Uber Accidents

Los Angeles Uber Accident Lawyer

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California Uber & Rideshare Accident Attorneys

Injured in an Uber crash? Here is what to know.

Yaghmai Law Firm represents Uber passengers, Uber drivers, and third-party motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists injured by Uber drivers in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, and the San Fernando Valley.
We handle Uber crashes during every phase of a ride — app-on with no ride accepted, en route to pick up, and passenger-in-vehicle — each governed by a different layer of insurance under California Public Utilities Code Section 5433.
California gives you two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury claim under CCP Section 335.1.
No fees unless we recover compensation. Free case review.
Call or text (888) 800-6731 or submit your case online.

An Uber accident lawyer Los Angeles passengers and drivers count on must identify which Public Utilities Code Section 5433 coverage period applied at the moment of the crash. Uber crashes look like ordinary car wrecks until you ask who pays for the injuries. Then the case turns into an insurance puzzle that depends on what the driver’s phone screen was showing the moment the collision happened. California regulates Uber and other rideshare services as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) under Public Utilities Code Sections 5430–5450. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) supervises TNCs under General Order 157 and the seminal 2013 order Decision 13-09-045, which created the rideshare regulatory category in California.

Yaghmai Law Firm handles Uber injury claims for every category of victim: passengers riding in an Uber, drivers and passengers in other vehicles struck by an Uber driver, and pedestrians or cyclists hit by an Uber driver. We pursue the proper insurance layer for the phase of the ride, hold Uber accountable when it tries to push claims onto the driver’s personal policy, and recover full compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. We work remotely so injured clients in Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks, and across California can reach us by phone, text, or our online intake without traveling to an office while they recover. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or start a free case review today.

If you or a loved one was hurt in an Uber accident, we are ready to help.

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No Win, No Fee Representation

Every Uber accident case at Yaghmai Law Firm is handled on a contingency-fee basis. You pay nothing up front and nothing out of pocket while we investigate, pursue your claim, and negotiate with Uber’s commercial insurer and the driver’s personal carrier. Our fee comes only from the settlement or verdict we recover for you. If we do not recover compensation, you owe no attorney’s fees.

That structure matters in rideshare cases because the insurance layers can be complex and the carriers often dispute which policy applies. We carry the costs of investigation, accident reconstruction, medical-record review, and expert work during the case so financial pressure does not force you into a low settlement.

Types of Uber Accident Cases We Handle

The right legal strategy depends on who you were when the crash happened. Uber injury claims fall into four core categories:

Uber passengers. The cleanest claims. Once you enter the vehicle and the trip is active, Uber’s $1 million third-party liability coverage applies to injuries caused by either the Uber driver or another at-fault motorist.
Uber drivers. Coverage depends on what the driver’s app screen was showing. Personal auto coverage, Uber’s contingent coverage, and Uber’s full $1 million layer each cover different periods of a shift.
Drivers and passengers in other vehicles. If an Uber driver caused your crash, the period-based framework in PU Code 5433 determines whether you recover from the driver’s personal insurer, Uber’s contingent policy, or Uber’s $1 million primary policy.
Pedestrians and cyclists. A walker or rider struck by an Uber driver is treated like any other third-party victim under the period-based rules. See our pedestrian accident and bicycle accident pages for the broader framework.

Wrongful-death claims after a fatal Uber crash follow the standing rules in California’s wrongful-death statute. See our wrongful death page for the survival and standing rules that apply when a loved one is killed.

Common Causes of Uber Crashes

Most Uber crashes trace back to driver behavior that is built into the way the platform operates. Recurring causes include:

Distracted driving. Uber drivers split their attention between the road and the app screen — checking maps, watching for ride requests, accepting trips, and messaging passengers.
Driver fatigue. Many Uber drivers work long shifts or stack rideshare hours on top of another job, which slows reaction time and judgment.
Impaired driving. While rideshare reduces overall drunk driving on the road, intoxicated Uber drivers still cause crashes, and Uber’s background-check process does not catch every risk.
Sudden stops and illegal pickups. Stopping suddenly in a travel lane or pulling into a bike lane or crosswalk to grab a passenger causes rear-end collisions, doorings, and conflicts with pedestrians and cyclists.
Speeding and unsafe lane changes. Drivers chasing surge pricing or trying to complete more trips per hour push through yellow lights and weave between lanes.
Inexperience with the area. Out-of-area Uber drivers leaning on GPS make late merges and miss right-of-way rules at unfamiliar intersections.
Third-party drivers. Many Uber injury cases are caused by another motorist, not the Uber driver. The recovery path differs, but the result is the same physical injury to the Uber passenger or to a third party.

