How Much Is an Uber or Lyft Accident Case Worth?

Suffering injuries or property damage in an Uber or Lyft accident could make you eligible for financial compensation from the rideshare company or another party. Understanding the value of your case is important, as you could otherwise be at risk of settling for less than you deserve from an insurance company. No two rideshare accident cases are exactly alike. The value of your case will depend on the unique circumstances of your Los Angeles personal injury lawsuit.

Average Uber and Lyft Accident Settlements in California

It is generally not recommended to base the value of your rideshare accident case on an alleged “average,” as a true average does not exist. Uber and Lyft accident settlement values can vary widely, from $10,000 or less for minor injuries to multiple millions for severe and fatal accidents. 

It is necessary to analyze the factors that are unique to your specific case, such as: 

• Injury severity
• The length of the victim’s recovery time 
• The victim’s age and overall health 
• How much the victim earned prior to the accident vs. current ability to earn 
• The number of defendants 
• The amount of insurance coverage available and policy limits 
• Comparative negligence
• The psychological impact of the accident 
• The actions of the defendant

A general rule of thumb is that mild to moderate injury claims result in lower settlement values than catastrophic and fatal accidents. Minor injuries such as bruising or whiplash do not have as much of an impact on the victim’s life and livelihood. They also do not require as much medical care. For these reasons, these cases tend to have lower values than life-changing catastrophic injuries.

What Damages Are Available in an Uber/Lyft Accident Case?

Determining the value of an Uber or Lyft accident case requires a list of the victim’s related losses – both the economic or tangible and non-economic or intangible. Common damages in a Los Angeles automobile accident claim include:

• Current and future medical costs
• Long-term or permanent disability
• Lost wages
• Lost capacity to earn
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• Wrongful death damages (after a fatal accident)

These are referred to as compensable damages, as they are meant to compensate a victim for losses suffered. In rare cases, punitive damages can also be awarded. This is an additional amount granted to punish a defendant for gross negligence or recklessness.

How Much Insurance Is Available for an Uber or Lyft Accident?

One of the factors that can affect the value of your Uber or Lyft accident case is the amount of coverage offered by the rideshare company. Both Uber and Lyft have policies that offer up to $1 million in supplemental coverage. 

The amount available to you will depend on the phase or period of the ride at the time of the crash:

• Period 0: the rideshare driver was logged out of the app. You would not have access to Uber or Lyft’s insurance; only the driver’s personal insurance would apply.

• Period 1: the driver is logged into the app and waiting on a ride request. Uber and Lyft offer up to $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in bodily injury insurance, as well as $25,000 for property damage ($30,000 from Lyft) in this period.

• Periods 2 and 3: if the driver has accepted a ride request and is en route to pick up a passenger or has passengers in the vehicle, the liability limit increases to the full $1 million. An additional $1 million in uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance is also available.

The best way to maximize your settlement or judgment award after a harmful Uber or Lyft accident is by hiring an Uber accident attorney in Los Angeles to represent you during the claims process. A lawyer knows how to seek full and fair compensation from a powerful defendant such as a rideshare company.