coverage;
• underinsured motorist coverage;
• and other available policies.

Rideshare drivers should preserve app screenshots, trip information, communications with the company, insurance documents, medical records, and any evidence showing their status at the time of the crash.

Do Not Rush Into Settlement

After a rideshare accident, the full picture may not be clear right away. Injuries may worsen. Additional treatment may be needed. Insurance coverage may take time to identify. Multiple companies may dispute who should pay.

An early settlement may fail to account for:

• future medical care;
• surgery;
• lost income;
• reduced earning capacity;
• permanent pain;
• disability;
• scarring;
• emotional trauma;
• and long-term impact on daily life.

Before resolving a serious rideshare accident claim, it is important to understand the injuries, prognosis, treatment needs, available insurance, and all responsible parties.

Pay Attention to Deadlines

California generally provides two years to file many personal injury lawsuits, but some cases have shorter or different deadlines. Claims involving public entities, dangerous public property, government vehicles, minors, medical issues, uninsured motorist coverage, or other special circumstances may involve different rules.

If a public entity may be involved, such as a city, county, transit agency, public roadway, or government vehicle, a government claim may need to be presented before a lawsuit can be filed. Those deadlines can be much shorter than the ordinary deadline.

Because deadlines are technical, the safest approach is to seek legal review quickly.

What Evidence Matters Most?

Important evidence in an Uber or Lyft accident case may include:

• trip receipts;
• app screenshots;
• driver information;
• vehicle information;
• license plate information;
• pickup and drop-off details;
• route information;
• app-status records;
• GPS data;
• police reports;
• witness statements;
• photographs;
• surveillance video;
• dashcam footage;
• vehicle damage;
• medical records;
• insurance communications;
• phone records;
• and communications with Uber, Lyft, drivers, or insurers.

The earlier this evidence is preserved, the better.

When Should You Contact a Lawyer?

Not every minor crash requires a lawyer. But legal review is important when the case involves serious injuries, disputed fault, multiple insurance companies, unclear rideshare coverage, uninsured or underinsured drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, or wrongful death.

You should consider speaking with a lawyer if:

• you went to the hospital;
• you may need surgery;
• you suffered a brain injury, fracture, nerve injury, spinal injury, scarring, or permanent limitation;
• the insurance companies are blaming each other;
• the rideshare driver’s app status is unclear;
• Uber or Lyft coverage is disputed;
• a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist was involved;
• a loved one died;
• or you are unsure what deadlines apply.

An attorney can help preserve evidence, identify responsible parties, evaluate insurance coverage, document damages, and protect the claim before mistakes are made.

Contact The Mason Firm

The Mason Firm represents people and families in serious rideshare accident, Uber accident, Lyft accident, car accident, pedestrian accident, bicycle accident, motorcycle accident, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases throughout California.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured in an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare accident, contact The Mason Firm for a free case review.

Call 619-752-5250 or contact us online to speak with a San Diego rideshare accident lawyer.