Common Injuries in Uber Crashes

Uber crashes produce the same injury patterns as any other urban collision, but with some twists. Passengers often sit in the back without their seat belt or with a loose lap belt, and they may be reading or looking at a phone when the crash happens — both of which increase head and neck injuries. We routinely handle:

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions. Even without striking the window or seat, a sudden change in direction can cause a brain injury. See our brain injury page for the full medical and legal framework.
Neck and back injuries. Whiplash, herniated discs, and facet-joint injuries are common in rear-end Uber crashes.
Broken bones. Wrists, arms, ribs, and lower legs are vulnerable in side impacts and rollover events.
Shoulder and seat-belt injuries. Rotator-cuff tears and sternum fractures from the shoulder belt at speed.
Internal injuries. Lap-belt injuries to the abdomen and pelvis, splenic and liver lacerations.
Facial and dental trauma. Impact with the seat back in front of you, the door frame, or your own phone.
Psychological injuries. Post-traumatic stress, anxiety with rideshare and driving, and sleep disturbance after a serious crash.

Fatal Uber crashes are tragically frequent in urban Los Angeles. Surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death action under California’s standing and damages framework.

What Is My Uber Case Worth?

Uber injury values track standard California personal-injury principles but are shaped by the insurance layer in play. Recoverable damages typically include:

Past and future medical bills, including emergency, hospital, surgical, imaging, physical therapy, pain management, mental-health treatment, and reasonable future care.
Past and future lost income, including time missed from work, reduced earning capacity, and lost benefits.
Property damage to your vehicle, phone, or personal property if you were driving or riding in your own car.
Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and — in fatal cases — wrongful-death damages for surviving family members.
Out-of-pocket costs such as transportation to medical appointments, medical equipment, and home-care services.

Because California follows pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, a victim who shares some fault can still recover, with damages reduced by the assigned percentage. We typically open settlement discussions only after your medical picture is stable enough to value future care — settling too early on rideshare cases leaves real money on the table.

California Rideshare and Personal Injury Law

California regulates Uber as a Transportation Network Company under Public Utilities Code Article 7. The framework reaches back to 2013, when the CPUC issued Decision 13-09-045 creating the TNC category, and was codified the next year by Assembly Bill 2293 (Stats. 2014, Ch. 389) at PU Code 5430 and following sections. PU Code 5431 defines a TNC, a participating driver, and a personal vehicle for purposes of the article.

The insurance framework lives at PU Code 5433, which was most recently amended by SB 371 effective January 1, 2026. It divides every Uber shift into three periods:

Period 1 — app on, no ride accepted (PU Code 5433(c)). The driver’s personal auto policy is primary, with minimums of $50,000 per person for death or personal injury, $100,000 per incident, and $30,000 for property damage. Uber must also maintain at least $200,000 in excess coverage per occurrence to insure the TNC and the driver for liability that exceeds those primary limits.
Period 2 — ride accepted, driver en route to pick up the passenger (PU Code 5433(b)). Uber’s $1,000,000 commercial liability coverage applies and is primary for death, personal injury, and property damage.
Period 3 — passenger in the vehicle (PU Code 5433(b)). Uber’s $1,000,000 third-party liability remains in force. In addition, Uber must provide uninsured-motorist and underinsured-motorist coverage of $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident from the moment the passenger enters the vehicle until the passenger exits, with that UM/UIM policy being primary and Uber’s sole obligation. This UM/UIM amount was reduced from $1,000,000 to $60,000/$300,000 by SB 371 effective January 1, 2026.

For background on personal uninsured- and underinsured-motorist coverage outside the rideshare context, see Insurance Code Section 11580.2, which governs UM/UIM in standard auto policies and can stack with available rideshare coverage in some hit-and-run scenarios.

The driver-classification question is separate from the insurance question. Under Dynamex Operations W., Inc. v. Superior Court (2018) 4 Cal.5th 903 and Assembly Bill 5 (Labor Code Section 2775), California adopted the ABC test for distinguishing employees from independent contractors. In November 2020, voters passed Proposition 22, codified at Business and Professions Code Sections 7448–7467, which classifies app-based rideshare and delivery drivers as independent contractors when the platform meets specified conditions. The California Supreme Court unanimously upheld Proposition 22 in Castellanos v. State of California (2024) 16 Cal.5th 588. The practical effect for injured victims is that vicarious-liability theories against Uber based on respondeat superior usually fail, but that does not weaken the third-party victim’s right to recover from the TNC’s mandatory PU Code 5433 coverage during Periods 2 and 3 — those layers are statutory and do not depend on whether the driver is an employee.

