Rideshare has become part of daily life across Arizona. You call an Uber to get home from a night out in downtown Mesa, you take a Lyft to a Diamondbacks game, you grab a ride to the airport from Glendale, or you split a car with friends after dinner near the University of Arizona in Tucson. Most of the time, the trip ends without a problem.
But when a rideshare vehicle is involved in a Lyft or Uber accident, the people who get hurt often find themselves dealing with a more difficult situation than what they’d face after an ordinary car accident. They may also find themselves wondering who pays their medical bills, who is responsible for reporting the accident, and whether they would benefit from filing a claim against the responsible party.
The answers to these questions are rarely simple. Uber and Lyft accidents involve layers of insurance, independent contractors, multiple drivers, and corporate policies designed to protect the companies first. If you have been injured as a passenger, another driver, a pedestrian, or even the rideshare driver yourself, the steps you take in the first hours and days can shape the rest of your claim.
Across Rasmussen Injury Law’s three Arizona law firms, our rideshare accident lawyers stand ready to offer legal advice after an Uber or Lyft accident. If you have been hurt in a rideshare accident, we urge you to reach out to us as soon as possible.
Free Case Evaluation
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
What to Do after an Arizona Rideshare Accident
What you do at the scene and in the days that follow can protect both your health and your claim.
Right after the crash…
Call 911 and get a police report. A responding officer in Mesa, Glendale, Tucson, or wherever the crash happened will document the scene and create an official record. Insurers take that report seriously, and you will need it.
Get medical attention, even if you feel fine. Remember, adrenaline masks injuries. Soft tissue damage, concussions, and back and neck injuries often take days or weeks to show their full severity. Seeing a doctor promptly does two things: it protects your health, and it creates a medical record that ties your injuries to the crash. If you wait, the insurance adjuster will argue you were never really hurt.
Document everything from inside the app. This is the step people forget: take screenshots of your trip details, the driver’s name, the vehicle, the pickup and drop-off, and the time. Uber and Lyft trip records can disappear from easy view, and that data helps prove the driver was actively working when the crash happened.
Photograph the scene. Capture the vehicles, the damage, the road, traffic signals, and your visible injuries. Get the names and contact information for all witnesses.
In the days and weeks following the crash…
Be careful with insurance companies. Within hours, you may hear from the at-fault driver’s insurer, your own insurer, or a representative for Uber or Lyft. Be polite, but do not give a recorded statement or accept a quick settlement before you understand what your claim is worth. Early offers are almost always lower than what your case deserves.
Talk to a rideshare accident attorney before you sign anything. Once you accept a settlement, the case is closed for good. If your injuries turn out to be worse than they first seemed, you cannot reopen it. Speak with our team at (480) 637-5757 before making decisions that could affect your claim.
Read More from Rasmussen Injury Law: What To Do After a Car Accident in Arizona
Want to dig deeper into how rideshare claims work in your city? Read more on our Mesa rideshare accident, Glendale rideshare accident, and Tucson rideshare accident pages.
What Makes Rideshare Accidents Different
The biggest difference with rideshare accidents is the type and amount of insurance coverage. Unlike most car accidents, rideshare accidents may involve multiple insurance policies. The driver’s status at the time of the crash can determine whether a personal auto policy or up to $1 million in rideshare insurance coverage applies.
Moreover, Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, not employees. The insurance coverage available depends on whether the driver was:
- Logged out of the app
- Logged in and waiting for a ride request
- On the way to pick up a passenger
- Transporting a passenger
Rideshare accidents are common in Mesa, Glendale, and Tucson. Busy roads like US 60, Loop 101, and Loop 202, along with major event venues and university districts, put more Uber and Lyft vehicles on Arizona roads. More rideshare traffic means more opportunities for serious accidents.
If you’ve been involved in such a crash, the rideshare accident attorneys at Rasmussen Injury Law can determine which coverage applies and who should be paying your damages. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Whose Insurance Pays? It Depends on the App
Arizona is an at-fault state, which means the driver who caused the crash is responsible for the resulting damages. With a rideshare vehicle, though, the coverage available depends on which “period” the driver was in when the accident occurred.
When the app is off, the company’s commercial coverage does not apply at all. Only the driver’s personal auto insurance is in play. Arizona’s minimum requirements are modest: $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage.
