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California rideshare accident victims, whether passengers in an Uber or Lyft, or third parties struck by a rideshare vehicle, may recover the full range of California personal injury damages from Uber, Lyft, and their insurance carriers. Uber and Lyft maintain $1,000,000 in per-incident commercial liability coverage for accidents occurring while a driver is actively transporting a passenger or has accepted a ride request, and this coverage protects injured passengers and third parties against a negligent rideshare driver. A separate uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage requirement, discussed below, was recently reduced by state legislation and matters most when the at-fault party is someone other than the rideshare driver. The types of compensable damages are otherwise the same as any serious personal injury case in California. Attorney Damoun Yazdi at The Accident Network Law Group handles rideshare accident claims throughout Southern California.
Key Takeaways
- Economic damages: all documented financial losses including past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, rehabilitation costs, and property damage
- Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium (for spouses of seriously injured victims)
- Uber and Lyft maintain $1,000,000 per-incident liability coverage when a driver is actively transporting a passenger (Period 3) or has accepted a trip request (Period 2); this figure is unchanged by recent legislation
- When the driver had the app on but no ride accepted (Period 1), lower contingent liability limits apply: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for bodily injury, plus $30,000 for property damage
- Effective January 1, 2026, Senate Bill 371 reduced the required uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage for Periods 2 and 3 from $1,000,000 to $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident under Public Utilities Code Section 5433
- Punitive damages may be available if the rideshare driver acted with malice or recklessness (intoxicated driving, for example) under California Civil Code Section 3294
Ken Reid
Recently got connected with Damoun, and after our first meeting, was impressed by his knowledge and professionalism. His even keel demeanor is exactly what people need when dealing with troubling injury situations. As an insurance agent, I need to be able to refer my clients to a qualified and competent attorney, and Damoun is exactly that!
Economic Damages in California Rideshare Accident Claims
- Medical expenses: all past and reasonably certain future medical expenses, including emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, specialist care, physical therapy, prescription medications, medical equipment such as wheelchairs and braces, and future care for permanent injuries
- Lost wages: compensation for all income lost from the date of the accident through recovery; for serious injuries causing permanent disability, future lost earning capacity is calculated by vocational experts and economists based on your pre-injury earnings trajectory
- Property damage: replacement or repair of your vehicle and personal property damaged in the accident
Non-Economic Damages and the Role of Your Attorney
Non-economic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life) are the most valuable component of most rideshare accident claims, and the component that insurance companies fight hardest to minimize. California does not cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases. Attorney Yazdi uses medical records, treating physician testimony, life care planners, and expert witnesses to document and present maximum non-economic damages to the jury or in settlement negotiations.
How SB 371 Changes Rideshare Insurance Coverage
Before 2026, Uber and Lyft’s insurance policies during Periods 2 and 3 also included uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage of $1,000,000, which protects a rideshare passenger or driver when the at-fault vehicle in the crash carries little or no insurance of its own. Senate Bill 371, effective January 1, 2026, reduced this required UM/UIM coverage to $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident under Public Utilities Code Section 5433.
This change does not affect the $1,000,000 primary liability coverage Uber and Lyft must carry for injuries their own drivers cause to passengers or third parties. It matters most when a third-party driver, not the rideshare driver, causes the crash and does not carry enough insurance of their own to cover your damages. In that situation, a rideshare accident occurring on or after January 1, 2026 may yield substantially less UM/UIM recovery than a similar crash would have before the change. Attorney Damoun Yazdi at The Accident Network Law Group evaluates every available layer of coverage, including the at-fault driver’s own policy, the rideshare company’s liability and UM/UIM coverage, and your own auto policy’s UM/UIM coverage, to identify every source of compensation available in your case.
Contact The Accident Network Law Group About Your Rideshare Compensation
Because rideshare accidents involve layered insurance coverage that changed under the new SB 371 UM/UIM limits, Attorney Damoun Yazdi at The Accident Network Law Group reviews every applicable policy, including Uber’s or Lyft’s liability and UM/UIM coverage and your own auto insurance, to pursue the full compensation available to you. Consultations are always free, and we handle rideshare injury claims on a contingency fee basis.
