Uber & Lyft Accidents matters in Fresno
Rideshare use has become routine across Fresno, whether it is a night out in the Tower District, a ride home from Fresno State, a trip downtown, or a fare to Fresno Yosemite International Airport. When an Uber or Lyft is involved in a crash, the central question is often not just who was at fault, but which insurance policy covers your injuries, and that depends on the driver's app status at the moment of impact.
MMG Law Firm represents people injured in rideshare crashes throughout Fresno from our Glendale base, untangling the coverage layers and pursuing the responsible parties.
Why rideshare crashes happen across Fresno
High-demand pickup and drop-off areas put rideshare vehicles in busy, distraction-heavy settings:
- The Tower District nightlife scene, where late-night pickups mix with impaired and tired drivers
- Fresno State and surrounding student areas, with heavy evening and weekend ride demand
- Downtown Fresno, with congested one-way streets and event traffic
- Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), where frequent stops, loading zones, and unfamiliar drivers increase collision risk
How rideshare insurance coverage works
Uber and Lyft both carry tiered insurance that changes with the driver's app status:
- App off: the driver's personal auto policy applies, and the company's coverage generally does not.
- App on, waiting for a ride request: a lower level of contingent liability coverage from the rideshare company typically applies.
- En route to a passenger or on an active trip: a $1 million third-party liability policy generally applies, the highest level of coverage.
Determining which phase the driver was in is often the key issue, and rideshare companies and their insurers do not always volunteer that information. We investigate trip records and app data to establish which policy is on the hook.
Who we help and the injuries involved
- Rideshare passengers injured in a crash
- Uber and Lyft drivers hurt by another motorist
- Occupants of other vehicles and pedestrians or cyclists struck by a rideshare car
- Whiplash, fractures, head injuries, and back and spine injuries from these collisions
Compensation you may be able to recover
California allows recovery of economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical bills, future treatment, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity. Non-economic damages cover pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life. Under pure comparative negligence, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but not barred. As with any injury claim, no outcome is guaranteed, and value depends on the specific facts and the available coverage.
Deadlines and where Fresno cases are filed
Most California injury claims, including rideshare crashes, carry a two-year statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. These cases are generally filed in the Fresno County Superior Court at the B.F. Sisk Courthouse in downtown Fresno. Because evidence like app data and trip records can be hard to obtain later, prompt action is important.
How MMG Law Firm helps from Glendale
We are based in Glendale, about 220 miles south of Fresno, and we offer statewide representation to rideshare crash victims without a local office, which we disclose openly. We handle most of your case remotely by phone, email, and video, and travel to Fresno for court appearances and depositions when needed. We deal with Uber's and Lyft's insurers and the at-fault driver's carrier so you do not have to. Consultations are free and available in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on a contingency fee, so there is no fee unless we win.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with uber & lyft accidents
Uber and Lyft cases come down to which policy applies at the exact moment of the crash, and Mihran M. Ghazaryan maps that timeline precisely. He pulls the trip data, pinpoints the driver's app status, and pursues the up-to-$1M coverage that applies during an active ride — coverage adjusters won't volunteer. You work with the attorney untangling those layered policies, start to finish.
Types of rideshare accidents we handle
Passenger injury during an active ride
Uber's or Lyft's $1M policy is in force. The driver's personal policy is irrelevant to your recovery in most cases.
Driver as plaintiff (rideshare driver injured)
Uninsured/underinsured-motorist coverage from the platform applies during active periods. We make sure rideshare drivers know what they have.
Pedestrians and other vehicles struck by rideshare drivers
App-status windows determine which policy responds. Trip data is the central piece.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every rideshare accident claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Get medical attention immediately.
- Screenshot your trip — both the receipt and the driver profile.
- Save the in-app trip details before the app updates them.
- Photograph the scene, the vehicle, and the rideshare placards.
- Do not give a recorded statement to either insurer before contacting us.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.