When the app is on, but a ride has not yet been accepted, Uber and Lyft provide limited liability coverage. For Uber, that generally means at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $25,000 for property damage.
When the driver is on the way to a passenger, or has one in the car, the full policy applies. This is where the big policy kicks in. From the moment the driver accepts a ride through the end of the trip, Uber and Lyft carry up to $1,000,000 in liability coverage per accident, along with uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Rideshare companies’ tiered insurance structure is exactly why these cases get complicated. Insurers have every incentive to argue the driver was in a lower-coverage period, or that the app was off entirely. Pinning down the driver’s true status at the moment of impact, using app data, trip records, and the police report, is often the single most important part of the claim.
Not sure which insurance policy applies to your crash? Call Rasmussen Injury Law at (480) 637-5757 for a free consultation.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Rideshare Accident
Depending on how the crash happened, more than one party may be responsible:
- The rideshare driver, if they were speeding, distracted, or otherwise negligent.
- Uber or Lyft’s insurance, when the driver was actively working under the conditions described above.
- Another driver, if a third vehicle caused or contributed to the collision.
- A vehicle or parts manufacturer, in the rare case where a mechanical failure played a role.
If you were partly at fault yourself, Arizona’s comparative negligence rules still allow you to recover. (We explain how that works in our blog, Can I Sue If I Was Partially at Fault in Arizona?)
Don't Wait: Arizona's Filing Deadline is 2 Years from Injury
Arizona generally gives injury victims two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim, under A.R.S. section 12-542. That window can feel long, but rideshare cases need time to build. App data has to be requested, multiple insurers have to be identified, and medical treatment has to play out so the full extent of your injuries is clear. The sooner you involve an attorney, the more evidence can be preserved before it disappears.
Why Injured Arizonans Trust Rasmussen Injury Law
For more than 30 years, Rasmussen Injury Law has represented injured people across Arizona, with offices in Mesa, Glendale, and Tucson. We know the local roads, the local courts, and the medical providers our clients rely on. Just as important, we know how Uber, Lyft, and their insurers operate when a rideshare vehicle is involved, and we know how to cut through the layers of coverage they hide behind.
We work on a contingency fee basis; that means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. When an insurer undervalues a claim, we are prepared to take the case to court to fight for the full and fair amount our clients deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
I was a passenger in an Uber that crashed. Am I covered?
In almost all cases, yes. When a driver has accepted a ride and is transporting a passenger, the $1,000,000 commercial policy is active. As an injured passenger, you are generally not at fault for the crash, which often makes these among the more straightforward rideshare claims, at least on the question of liability.
What if the rideshare driver wasn’t at fault, but another driver was?
You can pursue a claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance. If that driver was uninsured or underinsured, Uber or Lyft’s uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage may apply, depending on the driver’s app status at the time.
Should I accept the settlement Uber’s insurer offers me?
Never accept a settlement until you understand what your claim is potentially worth. First offers are designed to close the file quickly and cheaply. Once you sign a release, you cannot ask for more, even if your condition worsens. For more on this, see our blog on how much an Arizona car accident settlement is worth.
I drive for Uber or Lyft and got hurt while working. Do I have a claim?
It is possible, depending on a few factors. Depending on who caused the crash and your app status, you may have a claim against another driver, against the rideshare company’s coverage, or both. The same goes for delivery drivers working for DoorDash, Grubhub, or Uber Eats.
How much does it cost to hire a rideshare accident lawyer?
At Rasmussen Injury Law, you pay nothing up front. We work on contingency, so our fee comes out of the recovery we obtain for you. If we do not recover anything, you owe us nothing.
How long do I have to file?
You generally have two (2) years from the date of the accident in Arizona, though exceptions exist. The safest move is to speak with an attorney as soon as possible so evidence and app data can be preserved.
Talk to an Arizona Rideshare Accident Attorney Today
An Uber or Lyft crash leaves you dealing with injuries, missed work, and a tangle of insurance policies that were never built with you in mind. You do not have to sort it out alone. Whether your accident happened in Mesa, Glendale, Tucson, or anywhere else in Arizona, Rasmussen Injury Law is ready to listen to your story and fight for the full compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. Call (480) 637-5757 or reach out through our website. Let us handle the insurance companies while you focus on getting better.