Cueria Law Firm, LLC

New Orleans Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

Lyft & Uber may have transformed the transportation industry, but their drivers can still make mistakes. New Orleans rideshare accident lawyers have helped hundreds of victims get back on their feet after devastating collisions. If you’re struggling to recover from a recent accident, Cueria Law Firm can represent your best interests.

Cueria Law Firm has brought its legal knowledge to bear for New Orleans residents since 1993. In that time, our New Orleans car accident lawyers have recovered millions on behalf of our clients. We want to provide you with the legal support you need to hold the right people responsible for your losses. 

What Steps Should I Take After an Accident With an Uber or Lyft in New Orleans?

Uber and Lyft rideshare accidents can be confusing due to the complicated and changing laws regarding liability and insurance. If you are a driver for one of these services, you should take the time to review the insurance policies of each company to be sure that you understand how and when you are covered if an incident occurs.

If you have been involved in a rideshare accident while driving for or riding in a rideshare service vehicle, our New Orleans personal injury lawyers recommend that you follow these steps below to ensure that you protect yourself.

Contact the Appropriate Authorities

Like with any auto accident, the first step is to contact the local authorities. Call the local police right away if a rideshare accident occurs. If there is an injury, let the police know so they can call the appropriate medical response team. The police officers on the scene will be able to prepare a report that may be useful in your claim.

You should never neglect your injuries to stay at the accident scene. Your health needs to be your first priority after a collision. If you need emergency medical care, go with emergency responders right away. An experienced attorney can return to the scene of your collision at a later date to gather the evidence needed to help you recover.

Contact the Rideshare Company Through the App

After contacting the police, notify the rideshare company of the accident through their app. A member of their team will contact you as soon as possible to gather additional information if needed.

Contact a New Orleans Rideshare Accident Lawyer

You can contact our New Orleans Uber and Lyft accident attorneys immediately following a collision for help communicating with all the parties soon to be involved in your recovery.

Why do you need an attorney after a rideshare accident? If you’re seriously injured or struggling to keep insurance claims adjusters off your back, our involvement in your case can let you focus on your health. We can also prevent other people from taking advantage of your stress to deny you support.

Interview Witnesses

Be sure to collect the contact information for all witnesses and involved parties. Our rideshare accident lawyers in New Orleans, LA, may need to review their statements or ask additional questions to help your claim.

Take Photos of the Accident Scene

Drivers and passengers are encouraged to take many photos of the accident scene using their smartphones. Photos can be very useful in proving negligence or liability in an Uber or Lyft accident. Do not forget to timestamp each photo. Recommended photos include:

  • Close-ups of damage to the vehicles or other property
  • Wide-angles of the accident scene
  • Positioning of the vehicles involved
  • Any injuries sustained in your rideshare accident

How to Work With Insurance Companies After a Rideshare Accident

You need evidence to outline your right to damages after a motor vehicle accident because, without it, insurance claims adjusters will have an easier time challenging your right to support.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go to bat against insurance adjusters without support. Our team of attorneys can stand with you while you’re building your claim. We’ll highlight traps claims adjusters set and make sure you don’t give an insurance company any opportunities to deny you compensation for injuries you sustained in your collision.

Our legal team also prevents claims adjusters from making inappropriate overtures when speaking with victims. No insurance representative has the right to pressure you into giving a statement about your losses while you’re still recovering. Your New Orleans rideshare accident attorney can shoo adjusters away while preserving your right to file an insurance claim.

File Your Claim Before Louisiana’s Personal Injury Statute of Limitations Expires

Unfortunately, even the most diligent of investigative work can’t always beat out insurance companies’ greed. Insurance companies and their adjusters will find any excuse they need to deny your claim or minimize the damages you walk away with after a rideshare accident.

Fortunately, our New Orleans rideshare accident attorneys know another way to help you get the financial support you need to overcome your losses. So long as you act within Louisiana’s personal injury statute of limitations, you have the right to open a personal injury lawsuit against Uber, Lyft, and their affiliated rideshare drivers.

As of 2025, La. Civ. Code Art. 3493.1 states that you have two years to submit your claim. Filing a personal injury claim against these parties allows you to take your case for fair compensation to a judge for further consideration. Liable parties must respond to your lawsuit and cannot wriggle out of your right to financial aid.

What Comes Next?

Once you’ve submitted your rideshare accident claim for judicial consideration, the legal process begins in earnest. You can initially work with your rideshare accident attorney in New Orleans to prepare for settlement negotiations.

Most companies, including Uber and Lyft, prefer to minimize the amount of time they spend in civil court. As such, the company will likely send a representative to meet with you and discuss your losses. If you’re suing an individual at-fault driver, you may meet with them or their lawyer face-to-face.

