{"id":20,"date":"2022-03-18T15:00:05","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T22:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/attorneyoscar.imh1.view-live.com\/uber-lyft\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T16:03:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T23:03:35","slug":"victimas-de-accidentes-de-uber-y-lyft","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/attorneyoscar.com\/es\/personal-injury-lawyer\/car-accidents\/uber-lyft-accidents\/","title":{"rendered":"Accidentes de Uber y Lyft"},"content":{"rendered":"

West Covina Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney<\/h1>\n
\n \"Rideshare<\/p>\n
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Rideshare Claims Get Complicated.<\/h2>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Coverage can depend on the driver, app status, and crash circumstances.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

An accident involving an Uber or Lyft can look like an ordinary car crash at first, but the insurance questions can be very different. The coverage that applies may depend on whether the rideshare driver was offline, waiting for a ride request, traveling to pick up a passenger, or actively transporting one.<\/p>\n

The Law Firm of Oscar A. Ischiu represents people injured in rideshare accidents in West Covina, throughout the San Gabriel Valley, and across Los Angeles County. Depending on the circumstances, a claim may involve a rideshare passenger, an Uber or Lyft driver, another motorist, a pedestrian, or a cyclist injured in a collision with a rideshare vehicle.<\/p>\n

Determining fault is only one part of the case. Identifying the driver’s app status, preserving trip information, and determining which insurance policies apply can also affect how the claim is handled.<\/p>\n

How Uber and Lyft Accidents Happen<\/h2>\n

Rideshare drivers face many of the same risks as other motorists, but the nature of app-based driving can create additional distractions and time on the road. Common circumstances in rideshare collisions can include:<\/p>\n

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  • Distracted driving while using navigation or the rideshare app<\/li>\n
  • Unsafe lane changes while approaching a pickup or drop-off location<\/li>\n
  • Sudden stops to pick up or discharge passengers<\/li>\n
  • Speeding or following too closely<\/li>\n
  • Driver fatigue after extended periods behind the wheel<\/li>\n
  • Failure to yield at intersections or crosswalks<\/li>\n
  • Collisions caused by another negligent driver<\/li>\n
  • Impaired or reckless driving by another motorist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    A rideshare driver is not automatically at fault simply because the vehicle was being used for Uber or Lyft. Liability still depends on the conduct of the drivers and the evidence showing how the collision occurred.<\/p>\n

    Why the Driver’s App Status Matters<\/h2>\n

    California regulates transportation network companies such as Uber and Lyft through the California Public Utilities Commission. For insurance purposes, TNC service is divided into different periods based on the driver’s status in the app.<\/p>\n

    Driver Offline<\/h3>\n

    If the driver is not logged into the rideshare app, the TNC insurance requirements generally do not apply. The driver’s personal automobile insurance may instead be the primary coverage considered.<\/p>\n

    California’s current minimum liability limits for most private passenger vehicles are $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for injury or death to more than one person in one accident, and $15,000 for property damage.<\/p>\n

    Period 1: App On, Waiting for a Match<\/h3>\n

    When the rideshare app is open but the driver has not yet accepted a ride request, California requires primary TNC insurance of at least:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • $50,000 for death or personal injury per person<\/li>\n
    • $100,000 for death or personal injury per incident<\/li>\n
    • $30,000 for property damage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      California also requires additional excess coverage during this period. The exact coverage available in a particular accident should be confirmed through the applicable policies rather than assumed from the minimum statutory amounts.<\/p>\n

      Period 2: Ride Accepted, Passenger Not Yet Picked Up<\/h3>\n

      Once the driver accepts a ride request and is traveling to pick up the passenger, California requires the TNC to provide $1 million in primary commercial insurance.<\/p>\n

      Period 3: Passenger in the Vehicle<\/h3>\n

      The $1 million primary commercial insurance requirement continues while the passenger is in the rideshare vehicle until the passenger exits.<\/p>\n

      California also requires $1 million in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage during Period 3. That coverage can become important when a passenger is injured because of a driver who has no insurance or insufficient insurance.<\/p>\n

      The existence of a $1 million policy does not mean every rideshare accident claim is worth $1 million. A claim still depends on fault, injuries, damages, available insurance, and the evidence supporting the losses being claimed.<\/p>\n

      If You Were Injured as an Uber or Lyft Passenger<\/h2>\n

      A rideshare passenger may be injured because of the rideshare driver’s negligence, another motorist’s negligence, or the conduct of more than one driver.<\/p>\n

      Because a passenger generally is not controlling either vehicle, the main liability dispute is often between the drivers or other responsible parties. The insurance analysis can involve the rideshare company’s commercial coverage, another driver’s liability policy, and potentially uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage depending on the circumstances.<\/p>\n

      Passengers should preserve their trip receipt, route information, driver’s identity, vehicle information, pickup and destination details, and any relevant in-app communications. These records can help establish that the ride was active and which insurance period applied at the time of the collision.<\/p>\n

      If an Uber or Lyft Driver Hit Your Vehicle<\/h2>\n

      If you were driving your own vehicle and were hit by an Uber or Lyft driver, the driver’s app status can determine whether personal automobile insurance, TNC insurance, or a combination of available coverage needs to be evaluated.<\/p>\n

      Useful evidence may include photographs, witness information, police reports, dashcam or surveillance video, vehicle damage, and records showing the rideshare driver’s status at the time of impact.<\/p>\n

      The fact that a driver was working through a rideshare platform does not by itself establish negligence. The claim must still show how the driver caused or contributed to the crash.<\/p>\n

      If You Were Driving for Uber or Lyft When Another Driver Hit You<\/h2>\n

      Rideshare drivers can also be injured because another motorist was negligent. In that situation, the other driver’s liability coverage may be the first source examined.<\/p>\n

      Depending on the driver’s rideshare status and applicable policies, other coverage may also become relevant. Personal automobile policies may contain exclusions or limitations for rideshare activity, while TNC policies apply differently depending on whether the driver was waiting for a request, traveling to a pickup, or transporting a passenger.<\/p>\n

      The correct analysis should therefore begin with the actual policies and app timeline rather than assuming that one particular policy automatically controls the claim.<\/p>\n

      Evidence to Preserve After a Rideshare Accident<\/h2>\n

      Rideshare accidents involve ordinary crash evidence plus information specific to the app-based trip. If possible, preserve:<\/p>\n