If you were hurt in an Uber or Lyft accident in Las Vegas, the rideshare company’s commercial liability insurance policy can cover up to $1 million in damages — but which policy pays depends on what the driver was doing when the crash happened. Blackburn Wirth’s Uber and Lyft accident lawyers in Las Vegas have handled more rideshare cases than any other law firm in Nevada and can help you sift through the complexities.
Las Vegas Uber Accident Lawyers
With millions of visitors each year, it’s no wonder that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft and courier services like Postmates, TaskRabbit, or DoorDash are popular in Las Vegas. But the high volume of traffic and complicated road layouts can lead to accidents involving rideshare vehicles.
With millions of visitors each year, it’s no wonder that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft and courier services like Postmates, TaskRabbit, or DoorDash are popular in Las Vegas. But the high volume of traffic and complicated road layouts can lead to accidents involving rideshare vehicles.
Why Rideshare Claims Are Legally Complex
Both locals and tourists can find themselves in complicated legal battles when pursuing damages for rideshare accident injuries. Rideshare accident lawyers in Las Vegas face a complicated web of insurance coverages, contracted drivers, and powerful companies. An experienced attorney like those at Blackburn Wirth can help.
Uber & Lyft Accident Victims May Be Covered for Up to $1 Million in Damages
Passenger Coverage Under Commercial Liability Insurance
If you were an Uber or Lyft passenger and injured in a rideshare accident, you may be covered for up to $1 million in damages by the company’s commercial liability insurance policy. Unfortunately, sifting through the complexities of the insurance coverages can be a challenge.
That’s why there are Las Vegas Uber and Lyft accident lawyers to stay on top of liability insurance coverage, which is divided into three levels depending on the driver’s activity. The same three levels apply to Lyft, so the policy that answers your claim turns on what the driver was doing at the moment of the crash — not on which app they drive for.
- Negligence on the part of the rideshare driver
- Negligence on the part of another driver or pedestrian
- Defective tires or other vehicle parts
- Poorly designed or maintained roadways
- Negligent hiring practices by Uber or Lyft
Level One: No Rideshare Activity
Level one insurance coverage applies when the Uber or Lyft driver is using the vehicle for personal use. During this period, the driver’s personal liability insurance policy applies. Coverage limits for a personal policy are often much lower than commercial policies provided by Uber and Lyft.
In Nevada, drivers are only required to carry $20,000 liability coverage for property damage and $25,000 in coverage per person per accident for injuries or deaths. However, some insurance companies offer Nevada rideshare drivers “gap” insurance, also referred to as “rideshare policies.” This coverage is optional and provides extra coverage for the rideshare driver when he or she is offline.
Level Two: Driver Mode Without Passengers
When the driver is logged into the app and is awaiting passengers, level two insurance coverage applies. During this stage, the Uber or Lyft driver is provided with contingent liability insurance. While the driver’s personal insurance policy is primary, excess damages are covered by the rideshare app’s insurance policy.
Uber and Lyft contingent insurance policies provide up to $50,000 for the injury or death of one person in an accident. If two or more people are hurt or killed, the policies provide $100,000 in coverage. Drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists and their passengers are covered under these blanket policies.
Level Three: Ride Request Accepted and Transporting the Rider
Once a rideshare driver accepts a ride request through the app, level three insurance coverage begins. This level of coverage continues until the rider is dropped off and the ride has ended in the app.
In level three, Uber or Lyft’s passenger commercial liability insurance is in effect and is typically the primary policy. The insurance covers up to $1 million in damages for injuries or deaths to a single person and up to $2 million for two or more people who are injured or killed in a crash.
How Rideshare Accident Settlements Work in Las Vegas
Most rideshare claims settle without a trial. The sequence is consistent: you finish or stabilize treatment so the medical record is complete, your lawyer sends a demand package to the insurer, the insurer responds with an offer, and negotiation follows. If the offer stays below what the injuries are worth, the next step is filing suit.
What Your Rideshare Accident Claim May Be Worth
A rideshare claim can recover medical bills, future care, income lost while you were unable to work, reduced earning capacity, property damage, and pain and suffering. What moves the number is injury severity, whether treatment was continuous or had gaps, which of the three coverage levels applied, how clearly fault sits with the other party, and the policy limits actually available. No honest Lyft or Uber accident lawyer in Las Vegas quotes a figure before reviewing the file.
How Nevada’s Comparative Negligence Rule Affects Your Recovery
Nevada reduces your recovery by your share of the blame, and bars recovery entirely once your share passes the statutory threshold. Insurers know this and routinely argue that a passenger or pedestrian contributed to the crash, because every percentage point they shift lowers what they pay. A Lyft or Uber accident attorney in Las Vegas can help you get the compensation you deserve.
How Long Do You Have to File a Rideshare Accident Claim in Nevada?
Nevada gives injury victims two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss that window and the claim is normally dismissed no matter how strong it is. Separate and shorter deadlines can apply well before it: insurers and the rideshare apps impose their own notice requirements, and a claim involving a government vehicle or a public road defect carries its own notice period.
These deadlines mean it’s important to talk to a Las Vegas Uber accident lawyer as soon as you can. Delaying can hurt your case: Witnesses move on, app and vehicle data get overwritten, and gaps in treatment give the insurer an argument that something else caused the injury.
Steps to Take After a Rideshare Accident
If you’re involved in a Lyft or Uber accident in Las Vegas, serious injuries can result in lost time from work, medical bills, and emotional and physical pain. The steps you take after a rideshare accident can mean the difference between financial stability as you heal or facing the burden of lost income and high expenses for years to come.
