A ride home, a trip to the airport or an ordinary commute can become much more complicated after a collision involving Uber or Lyft. Passengers may hear from several insurers. Another driver or an injured pedestrian may not know whether the rideshare app was even in use.
Nuttall Brown & Coutts reviews Utah rideshare injury claims from our Cottonwood Heights office. You do not need to resolve the coverage questions before calling. Tell us where the crash happened, your role in it and which companies have contacted you.
Why the driver's app status matters
Utah law distinguishes a driver waiting for a ride request from a driver who has accepted a prearranged ride. That distinction can affect the insurance requirements. An accepted ride can begin before the passenger gets into the vehicle; the time of the collision matters.
An investigation should establish whether the driver was offline, logged in and waiting, traveling to an accepted pickup, or carrying a passenger. It should also identify the policies and endorsements in effect. A company's logo on the car, or a driver's description of coverage, does not answer every insurance question.
If you were a passenger
Get medical care when needed, then save the information that connects you to the ride:
- The trip receipt, booking details and ride identifier.
- The driver's name and the vehicle information shown in the app.
- Pickup and destination information, including the approximate collision time.
- Messages with the driver, the platform and any insurer.
- Photographs, witness information and the police report number, if available.
Report the incident through the platform's available process and keep the confirmation. A report to an app is not the same as a police report, an insurance claim or a filed lawsuit. Save original emails and records as well as screenshots.
If you were in another vehicle, walking or cycling
You may have no access to the rideshare trip history. Record the driver's and vehicle's identifying information when safe, and explain anything you observed about a pickup, passenger or app use. Do not assume a driver was working merely because a rideshare sign was displayed.
Other drivers, nearby cameras and witnesses may help establish what happened. Tell an attorney promptly about possible video sources so preservation can be considered before footage is overwritten.
What if several insurers point to each other?
An attorney can compare the accident facts with the available policies rather than relying on a brief coverage response. The other driver's liability insurance, rideshare-related coverage and coverage available to an injured person may raise different issues. A policy's existence does not guarantee that every claimed loss is covered.
Keep written denials and requests for information. Before giving a recorded statement, identify which insurer is asking. Your obligations to your own insurer may differ from those involving another party's insurer. Do not ignore policy duties or guess about details you do not know.
Medical bills and settlement decisions
A rideshare injury claim does not make treatment free. Ask about available medical-payment benefits, health insurance, deductibles and reimbursement or lien obligations. Keep bills and notices even when an insurer says it is investigating.
Before accepting a settlement, understand which claims the release covers and whether more treatment or lost work is expected. An early payment should be evaluated against the medical information and the consequences of signing the release, rather than the pressure to close a claim quickly.
What to discuss in the first call
Tell us whether you were a passenger, a driver, a pedestrian or a cyclist; whether a ride was booked; where you received care; and whether anyone has requested a statement or offered payment. You can call before the police report is complete.
For 40+ years, our firm has helped injured people in Utah. An attorney handles accepted cases from beginning to end. Call (801) 255-2102 for a free case review. Our call service answers 24/7.
You pay no attorney fee unless we recover for you. Ask how case costs are handled before deciding whether to hire us.
