Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have transformed how we get around Charlotte, Gastonia, and cities across North Carolina. Millions of people rely on these convenient apps every day. But what happens when a rideshare trip ends in an accident?
If you’ve been injured as a rideshare passenger, you have important legal rights. Unlike the driver, you weren’t in control of the vehicle. You trusted someone else to get you safely to your destination. When a rideshare accident happens, you deserve compensation for your injuries.
This guide explains your rights and how a rideshare accident lawyer can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Challenges Injured Rideshare Passengers Face
Being injured as a rideshare passenger creates unique complications you won’t face in a typical car accident case.
Determining Fault Is Complex
Determining who is responsible for Uber and Lyft accidents can be complicated. Was the rideshare driver at fault? Another driver? Multiple parties? Understanding liability in a rideshare accident requires investigation, accident reconstruction, and legal knowledge.
Multiple Insurance Policies
Unlike regular car accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents often involve multiple insurance policies. You might be dealing with the rideshare driver’s personal insurance, the rideshare company’s commercial policy, and insurance from other drivers involved. Each company will try to shift responsibility to the others.
Uber, Lyft, and Insurance Companies Protect Their Bottom Line
Insurance adjusters work for their companies, not for you. They’ll use tactics to minimize your rideshare accident claim or deny it entirely. They might pressure you to give a recorded statement, rush you into accepting a low settlement, or claim your injuries aren’t as serious as you say.
The bottom line: rideshare companies and their insurers have teams of lawyers protecting their interests. You need someone to protect yours.
How a Rideshare Accident Lawyer Protects Your Rights
If you are injured as a rideshare passenger, you may be overwhelmed by medical bills, lost wages, and dealing with insurance companies all at once. A rideshare car accident lawyer guides you through the claim process and fights for the compensation you deserve.
Here’s how a lawyer helps your Lyft or Uber accident case.
Investigating your case: Your attorney will gather evidence, interview witnesses, obtain police reports, and reconstruct the accident to prove liability.
Handling insurance companies: Instead of dealing with aggressive adjusters yourself, your lawyer communicates on your behalf and shuts down lowball settlement tactics.
Navigating complex insurance coverage: Rideshare insurance has different phases and coverage limits. Your attorney knows which policies apply and how to maximize your recovery.
Meeting all deadlines: North Carolina has strict statutes of limitations. Your lawyer ensures every filing is completed correctly and on time.
Negotiating aggressively: Most rideshare accident cases settle, but only after tough negotiations. Your attorney knows what your case is truly worth.
Taking your case to trial: If insurance companies won’t offer fair compensation, your lawyer is ready to present your case to a jury.
An Uber Accident Attorney Fights for Maximum Compensation
After a rideshare accident, you have the right to pursue compensation for all your losses, not just what insurance companies initially offer. This may include:
Medical expenses: Doctor visits, hospital stay, physical therapy, and future medical care.
Lost wages: The income you’ve already lost from missing work, plus future earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from working at full capacity.
Pain and suffering: The physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life caused by your rideshare accident.
Property damage: Repair or replacement of personal items damaged in the accident, like phones, laptops, or clothing.
Your attorney carefully documents your financial losses by collecting medical bills, pay stubs, and other records that clearly show how the accident affected you. They also work with your doctors to outline future medical care and may consult economic experts to calculate lost earning potential if your injuries impact your ability to work long-term.
Pain and suffering can be harder to measure, but experienced rideshare accident lawyers know how to prove it. They rely on medical records to show how serious and lasting your injuries are, gather statements from family members about changes to your daily life, and work with medical experts who can explain your limitations in clear terms.
Steps to Take If You’re Injured as a Rideshare Passenger
The moments and days after a rideshare accident are critical. What you do now can significantly impact your ability to recover compensation later.
Your first priority is your health and safety. Even if you feel okay, adrenaline can mask serious injuries. Some injuries, like internal bleeding, whiplash, or traumatic brain injuries, don’t show symptoms immediately. Getting checked by a doctor creates a medical record linking your injuries to the rideshare accident.
Beyond seeking medical care, follow these essential steps:
- Call 911 if anyone is injured – Always get police and medical help to the scene
- Take photos and videos – Document vehicle damage, the accident scene, road conditions, and your visible injuries
- Get driver information – Collect the rideshare driver’s name, contact info, insurance details, and license plate
- Report the accident through the app – Both Uber and Lyft require you to report accidents through their apps
- Identify witnesses – Get names and contact information from anyone who saw the rideshare accident
- Keep all receipts and records – Save medical bills, pharmacy receipts, and documentation of missed work
- Don’t give recorded statements – Insurance adjusters may contact you quickly; politely decline until you’ve spoken with a rideshare accident lawyer
- Don’t sign anything – Never sign settlement agreements or release forms without legal review
- Contact a personal injury attorney – The sooner you have legal representation, the better protected your rights will be
Remember: anything you say to an insurance company can be used to reduce or deny your claim. It’s okay to say you need to speak with an attorney first.
