Practice area · Northridge, California
Rideshare Accidents
Hurt as an Uber or Lyft passenger, by a rideshare driver, or while driving for one. A rideshare accident lawyer in Northridge who knows which policy applies.
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5.0 across more than 190 reviews·Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 5 years in a row
Accident Lawyer of California, P.C.
Has handled thousands of cases and settled millions of dollars for clients.
Every case depends on its own facts, and a past result does not predict the outcome of any other case. Full statement.
In plain words
Who pays when you are hurt in an Uber or Lyft crash?
It depends on what the rideshare driver’s app was doing at the moment of the crash. When a driver is on the way to a pickup or carrying a passenger, California requires the rideshare company’s commercial policy to provide at least $1 million in liability coverage. When the app is on but no ride is accepted, much lower limits apply, and when the app is off, only the driver’s personal insurance applies.
Aryan Aliakbarzadeh, Esq. handles rideshare accident claims from Northridge for passengers, other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists across the Valley. The first job is proving the app status, because it decides which insurer is responsible.
Answered by Aryan Aliakbarzadeh, Esq., personal injury attorney, Northridge, California.
How it works
What happens in a rideshare accident case
- CallFree consultation. Tell him what happened.
- EvidenceReport, photos, witnesses, footage.
- TreatmentYour medical record is built as you heal.
- DemandMade when the injury is understood.
- ResolutionSettled with the insurer, or filed and tried.
How a rideshare accident case works
The claim starts by locking down the trip record: the app status, the ride receipt, the driver’s account and the time stamps. With those, the right policy is identified, whether it belongs to Uber, Lyft, the driver or another driver at fault. The police report, photos, witnesses and camera footage are gathered next, the same as any crash.
Who can bring a claim
Passengers in the rideshare car. Drivers and passengers of the other car. Pedestrians and cyclists hit by a rideshare driver. Rideshare drivers themselves, when another driver causes the crash.
What the insurer does
Rideshare claims often involve two or three insurers, and each one points at the others. The company’s insurer may question whether the app was active, and the driver’s personal insurer may deny coverage because the car was used commercially. Your claim should not stall while they argue.
How long it takes
Most claims resolve once treatment is complete and the injury is understood. Cases with disputed app status or serious injuries take longer. In California the general deadline to file an injury lawsuit is two years from the crash, and shorter deadlines can apply to claims against public entities.
What to do in the first week
Screenshot the ride receipt and the driver’s name and plate in the app. Get the police report number. Photograph the cars and your injuries. See a doctor even if you feel fine. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurer before you speak with a lawyer.
The days after
- At the scene
Stop. Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Exchange licence, registration and insurance details, and photograph the vehicles, the scene and anything that shows what happened.
- Within 24 hours
If anyone was hurt or killed, report the collision to the police or the CHP. If you were hurt, get seen and keep the paperwork you are given.
- The same week
Tell your own insurer promptly; policies require it. Give them the facts and keep the claim number.
- Within 10 days
File the DMV’s SR-1 report if anyone was injured or the damage passed $1,000. It is required even when the police took a report; without it the DMV can suspend a licence.
- When the other insurer calls
You can decline a recorded statement and refer them to your own insurer or your lawyer. Sign nothing about fault.
- The weeks after
Keep the vehicle, the bike, the helmet and any damaged property as they are until they have been photographed and inspected. Keep a simple record: symptoms, appointments, missed work, receipts.
- Before you sign
Ask for the collision report; the LAPD releases it about six weeks after the crash. Do not sign a release or take a quick payment before the injury is understood, because a release ends the claim.
Step 1 of 7
Your attorney
Aryan Aliakbarzadeh, Esq.
Personal injury attorney in Northridge, California. Admitted to the State Bar of California in October 2012, No. 284358; 14 years in practice. Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 5 years in a row.
About Aryan Aliakbarzadeh, Esq.
Reviews are published as clients wrote them on Google. Every case depends on its own facts, and a past result does not predict the outcome of any other case. Full statement.
Questions
Questions about rideshare accident cases
I was a passenger. Do I have to prove who caused the crash?
Passengers are rarely at fault, so the question is which driver’s insurer pays, not whether you are owed. Often both drivers’ policies are involved.
The rideshare driver says the app was off. What now?
The company keeps trip and app records. Those records are requested early, because they decide whether the $1 million policy applies.
I drive for Uber or Lyft and another driver hit me. Can I claim?
Yes. A claim is made against the at fault driver’s insurer, and depending on your app status, the rideshare company’s coverage may also apply.
How long do I have to file a claim?
Generally two years from the date of the crash in California, and less for claims against a city, county or the state. Call early so evidence is not lost.
Free consultation
Not sure if you need a lawyer?
Call and ask. Free consultation, nothing to sign. If you would rather not talk yet, send a message below. Same day reply.
Where is the office?
Accident Lawyer of California, P.C. is at 8535 Reseda Blvd. #100, Northridge, CA 91324, in the San Fernando Valley.
Call or text. Same day reply.
- Office
- 8535 Reseda Blvd. #100, Northridge, CA 91324
- Hours
- Open 24 hours
- Serving
- Northridge · Porter Ranch · Van Nuys · Sherman Oaks · Woodland Hills · Reseda · Canoga Park · Encino · Granada Hills
- Phone
- 818-718-2522
- Text
- 818-718-2522
- info@alca4u.com