For the statute of limitations, California gives a personal-injury plaintiff two years from the date of the injury under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. California follows pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, so a victim who is partially at fault still recovers a proportionate share.

Talk to a Los Angeles Uber accident lawyer today. No fees unless we win.

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Why Choose Yaghmai Law Firm for Your Uber Accident Case

Uber accident cases reward careful insurance work. The TNC framework changes by the second — a driver accepting a ride two blocks before the crash and a driver still waiting for a ping after the crash trigger completely different insurance layers. Yaghmai Law Firm builds the timeline first: app screenshots, trip-history requests directed to Uber, dashcam and ride-share telematics data, and police-report cross-checks. Once the period is locked, we know whose carrier owes what and we stop letting insurers play hot-potato with your claim.

“Uber crashes are not ordinary car wrecks. Two cars at the same intersection look identical until you ask whether the driver had a ride accepted. Once you answer that question, the insurance math changes by a factor of twenty. Our job is to nail down the timeline, force the right insurer to the table, and make sure our client is not the one stuck paying for an injury caused by a rideshare driver.”

— Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney

We represent clients across California by phone, text, and online intake — there is no need to come into an office while you are recovering. We work with English, French, Persian, and — through interpreters — Spanish-speaking clients. If an Uber crash has changed your life or the life of someone in your family, we want to hear what happened.

Frequently Asked Questions About Uber Accidents in California

I was a passenger in an Uber when it crashed. Whose insurance pays?

During Period 3 — the time you are in the vehicle as a paying passenger — Uber’s $1,000,000 third-party liability coverage applies under PU Code 5433(b). If the crash was caused by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver of another vehicle, Uber must also provide $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident in uninsured-motorist and underinsured-motorist coverage during that period (the UM/UIM amount was reduced from $1,000,000 by SB 371 effective January 1, 2026). Your personal auto policy and any health insurance you carry can fill gaps for medical bills.

I was hit by an Uber driver while driving my own car. Can I sue Uber?

Yes, depending on the period. If the Uber driver had accepted a ride request or had a passenger in the vehicle, Uber’s $1,000,000 commercial liability coverage under PU Code 5433(b) applies and Uber is the right defendant. If the driver only had the app on without a ride accepted, the driver’s personal auto policy is primary up to its limits, and Uber’s excess contingent coverage under PU Code 5433(c) sits behind it.

The Uber driver had the app off when they hit me. Does Uber’s coverage apply?

No. If the driver was not logged into the Uber app, the trip was not active in any way, and the driver was using the vehicle for personal purposes, only the driver’s personal auto policy applies. The PU Code 5433 framework does not reach personal use of the vehicle.

I am an Uber driver and I was hurt on a ride. What coverage do I have?

Uber drivers can recover under the layer that matches the period of the crash, and Uber also provides occupational-accident coverage for drivers under Proposition 22’s benefits package. If a third party caused the crash, you can pursue that driver’s liability insurer for your injuries the same way any other motorist would. We handle Uber driver claims as well as passenger and third-party cases.

Does Proposition 22 stop me from suing Uber?

No. Prop 22, codified at Business and Professions Code Sections 7448–7467 and upheld by the California Supreme Court in Castellanos v. State of California (2024) 16 Cal.5th 588, classifies app-based drivers as independent contractors for most employment-law purposes. That affects whether Uber can be sued under a vicarious-liability theory — it usually cannot — but it does not affect a third-party victim’s right to recover from the mandatory TNC insurance layers under PU Code 5433.

How long do I have to file an Uber accident claim in California?

You generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal-injury lawsuit under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. If a government vehicle or government entity is involved, a six-month claim deadline under Government Code Section 911.2 can apply. Insurance-claim notices must be filed earlier still under most policies. Talk to a lawyer well before the two-year mark.

What if I was partly at fault for the Uber crash?

You can still recover. California follows pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, so a jury can assign you a percentage of fault and you recover the rest. An Uber passenger who was looking down at a phone, an Uber driver who pulled out of a pickup zone unsafely, or a pedestrian who stepped off a curb mid-block can all still recover — the recovery is just reduced by the assigned share.

Will it cost me anything to talk to a lawyer about my Uber case?

No. Yaghmai Law Firm handles Uber injury cases on contingency. The initial case review is free and there are no fees unless we recover compensation for you. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or use our online intake to start a review.

Related Practice Areas

Uber injury cases often intersect with other personal-injury topics we handle. These pages give you the broader legal framework you may need:

Reviewed by Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney. Admitted to practice law in California (State Bar No. 298487). He represents personal injury and immigration clients statewide.

Last updated: May 30, 2026.