Los Angeles Uber & Lyft Accident Attorneys

Aggressive representation for clients injured in Lyft and Uber accidents throughout California

The unprecedented adoption of ridesharing apps such as Uber and Lyft has been accompanied by a corresponding increase in traffic accidents involving these vehicles. Whether you are involved in an accident as a passenger in an Uber, as a driver of a vehicle involved in a crash with a Lyft vehicle, or as an Uber or Lyft driver involved in an accident caused by another driver, you may have grounds for an injury claim.

The knowledgeable Los Angeles Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP are here to fight for the compensation you need after an injury caused by someone else’s negligence. Contact us to schedule a free consultation where we will answer your questions and offer legal guidance about your case.

Car accident injuries in an Uber or Lyft rideshare crash

The types of injuries that you might sustain in a car accident while riding in an Uber or Lyft will be the same types of injuries that you would sustain in any other type of car accident, including:

• Back or neck injuries
• Head injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Lacerations and bruises
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Amputations
• Burn injuries

If you are ever involved in a car accident in an Uber or Lyft, you should seek immediate medical attention. If you think you have escaped the accident without an injury, it is still advisable to visit your doctor and have a medical examination. There are some injuries that may take hours, days or even weeks to become apparent. By the time you start experiencing symptoms, you may not associate them with the crash.

California insurance requirements for rideshare operators such as Uber and Lyft

In California, rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft are called Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) which are required to have insurance coverage for the entire time the app is on. Valuepenguin.com reports that drivers who drive for TNCs Uber and Lyft do not need to purchase rideshare insurance policies because those companies provide it. However, if a driver does not purchase his or her own rideshare insurance policy, the driver will not receive all the benefits such a policy might include such as comprehensive and collision coverages, higher liability limits and a low deductible.

How does insurance coverage work for Uber and Lyft rideshare drivers?

As a rideshare driver, you must have a personal car insurance policy that covers you and your vehicle when you are not on the app because Uber and Lyft's insurance policy does not cover you when the app is closed.

There is a patchwork of coverage which applies depending on whether the app is open or closed. There are three periods when it comes to rideshare coverage:

1. Period 1: You are driving or parked with the app open and are waiting to be paired with a passenger. Possible gray area when it comes to liability.
2. Period 2: You have been matched with passengers and you are heading to pick them up.
3. Period 3: The passenger is in your vehicle. When the rider exits your vehicle, period 3 ends.

Uber's liability insurance for passengers

When the app is off (period 1) the driver's personal car insurance coverage applies. When the driver is available and waiting for a ride request, coverage includes:

• Third-party liability if the driver's personal auto insurance doesn’t apply
• $50,000 in bodily injury per person
• $100,000 in bodily injury per accident
• $25,000 in property damage per accident

En route to pick up riders and during trips

Uber maintains the following auto insurance on the driver's behalf in case of a covered accident:

• $1,000,000 third-party liability
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury
• Contingent comprehensive and collision
• Up to actual cash value of car ($1,000 deductible)

Lyft's liability insurance for passengers

In July 2015, California enacted State Bill AB 2293, which required TNCs to provide third-party liability insurance and maintain $200,000 of excess liability during period 1.

According to Lyft, when the app is on and in driver mode, Lyft's insurance policy covers the TNC operator:

• Up to $50,000/per person (bodily injury)
• Up to $100,000/accident (bodily injury)
• Up to $30,000/accident (property damage)
• $200,000 excess liability

During periods 2 and 3, the TNC is covered by auto liability and Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM):

• Up to $1,000,000/occurrence
• Contingent collision and comprehensive coverage
• Actual cash value or repair cost, whichever is less
• $2,500 deductible