MMGLaw Firm

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Los Angeles Rideshare Accident Lawyer

When an Uber or Lyft crash happens in Los Angeles, the insurance question gets complicated fast — coverage can shift depending on what the driver's app was doing. Sorting that out is half the battle.

Palm-lined California boulevard

Uber & Lyft Accidents matters in Los Angeles

Rideshare traffic is everywhere in Los Angeles — pickups stacked outside LAX, drivers circling Hollywood and downtown nightlife, and Uber and Lyft cars weaving the same congested stretches of the 101, the 405, and surface streets like Sunset and Figueroa. You might be hurt as a passenger in the back seat, as another driver hit by a distracted rideshare driver glancing at the app, or as a pedestrian or cyclist struck during a rushed pickup. In each situation, the available insurance can be very different. Uber and Lyft carry layered coverage that depends on the driver's app status at the moment of the crash. When the app is off, only the driver's personal policy applies. When the driver is logged in and waiting for a ride request, a limited contingent policy applies. And once the driver has accepted a trip or has a passenger in the car, a commercial policy of up to $1 million in liability coverage is generally in effect. Pinning down which phase the driver was in — through app data, trip records, and the company's logs — often determines which policy pays, and the companies don't volunteer that information. California's two-year deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 applies to these claims. Rideshare injury cases here are generally litigated in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, including the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown. Our office is a short drive up the I-5 in Glendale, and we offer free consultations in English, Armenian, and Russian. There's no fee unless we win.

Types of rideshare accidents cases 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. 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. 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. 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. 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, 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.

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Los Angeles Uber & Lyft Accidents FAQ

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Injured in Los Angeles?

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