Injured in an Uber or Lyft Accident? What to Do Next and How Rideshare Insurance Works
Hurt in an Uber or Lyft—can you recover compensation for your injuries?
Yes. Maryland law allows claims against the proper insurer, and rideshare coverage shifts with the driver’s app status. Your first moves decide the strength of your case. An experienced Maryland personal injury lawyer will tie your medical records to the collision, confirm the correct policy, and pursue full damages.
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What to Do After an Uber or Lyft Crash in Maryland
The goal is simple: protect your health, lock down the evidence, and keep insurance adjusters from shaping the story without you. Follow this sequence the same day if possible.
- Call 911 and request a report if anyone is hurt.
Ask the officer to list you as an involved person and make sure the report notes the vehicle you rode in (Uber or Lyft), the driver’s name, and plate numbers for every car involved. If police don’t respond, gather the other drivers’ insurance details and ask your injury lawyer in Maryland on how to file a written report promptly.
- Save key app screens before they disappear.
Take screenshots of the driver’s profile, trip ID, pick-up and drop-off times, and any in-app messages. These confirm whether the driver was waiting for a request, had accepted your ride, or was actively transporting you—facts that decide which policy applies.
- Document the scene.
Photograph damage, skid marks, intersection signs, debris, air-bag deployment, and your visible injuries. Ask witnesses for names and numbers. If nearby businesses might have cameras, note the addresses so your rideshare injury attorney can seek footage quickly.
- Get medical care within 24–48 hours.
ER, urgent care, or your doctor—just don’t wait. Early evaluation prevents gaps in your records and anchors the diagnosis to the collision. Keep every receipt and discharge note. If you carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) that wasn’t waived, it can fund initial treatment and a portion of lost wages while fault is sorted out.
- Report the incident in the app—carefully.
Provide the basics (date, time, location, vehicles) without speculation about fault. Decline recorded statements to an adverse insurer until you’ve spoken with MD personal injury attorneys who handle rideshare claims regularly.
- Tell your auto insurer and health plan.
Notify your own carriers as required by your policies. This preserves benefits such as PIP and potential uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. It also ensures your Uber injury attorney can coordinate benefits correctly.
- Preserve a pain-and-limitations journal.
Each day, jot down symptoms, missed work, sleep disruption, and activity limits. Consistent notes help your lawyer demonstrate how the injuries changed your routine and support noneconomic damages within Maryland’s cap.
- Watch the clock.
In most cases, Maryland’s statute of limitations for injury claims is three years from the date of the crash. Do not let informal talks with an adjuster run out the calendar. Filing on time preserves leverage.
- Keep everything in one folder.
Police report number, claim numbers, medical records, pay stubs for lost-wage proof, receipts for prescriptions and braces—centralizing documents helps your accident lawyers present a clean, credible demand package.
- Let your attorney handle insurer outreach.
With contributory negligence in play, loose comments can be used to argue that you share fault. The best accident lawyer in Maryland will control the communications, request the right data from Uber/Lyft, and schedule any statements on your terms.
How Rideshare Insurance Works in Maryland
Understanding coverage starts with one concept: periods of the app. Insurance shifts based on whether the driver is logged in, waiting, or on an active trip. Correctly placing the crash into the right period unlocks the correct policy and limits.
Period 0: App Off (Personal Use Only).
If the driver is not logged into Uber or Lyft, only the driver’s personal auto policy applies. The rideshare company’s policy does not engage. Injured parties present a standard liability claim against the at-fault driver, and your personal injury attorney will also check for any applicable uninsured/underinsured motorist benefits.
Period 1: App On, Waiting for a Request.
When the driver is logged in and available but hasn’t accepted a ride, most platforms provide contingent liability coverage that fills gaps if the driver’s personal policy denies coverage due to a “commercial use” exclusion. Typical industry limits in this window are $50,000 per person, $100,000 per crash, and $25,000 for property damage—but your lawyer will confirm the current certificate because terms can change. Your care may also be supported by your own PIP benefits if you didn’t waive them.
Periods 2–3: Ride Accepted and During Transport.
Once the driver accepts a trip—or after you’re in the vehicle—the commercial policy is in play, often with liability limits up to $1,000,000 for injuries to riders, pedestrians, cyclists, or occupants of other vehicles. Contingent collision may be available for the driver’s car if the driver also carries that coverage personally, subject to a deductible. For injured passengers, this is the window that usually funds the claim, and your Maryland personal injury lawyer will request the live certificate and proof of status directly from the platform.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM).
If a hit-and-run driver causes the wreck or the at-fault policy is too small, UM/UIM can step in—sometimes under the rideshare policy, sometimes under your own policy, and sometimes both, depending on the contract language and priority rules. Properly stacking these sources is a key job for a personal injury lawyer so you don’t leave money on the table.
PIP (Personal Injury Protection).
Maryland PIP—unless waived—typically provides at least $2,500 for medical costs and a portion of lost wages without waiting on fault. Using PIP is a practical way to start care and keep momentum during the claim process, and it does not bar you from seeking full damages later. Your accident lawyers in Maryland can help file PIP promptly.
Contributory Negligence and Last Clear Chance.
Maryland follows a strict rule: if an injured plaintiff is even 1% at fault, recovery can be barred in a negligence case. Passengers rarely face that argument, but non-passenger claims must be framed with care. Your personal injury attorney will lean on roadway evidence, trip telematics, and witnesses to show you did not contribute and, when appropriate, argue that the defendant had the last clear chance to avoid the collision. That precision matters in negotiations and in court.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Two simple missteps stall many claims. First, assuming “Uber will take care of it” and failing to save trip screenshots. Without proof of period status—app off, waiting, or on-trip—the wrong insurer may deny or delay. Second, giving a recorded statement to an adverse adjuster before speaking with MD personal injury attorneys. Under Maryland’s contributory negligence rule, a single clumsy phrase can be spun as partial fault. The fix is simple: secure the data, get care, and let your personal injury attorney handle communications.
Best Personal Injury Lawyer in Maryland for Uber/Lyft Insurance Disputes
Rideshare collisions hinge on three things: quick medical care, proof of the driver’s app period, and disciplined advocacy under Maryland’s contributory-negligence rule. With clean evidence and claim strategy, injured riders and motorists can recover medical costs, lost income, and noneconomic damages within the state’s framework. The Law Office of Ben Evan offers no-obligation evaluations across Prince George’s County and statewide—contact us today to secure the platform data, align your benefits, and pursue the full recovery you deserve.