Sacramento Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

Liability in a rideshare accident depends on the driver’s status at the time of the crash. If the app was active and a passenger was in the vehicle, Uber and Lyft provide up to $1 million in liability coverage under California Insurance Code §11580.1. If the driver was logged into the app but had no passenger, the company provides lower-tier coverage of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. We investigate the driver’s app status, trip records, and all available insurance layers to identify every liable party.

Uber and Lyft classify their drivers as independent contractors, which they use to shield themselves from direct employer liability. However, we pursue claims against the company’s commercial insurance policies, which are triggered when the app is active. California courts have increasingly scrutinized this independent contractor defense, particularly after AB 5. We build the strongest possible case against every available insurance source to maximize your recovery.

Under California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a government entity — such as a Sacramento Regional Transit bus — is involved, you must file a government tort claim within six months. Missing these deadlines almost certainly bars your claim forever. We recommend contacting us as soon as possible so we can preserve evidence and meet every filing requirement on your behalf.

You may be entitled to economic damages such as medical expenses, future medical care, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity, as well as non-economic damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving reckless or intentional conduct, punitive damages may also be available. Sacramento’s high cost of living and medical care is factored into our demand calculations. We document every element of your loss from the emergency room visit to long-term rehabilitation.

California follows a pure comparative fault system under Civil Code §1714, meaning your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but is never completely barred. For example, if you are found 20% at fault for not wearing a seatbelt, your damages are reduced by 20%. Insurers aggressively try to inflate your share of fault to minimize their payout. We counter those arguments with accident reconstruction, witness statements, and traffic camera footage from Sacramento intersections.

Call 911 and request a Sacramento Police Department or California Highway Patrol report — do not leave the scene without one. Screenshot your Uber or Lyft app to preserve proof of the active trip and the driver’s information. Seek medical treatment immediately, even if injuries seem minor, because symptoms from soft tissue injuries often appear days later. Contact us before giving any recorded statement to any insurance company, including the rideshare insurer.

Yes, when you are a paying passenger in an active Uber or Lyft trip, the company’s $1 million liability policy is available to compensate your injuries. This coverage applies regardless of whether the Uber or Lyft driver was at fault or another driver caused the crash. If a third-party driver caused the accident, we pursue that driver’s personal auto insurance first, then look to Uber or Lyft’s underinsured motorist coverage if the at-fault driver’s limits are insufficient. We handle all coordination between insurers so you can focus on recovery.

Both Uber and Lyft maintain uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage up to $1 million per incident when the app is active and a passenger is on board. This coverage steps in when a third-party driver who caused the accident has no insurance or inadequate limits. We also examine your own auto policy for additional UM/UIM coverage that may apply. Sacramento sees a significant number of uninsured motorists, making this coverage layer especially important.

Many straightforward rideshare claims settle within six to twelve months once medical treatment is complete and we have a full picture of your damages. More complex cases — those involving disputed liability, severe injuries, or multiple defendants — may take one to two years or more, particularly if we file in Sacramento County Superior Court. We do not rush your settlement before you have reached maximum medical improvement, because settling too early can leave future medical costs uncompensated. We keep you informed at every stage of the process.

We handle all Uber and Lyft accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Our fee is a percentage of the final settlement or verdict, and all case costs — investigations, expert witnesses, court filings — are advanced by our firm. There are no upfront payments, no monthly bills, and no hourly charges. If we do not win, you owe us nothing.

Distracted or impaired driving by a rideshare driver significantly strengthens your claim and may support a demand for punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages. We obtain the driver’s phone records, app activity logs, and toxicology reports to establish the full extent of their negligence. Uber and Lyft have their own background check and safety obligations, and systemic failures on their part can expose the companies to greater liability. Sacramento DUI accident records and police reports are key evidence we gather immediately.

Absolutely. Pedestrians and cyclists hit by Uber or Lyft vehicles in Sacramento are entitled to the same $1 million commercial liability coverage as passengers, provided the app was active. Sacramento has a growing number of bicycle lanes along streets like J Street and the American River Parkway, and rideshare drivers unfamiliar with these corridors often cause serious collisions. We investigate whether inadequate driver training, distracted driving, or app misuse contributed to your crash. Pedestrian and cyclist injuries frequently involve serious trauma, and we pursue full compensation accordingly.

We obtain trip logs directly from Uber or Lyft through our demand and litigation process, which captures the exact status of the driver’s app at the moment of impact. We also preserve GPS data, receipts, and timestamped app screenshots that corroborate the driver’s active status. Sacramento Police Department accident reports often note rideshare involvement, which further documents the trip. Gathering this evidence quickly is critical because digital records can be overwritten or deleted, which is why you should call us as soon as possible after the accident.

If a third-party driver caused the crash while you were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle, we file a claim against that driver’s liability insurance first. If their coverage is insufficient to cover your losses, we then pursue Uber or Lyft’s underinsured motorist policy for the remaining damages. In some cases both the third-party driver and the rideshare driver share fault, and we pursue both simultaneously. We handle all negotiations with multiple insurance carriers so nothing falls through the cracks.

Rideshare accident claims are among the most legally complex personal injury cases because they involve multiple insurance policies, corporate legal teams, and technology-driven evidence. Uber and Lyft employ experienced claims adjusters whose job is to minimize payouts to injured victims. We regularly recover significantly more for our clients than insurers initially offer, and we know the tactics these companies use to undervalue claims. We offer a free consultation with no obligation, and we encourage you to speak with us before accepting any offer or signing any release.