Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer NYC

The hardest part of an Uber or Lyft claim in New York City is not proving the crash — it is proving which policy pays. Coverage changes depending on what the app was doing at the moment of impact, and in New York City the TLC licensing regime layers on top of the statewide rideshare rules. Getting this wrong is how injured passengers end up negotiating against a minimum-limits personal auto policy when a much larger commercial layer was available.

• App off: the driver's personal auto policy only.
• App on, waiting for a request: a contingent liability layer applies.
• En route to pickup or carrying a passenger: the full commercial rideshare layer — commonly $1.5 million in New York — is in play.
• NYC-specific: TLC-licensed vehicles must carry higher minimums than ordinary private cars, and the base can carry additional coverage.
• Uninsured or hit and run at-fault driver: the rideshare policy's UM/UIM coverage protects passengers.

I was a passenger and both drivers blame each other

As a passenger you are almost never at fault. We pursue both carriers simultaneously so the dispute between them does not delay your treatment or your recovery.

My Uber driver was at fault

Screenshot your trip receipt immediately — trip ID, driver name, timestamps and route are the proof that the app was active, which is what unlocks the larger layer.

I drive for Uber or Lyft and was injured

You are usually treated as an independent contractor, so no-fault benefits and UM coverage matter more than workers' compensation. Coverage depends on trip status at impact.

In-app trip history, driver ratings and prior complaints, telematics and dashcam data, TLC records for the vehicle and base, and the police report's notation of for-hire status. We send preservation demands to the platform early, because trip and telematics data is not held indefinitely.

I was a passenger in an Uber that got hit.

As a passenger you are almost never at fault, and you may have access to the rideshare company's $1.25 million contingent liability coverage while the trip is active, plus the other driver's policy.

The driver had the app on but no passenger.

Coverage differs by app period. Screenshots of the trip, the driver's TLC status, and the app's ride record establish which layer applies.

I was driving for Uber when I was injured.

Drivers may have both a no-fault claim and a liability claim, and TLC drivers may also have Black Car Fund benefits.