Phoenix Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

An Uber or Lyft crash can leave you hurt, out of work and stuck between several insurance companies, each pointing at the other. You don't have to sort that out alone. Our Phoenix Uber and Lyft accident lawyers help riders, people hit by a rideshare driver, and rideshare drivers hurt by someone else. We sort out which policies apply, move early to preserve the app data, and deal with the adjusters so you can focus on getting better. For other crashes, see our Phoenix car accident lawyer page. Call (480) 359-KENT for a free case review. No fee unless we win.

What to do after an Uber or Lyft crash in Phoenix

1. Get safe and call 911. Move out of traffic if you can. Call 911 to report the crash and any injuries.
2. Get medical care the same day. Go to an ER, urgent care, or your doctor, even if you feel okay. Some injuries don't show up right away. A same-day visit also ties your injuries to the crash.
3. Screenshot the trip in the app. Save the driver's name, the car, the plate number, the trip time and route, the receipt, and any in-app messages. If you weren't the rider, write down the driver's name and plate, and ask whether they were driving for Uber or Lyft. If you were the one driving for Uber or Lyft, screenshot your app status and ride activity at the time of the crash.
4. Photograph the scene. Get the vehicles, the damage, the plates, traffic signals, the road, and your injuries.
5. Find witnesses. Get names and phone numbers from anyone who saw the crash.
6. Get the police report. Phoenix Police generally handles crashes on city streets. Arizona DPS generally handles state highways and freeways. Write down the officer's name and the report number.
7. Report the crash in the app. Use the Uber or Lyft app to report what happened. Screenshot the confirmation and any replies.
8. Talk to us before you give any insurer a recorded statement. Adjusters for the rideshare company's insurer or the other driver may call soon. Their job is to pay as little as possible. Before you give a recorded statement to any insurer, including your own, call us at (480) 359-KENT.

Arizona laws that affect your claim

Why rideshare insurance is complicated

In most crashes, you deal with one driver's insurance. Rideshare crashes are different. Which policy applies can depend on what the driver was doing in the app when the crash happened:

• App off. The driver's personal auto policy is usually the starting point.
• App on, waiting for a ride request. Arizona law requires primary liability coverage of at least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injuries to two or more people, and $20,000 for property damage. The driver, the rideshare company, or both must provide it (A.R.S. § 28-4038(A)).
• Ride accepted, on the way to pick someone up. From the time the driver accepts a ride request, Arizona law requires primary commercial liability coverage of at least $250,000 per incident (A.R.S. § 28-4038(B)).
• On a trip with a passenger. When a passenger is in the car, that minimum rises to $1,000,000 per incident (A.R.S. § 28-4038(B)).

From the time a ride is accepted until the passenger gets out, Arizona law also requires primary commercial uninsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $75,000 per incident, or the state's minimum liability limits if those are higher (A.R.S. § 28-4038(B)). While a driver is logged in or on a trip, the driver's personal auto policy generally does not have to cover the crash unless the policy expressly provides that coverage (A.R.S. § 28-4038(C)).

That makes the driver's app status at the time of the crash a key fact. In a claims coverage investigation, Arizona law requires the rideshare company and the insurers to share the precise times the driver logged on and off the app in the 24 hours before the crash (A.R.S. § 28-4038(G)). We ask for those records early, which is one reason we move fast.

What the rideshare driver must do at the scene

A rideshare driver must carry proof of insurance in the car while logged in or on a trip. After a crash, the driver must give proof of insurance to the people involved and notify the rideshare company (A.R.S. § 28-4038(F)). Ask for it, and take a photo.

More than one policy may apply

A rideshare crash can involve several policies at once: the rideshare driver's personal policy, the rideshare company's insurance, the other driver's insurance, and your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. Arizona insurers generally must offer UM and UIM coverage in writing, and the named insured can decline it (A.R.S. § 20-259.01). Read our guide to uninsured motorist claims in Arizona. If you have it, it may help when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. See our UM/UIM and insurance disputes page to learn more. Insurers may point at each other, each saying someone else should pay. We sort out which policies apply and press every one of them.

Rideshare drivers and independent contractor status

Uber and Lyft drivers are generally treated as independent contractors, not employees. That can affect whose insurance applies. It can also affect whether workers' compensation is available to a driver who gets hurt while driving. If you drive for Uber or Lyft and were injured, talk with us about which coverage may apply to you.

Filing deadlines

Most injury lawsuits in Arizona must generally be filed within 2 years (A.R.S. § 12-542). Learn more about Arizona's statute of limitations for injury claims. If a city, county, or state vehicle or employee was involved, such as a city bus, the deadlines are much shorter. A notice of claim is generally required within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01), and the lawsuit generally must be filed within 1 year (A.R.S. § 12-821). Evidence can also fade as time passes, so don't wait to call.

Shared fault

Arizona uses pure comparative fault. If you were partly at fault, your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. In most cases, your claim is not barred just because you share some of the fault (A.R.S. § 12-2505). See how comparative fault works in Arizona. Insurers may try to push more blame onto you so they can pay less. We push back with the evidence. There are exceptions, such as A.R.S. § 12-711 for some alcohol- or drug-related situations, so talk to us about your facts.

