Hurt as a passenger? You may have more than one source of recovery.
Passengers are rarely at fault, but rideshare and commercial claims can involve several insurance policies. Ari Friedman knows how to sort them out. Free, confidential consultation.
Call 323-596-1234Free case reviewWhen you ride as a passenger, whether in an Uber or Lyft, a taxi, a bus or a friend’s car, you have no control over how the vehicle is driven. If there’s a crash, you were almost never the cause. But passenger claims can still get complicated: there may be two or more drivers involved, a rideshare company’s insurance, a commercial policy, or a public agency with its own rules.
More than one driver. More than one policy.
A passenger can often make a claim against every driver who contributed to the crash. Ari finds every source of coverage, so nothing is left on the table.
Who may be responsible
Rideshare insurance in California
When you’re in the car
California law requires rideshare companies to carry at least $1 million in liability coverage from the time a driver accepts a ride until the passenger gets out (Public Utilities Code § 5433).Waiting for a request
When the driver’s app is on but no ride has been accepted, much lower coverage applies. If you were hit by a rideshare driver in this period, the timing matters.Save your trip records now
Screenshot the trip in your app, including the driver’s name, car, route and times, and keep the receipt. The app’s records can prove the ride was in progress, which can decide which policy applies.
A real example: the bus passenger
- The facts
- A woman riding home from work was standing near the front of the bus, ready to get off at her stop. The bus collided with an SUV, and she was thrown forward into a pole.
- The dispute
- The police report found the bus driver at fault for an unsafe lane change (Vehicle Code § 22107). The bus agency and the SUV driver each blamed the other. Either way, the passenger had done nothing wrong.
- The injuries
- Head, neck, back and shoulder injuries, two rounds of physical therapy, and lasting neck pain that made everyday tasks like lifting groceries hard.
What to do after an accident as a passenger
- Get medical care right away. Passengers are often thrown against seats, windows or poles, and may not brace for impact. Concussions and neck injuries may not show symptoms for hours. A delay in treatment is one of the first things insurers use to argue you weren’t really hurt.
- Call the police and get a report number. The report records the scene, the drivers involved, and often the officer’s opinion of who caused the crash.
- Save the trip details. Screenshot your rideshare app, keep your bus or taxi receipt, and note the vehicle number, route and time.
- Get every driver’s information. Names, license plates and insurance for every vehicle involved, not just the one you were in.
- Find witnesses. Other passengers are often the best witnesses. Get their names and phone numbers.
- Be careful with insurance companies. You may hear from several. You don’t have to give a recorded statement, and anything you say can be used to reduce your claim. Talk to a lawyer first.
It can feel like a lot to handle while you’re hurt.
When Ari represents you, he helps untangle all of it, from the police report and the rideshare company to medical bills and calls from multiple insurance adjusters, and he assists you throughout your claim.
- Mechanism of injury. Where you were sitting or standing, and how you were thrown.
- Level of consciousness. Early signs of a head injury.
- Your first complaints. What hurt at the scene, in your own words.
- Vital signs and treatment. What responders saw and did.
- What’s missing. Gaps an insurer will try to use against you.
Why medical experience matters
Most injury claims are won or lost on the medical evidence. Ari reads ambulance reports, ER records and treatment notes the way the people who wrote them do. He knows what each entry means, what is missing, and how to show an insurer the full course of your injuries.
His knowledge of emergency medicine is recognized beyond his own cases: Ari has been retained as an expert witness on EMS standards of care.
What compensation may be available
Depending on the facts, an injured passenger in California may be able to recover:
- Medical bills, past and future
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Physical therapy and future care
California deadlines you should know
There are many deadlines that can affect an injury claim. A few common ones are listed below, but this list is not complete.
- Two years to file a lawsuit for personal injuries in most cases (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1).
- Six months to file a written claim if a government vehicle or agency is involved, such as an LA Metro or city bus (Government Code § 911.2).
- Possibly as short as 24 hours and 30 days in a hit-and-run. If you make an uninsured motorist claim under your own auto policy because the driver can’t be identified, there may be requirements to report the hit-and-run to the police within 24 hours and to notify your insurer within 30 days (see Insurance Code § 11580.2). Whether and how these apply depends on your policy and the facts, so check with an attorney right away.
Which deadlines apply, and when they start, depends on the facts of your case. Some are much shorter than two years. Review the deadlines with an attorney early so the statute of limitations doesn’t run on your claim. Missing one can end your case.
Talk to Ari about your accident
Free and confidential consultation. Serving Los Angeles County and all of Southern California.
Call 323-596-1234Free case review formAttorney advertising. This page is general information, not legal advice. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.