Masjedian Law Firm · Accidents
Rideshare (Uber & Lyft)
Passenger, struck driver, pedestrian, or rideshare driver — coverage depends on the app’s status at the moment of the crash. We untangle it and pursue every policy.
Passenger, struck driver, pedestrian, or rideshare driver — coverage depends on the app’s status at the moment of the crash. We untangle it and pursue every policy.
Rideshare collisions look like ordinary car accidents until the insurance question arrives — then everything depends on what the app was doing at the moment of impact. Uber and Lyft’s coverage arrives in tiers, and the companies’ third-party administrators are practiced at steering claims into the smallest applicable box.
How rideshare coverage works in California. App off: only the driver’s personal auto policy applies. App on, waiting for a ride (Period 1): contingent coverage of 50/100/30. En route to pick up or carrying a passenger (Periods 2-3): $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage, plus uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage for passengers. Establishing the period — with app data, trip receipts, and driver records — is often the whole ballgame.
Who we represent. Injured passengers in Ubers and Lyfts; drivers and passengers of other cars struck by rideshare drivers; pedestrians and cyclists hit by rideshare vehicles; and rideshare drivers themselves injured by third parties. Each posture has its own coverage path, and we have mapped them all.
What to do after a rideshare crash. Screenshot the trip in the app immediately — driver, route, time, receipt. Photograph vehicles and the scene, get medical care promptly, and report the crash in-app, but do not give recorded statements to the TPA (Sedgwick and similar) before speaking with counsel.
Why this firm. The $1M policy exists; collecting properly from it requires leverage. A litigation-ready file is that leverage.
During an active trip, Uber and Lyft carry $1,000,000 in liability coverage, and passengers are also typically protected by UM/UIM coverage if the at-fault third party is underinsured. Passengers are rarely at fault, making these among the clearest liability claims — but the claims administrators still require pushing.
It depends on the driver’s app status. With a passenger or en route to one, the $1M policy applies; merely waiting with the app on triggers lower contingent limits; app off leaves only the personal policy. We obtain the app data that proves the period.
California’s general statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of injury (CCP § 335.1). Shorter deadlines can apply — notably a six-month government claim requirement when a public entity is involved — so it is best to speak with an attorney promptly.
Report the crash, but decline recorded statements until you have counsel. Third-party administrators handling Uber and Lyft claims document everything with an eye toward minimizing the payout.
These cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis. You pay nothing up front and owe no attorney’s fee unless the firm recovers money for you.
Submissions are reviewed directly by the attorney. Confidential.