Common types of Uber and Lyft accident cases

Uber and Lyft drivers work Phoenix, Tempe, Chandler, and the East Valley every day. They carry riders to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor, Arizona State University, downtown and central Phoenix, Maryvale and west Phoenix, south Phoenix, Glendale, Scottsdale, and event venues across the Valley. Airport pickup loops, campus drop-offs, and late-night downtown runs put many rideshare cars in the same small spaces. Rideshare cars share the same busy streets as everyone else. Across Arizona in 2024, there were 121,107 crashes, 1,228 people killed, and 54,426 people injured (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 1-1). Maricopa County had 72.74% of all crashes in the state and 50.13% of fatal crashes (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, p. 13). Those numbers cover all crashes, not only rideshare crashes. Most of our crash cases happen on city streets and at intersections, not only on the interstates. For city-by-city numbers, see our Phoenix-area crash statistics.

Here are common ways people get hurt in Uber and Lyft crashes.

Why rideshare crashes happen

Rideshare drivers face the same risks as every driver, plus a few of their own. Drivers glance at the app to accept rides and follow directions. They stop suddenly or pull over in traffic to pick up and drop off riders. Some drive long hours. Riders step out into traffic or open doors into bike lanes. Around airports, campuses and event venues, many cars are stopping and starting in the same small space. Each of these can matter when we show who caused the crash.

Injuries we see in rideshare crashes

Passengers often ride in the back seat and can be thrown forward or sideways in a crash. Common injuries include neck and back injuries, head injuries and concussions, broken bones, and cuts from glass. Some injuries don't show up for hours or days. See a doctor soon, even if you feel fine, and keep every record.

You were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft

If your rideshare driver or another driver caused the crash, you may have a claim. Depending on the facts, that claim may run against the rideshare driver, the other driver, or both.

Your car was hit by an Uber or Lyft driver

Drivers and passengers in another vehicle may have a claim when a rideshare driver causes the crash. The driver's app status can decide which insurance applies.

You were walking or biking and hit by a rideshare driver

Pedestrians and cyclists have little protection in a crash, and injuries can be serious. You may have a claim against the driver and the insurance that covered them at the time.

You drive for Uber or Lyft and another driver hit you

Rideshare drivers get hurt by careless drivers too. You may have a claim against the at-fault driver, and your own coverage may also apply.

The driver who caused the crash drove off

If a rideshare driver or another driver fled the scene, your UM coverage may help. Our hit-and-run accident page explains more.

Phoenix trauma centers

If you were badly hurt, you may have been taken to one of Phoenix's state-designated Level I trauma centers (Arizona Department of Health Services trauma center list, December 2025):

• Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix, 1111 E. McDowell Road
• St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center, 350 W. Thomas Road
• Valleywise Health, 2601 E. Roosevelt Street
• HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center, 250 E. Dunlap Avenue
• HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center, 19829 N. 27th Avenue
• Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Road (Level I pediatric trauma center)

You don't have to leave your bed to talk to us. We can come to you at the hospital or at home, or talk by phone or video.

How to get your Phoenix crash report

Phoenix Police usually handle crashes on city streets. You can request the report online through the city's public safety portal. The city says some online requests need an upfront $5.00 portal convenience fee, which is refunded if the charge is less, and it emails you when the report is ready. Arizona DPS usually handles freeway and state highway crashes. DPS reports are requested through the DPS Public Services Portal (psp.azdps.gov), and DPS lists a $9.00 fee for an emailed collision report. See our step-by-step guide: how to get a Phoenix police accident report. Once you hire us, we request the report for you.

Evidence and damages

Evidence we gather

Rideshare cases often turn on data held by Uber or Lyft. We work to gather:

• Trip records for the ride
• GPS data showing the car's location
• The driver's app status at the time of the crash
• In-app messages between the rider and the driver
• The police report, photos, witness statements, and medical records

We move to preserve app and company records early, before they can be lost. When a case needs them, we hire crash reconstruction experts and other expert witnesses to explain how the crash happened.

Damages you may be able to recover

Depending on your case, you may be able to recover:

• Medical bills for your care so far
• Future care you may need
• Lost wages from missed work
• Lost earning capacity if your injuries limit the work you can do
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage to your vehicle or belongings

What you may recover depends on your injuries, the facts, and the insurance available.

How Kent Law handles Uber and Lyft accident cases

Insurance companies have adjusters and lawyers working to pay you as little as possible. We fight just as hard for you, for every penny of compensation you deserve. We don't let them lowball you, and we're ready to take your case to trial if that's what it takes.

Kent Law recovers millions of dollars for injured clients every year. We have handled thousands of injury cases. We handle negotiated settlements, mediation, arbitration and trial. We take on denied and stalled claims, including cases already at the litigation stage. Some insurance adjusters and defense attorneys have hired Kent Law for their own injury cases. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Founding Partner Adam C. Kent has practiced in Arizona since 2006. He started his career as a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office and founded Kent Law in 2011. Managing Attorney Jonathan Henry brings extensive trial experience to cases that head toward a courtroom.

Where your case is filed depends on court rules and the facts, such as where the crash happened and where the parties live. Phoenix-area and East Valley cases are usually filed in Maricopa County Superior Court. We regularly file in Pima and Pinal counties too.

We have one office, in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix. From there we serve people across Phoenix and the Valley. That includes downtown and central Phoenix, Maryvale and west Phoenix, south Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler and Gilbert. We usually meet at our office. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video. We also represent injured people in Avondale.

What it costs

We handle Uber and Lyft accident cases on a contingency fee. No fee unless we win. Your case review is free. Before you sign, we explain the written fee agreement and answer your questions.

Talk with a Phoenix Uber and Lyft accident lawyer

Kent Law is not affiliated with Uber or Lyft. We represent injured people. If you were hurt in an Uber or Lyft crash in Phoenix or anywhere in the Valley, call (480) 359-KENT. Free case review. No fee unless we win.

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This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different.