Understanding Rideshare Insurance Coverage
Rideshare insurance is more complicated than regular auto insurance. The coverage available when you’re injured as a rideshare passenger depends on what the driver was doing at the time of the accident.
Phase 1: App Off – When the rideshare driver’s app is turned off, only their personal auto insurance applies. Most personal policies exclude commercial activities, which can create coverage gaps.
Phase 2: App On, Waiting for a Ride Request – When the driver has the app on but hasn’t accepted a ride, Uber and Lyft insurance provide contingent liability coverage. This is lower coverage that only kicks in if the driver’s personal insurance doesn’t cover the accident.
Phase 3: Passenger in the Vehicle – From the moment the driver accepts your ride request until you exit the vehicle, both Lyft and Uber insurance provide $1 million in liability coverage.
If you’re injured as a rideshare passenger, the highest level of coverage applies: $1 million. But rideshare companies and insurance don’t hand out fair settlements automatically. Insurance adjusters will investigate your claim, looking for reasons to pay less or deny it entirely. You need a skilled rideshare accident lawyer who knows how to counter these tactics.
Who Can Be Liable for a Rideshare Accident?
Determining who’s legally responsible for your injuries is crucial to recovering compensation. Multiple parties might share liability for a rideshare accident.
Identifying all liable parties is critical when you’re injured as a rideshare passenger. Multiple defendants mean multiple insurance policies, which increases the total compensation available for your injuries. Your rideshare accident lawyer will investigate every angle to hold all responsible parties accountable.
The Rideshare Driver
If your rideshare driver was speeding, distracted, driving recklessly, or violating traffic laws, they may be liable for your injuries. Driver negligence is one of the most common causes of rideshare accidents.
Other Drivers
Another driver’s negligence often causes or contributes to rideshare accidents. If someone ran a red light, drove drunk, or caused the collision, they can be held liable alongside or instead of your rideshare driver.
The Rideshare Company
While Uber and Lyft classify drivers as independent contractors, there are circumstances where the company itself may bear some responsibility. If they failed to properly screen a driver, ignored complaints about dangerous driving, or their app contributed to the accident, they could be liable.
Vehicle Manufacturers
If a defective vehicle part caused or worsened the rideshare accident, like faulty brakes, tire blowouts, or airbag failures, the manufacturer could be held liable.
Government Entities
Dangerous road conditions, missing traffic signals, inadequate signage, or poor road maintenance can contribute to accidents. In these cases, the city, county, or state transportation department might share liability.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rideshare Accident Claims
How long do I have to file a claim after a rideshare accident?
In North Carolina, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally three years from the date of the accident. However, waiting that long is never advisable. Evidence disappears, witnesses’ memories fade, and insurance companies become more difficult to deal with as time passes. Contact a rideshare accident lawyer as soon as possible after you’re injured as a rideshare passenger.
How much does it cost to hire a rideshare accident lawyer?
Charlotte Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing up front and no attorney fees unless we win your case. Our fees come as a percentage of your settlement or verdict, so we only get paid when you do. There’s no financial risk to getting experienced legal representation.
How long does a rideshare accident claim take?
Every case is different. Simple cases with clear liability and minor injuries might settle in a few months. Complex cases involving serious injuries, disputed liability, or multiple parties can take a year or longer. Your attorney will move your case forward as efficiently as possible.
Should I accept the settlement offer from the insurance company?
Never accept a settlement without first consulting a rideshare accident lawyer. Initial offers are almost always far below what your case is truly worth. Insurance companies count on injured passengers accepting quick settlements before understanding the full extent of their injuries and future medical needs.
Contact 1 Charlotte Injury Lawyers for Your Rideshare Accident Case
If you’ve been injured as a rideshare passenger in Gastonia, Charlotte, or anywhere in the surrounding areas, you don’t have to face insurance companies alone.
1 Charlotte Injury Lawyers has extensive experience handling rideshare accident cases. We understand the unique challenges these claims present, and we know how to fight for maximum compensation.
Contact us today at (704) 706-2689 or through our online form for a free consultation. We’ll listen to your story, review the facts of your case, and explain your legal options. Let us fight for the compensation you deserve while you focus on healing.
You Pay Nothing Unless We Win
Remember, we work on a contingency fee basis. There are no upfront costs, no hourly billing, and no attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you.