- Prioritize Health
and Safety - Report the Accident
- Gather Information
- Use Caution When Making Statements
- Contact a Las Vegas Uber Accident Attorney
Prioritize Health and Safety
Las Vegas Lyft accident attorneys have seen it all, and we know that even if you feel fine or your injuries are seemingly minor, it’s a good idea to see a doctor. They might uncover something you didn’t notice, and delayed medical treatment can result in minor injuries becoming serious or serious injuries becoming deadly. For more serious injuries, like broken bones or bumps to the head, it’s important to start treatment right away.
Report the Accident
Don’t assume the other driver will make the call – report the incident to the police yourself. In Las Vegas, you’re required to report any motor vehicle accident that results in injuries, fatalities, or property damage of more than $750. You should also report it to Uber, Lyft, or other app-based service company. Both Uber and Lyft offer easy access for accident reporting. You can either log in to the app, call the company, or go online to report crashes.
Gather Information
It’s important to obtain the contact and insurance information of rideshare drivers and anyone else who is involved in a crash. Use your smartphone to take pictures and video of the vehicles, the crash scene, and any factors that may have contributed to the wreck. Gather witness statements or get their contact information. If you’re able, jot down notes about the accident while it’s fresh in your mind.
Use Caution When Making Statements
Whether you’re speaking to the police, the driver, an insurance representative, or the rideshare company, don’t say more than you absolutely have to say. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to get facts confused, express unnecessary guilt, or say something else that could damage your injury case.
Contact a Las Vegas Uber Accident Attorney
It’s important to make sure you’re in good hands with a rideshare injury lawyer who is familiar with the laws specific to Las Vegas. If you’re an out-of-state visitor injured as an Uber or Lyft passenger, don’t wait until you return to your home state to seek legal advice from a local attorney. Contacting a Lyft accident attorney in Las Vegas ensures you save time and maximizes your chances of a full financial recovery.
What to Look for in a Las Vegas Uber Accident Lawyer
Rideshare claims are not ordinary car accident claims, so look for a firm that handles them by volume rather than occasionally. Ask how many Uber and Lyft cases the firm has run, whether it can explain which coverage level applies to your crash without checking, whether it is willing to file suit when an insurer lowballs, how quickly it returns calls, and whether it practices regularly in Clark County courts.
What Does a Rideshare Accident Lawyer Cost?
Blackburn Wirth takes rideshare cases on a contingency basis. There is nothing to pay upfront, the fee comes out of the recovery rather than your pocket, and if the case recovers nothing you owe no fee. The consultation is free, so finding out whether you have a claim costs you nothing.
Why Choose Us as Your Las Vegas Uber Accident Lawyers
Firm Track Record and Experience
At Blackburn Wirth, our injury lawyers have handled more Uber and Lyft accident cases than any other law firm in Nevada. We stay abreast of the latest legal developments particular to ridesharing apps. Our rideshare accident lawyers in Las Vegas have developed a track record for success in obtaining fair compensation when rideshare users and other motorists are hurt or killed.
As the popularity of Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and similar app-based services in Nevada continues to increase, so does the number of accidents and injuries involving their drivers. If you were hurt, turn to the injury lawyers at Blackburn Wirth. Fill out our online form or call 702-472-7000 to get started with your recovery.
FAQs for Rideshare Accident Lawyers in Las Vegas
What Requirements Do Uber and Lyft Drivers in Las Vegas Have to Meet?
Not many. Uber drivers must be at least 21 years old and have a minimum of one year of experience as a licensed driver. If drivers are under 23, they must have three years of driving experience. They must also have a valid Nevada driver’s license. A clean driving record, a social security number, and the ability to pass a background check are also required.
For Lyft, drivers must be 21 years of age, have one year of driving experience, a valid driver’s license, and be able to pass a background check. Drivers with drug or DUI convictions, reckless driving, criminal histories, and fatal accidents are prohibited.
Additionally, all Nevada rideshare or on-demand drivers must have a Nevada State Business License. Drivers in Las Vegas must also obtain a Clark County Business License in addition to the state license.
What If an Uninsured Driver Hits the Rideshare Vehicle?
An uninsured driver does not leave you without a way to recover. Uber and Lyft passenger insurance policies have coverages to protect riders from uninsured and underinsured motorists. For example, Lyft’s UM/UIM policy provides up to $1 million per accident for injuries that occur between the time you are picked up and the ride ends. You may also be able to sue the uninsured driver for damages.
Can I Sue Other App-Based Driving Services?
Yes. Compensation may come from the driver’s personal liability insurance policy, the company’s commercial liability insurance, or a third party’s liability insurance (when another at-fault party is involved). Most app-based delivery companies, like UberEats, Postmates, DoorDash, TaskRabbit, and Amazon Delivery, provide commercial liability insurance coverage to pay for injuries and losses suffered by other parties when drivers are “on the clock.”
In some cases, delivery service companies like GrubHub do not provide any commercial liability insurance coverage. However, they may still be able to be held liable when someone is hurt. If the injured person can prove that the company was negligent in the hiring or worker retention process, for instance, the company can be held liable for negligence. A Las Vegas Uber accident lawyer can also help you with these types of cases.
Can I Sue Uber or Lyft for My Accident?
Your ability to recover damages from Uber or Lyft after an accident depends on the circumstances of your case. Because rideshare drivers are independent contractors, most claims are paid through the platform’s insurance rather than by Uber or Lyft directly.
If the driver was at fault, both companies provide liability insurance of up to $1 million to compensate you for your losses. If negligent hiring practices are a factor, the companies may be able to be held liable. An Uber and Lyft accident lawyer in Las Vegas can help you move forward with your case.