Settlement negotiations allow you to have conversations about the negligence that led to your rideshare accident and what losses a personal injury lawyer believes you need to recover. If a responsible party acknowledges your losses, you can wrap up your case without going before a judge. 

You Have the Right to Take Your Fight Against Rideshare Drivers to Civil Court

Unfortunately, some liable parties refuse to acknowledge their role in rideshare accidents. If you can’t get a negligent driver to see reason in negotiations, you may have to go to trial to secure maximum negotiation. 

Going to trial isn’t as intimidating as it sounds. Our legal team has litigated on behalf of hundreds of rideshare accident victims. We’re prepared to walk you through:

  • Discovery
  • Opening statements
  • Examination
  • Cross-examination
  • Closing statements
  • Verdict and deliberation

We’ll also keep lines of communication open between ourselves, rideshare drivers, and rideshare companies throughout this process. If a liable party decides that they want to offer you a more reasonable settlement, we can explore your opportunities to accept while preserving your case.

We Advocate for Your Right to Comprehensive Financial Support After Lifechanging Collisions

Our team knows how motor vehicle accidents can financially devastate victims’ families. We believe that you deserve help paying your medical bills, addressing property damage, and recovering lost wages. We also want liable parties to accept responsibility for your emotional distress, pain and suffering, and reduced quality of life.

That’s why our personal injury attorneys in New Orleans take time before filing your claim for support to outline the full extent of your accident losses. We call on decades of legal experience to hold negligent parties accountable for expenses they want to sweep under the rug, and we don’t let them get away with minimizing those costs.

We’ll break down the formulas we use to establish the value of your rideshare accident claim when you meet with our New Orleans, LA, rideshare accident attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Frequently Asked Questions

For many people, ridesharing services such as Lyft and Uber have radically changed the way they travel. These services have become popular means of transportation and employment for many people across the world.

If you have been seriously injured in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, you may be entitled to significant compensation for your injuries. Contact our New Orleans Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at the Cueria Law Firm immediately to find out how we can assist you in getting the just compensation you deserve.

What Happens After an Uber or Lyft Accident?

The most complicated part of being involved in an Uber or Lyft accident is understanding the insurance coverage available to the drivers, passengers, and other motorists or pedestrians involved.

Uber’s insurance includes a $1 million liability policy as well as uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. The availability of this coverage depends on the “period” in which the event took place. Uber/Lyft considers three “periods” when deciding the eligible coverage:

Period 01

The Uber or Lyft app is on, and the driver is waiting to receive a rider. During this period, the driver is covered by Uber/Lyft’s limited liability policy of $50,000 injury per person, $100,000 total, and $25,000 property damage.

The driver must have their own personal insurance policy to provide their primary coverage. Drivers can utilize Uber/Lyft’s limited liability policy in the event that their personal insurance carrier does not offer coverage.

Period 02

The Uber or Lyft driver has been matched with a rider and is traveling to the pickup location. Uber and Lyft generally provide up to $1 million of total liability coverage, $1 million of UM/UIM, and full coverage of vehicle damages with a $1,000 deductible during this period.

If you were involved in an accident during period two, it is recommended that you contact an attorney who is experienced in handling Lyft or Uber accident claims.

Period 03

A passenger is in the car and en route to the destination. The same coverage applies as period two. In the unfortunate event of a collision during this period, it is often easiest to prove that the driver was, in fact, driving in period three. This can be very useful to support a driver or passenger’s claim.

What if I Am an Uber or Lyft Driver and I’m in a Wreck?

With the increasing popularity of driving for rideshare services like Lyft and Uber, there are many questions about automobile insurance and which party would be liable in the event of an accident.

When does Uber or Lyft’s insurance cover the driver? What additional insurance should drivers carry to protect themselves in a rideshare accident while driving for Lyft or Uber?

A complete understanding of the insurance protection provided by Lyft and Uber is critical for new and experienced drivers alike. The coverage can be summarized as follows:

The Driver Is Not in “Driver Mode”

Not being in “driver mode” means that the driver does not have the app turned on and is unable to accept any rides. In this case, rideshare companies do not provide any coverage. The driver is only protected by their regular automobile insurance.

The Driver Is in “Driver Mode” But Has Not Accepted a Ride

In “driver mode,” drivers are available to pick up passengers. Drivers who are in “driver mode” and have not yet been matched to a rider are covered under Uber or Lyft’s contingent liability coverage if the driver’s automobile insurance will not provide coverage.

For example, Lyft’s Insurance Policy has a $50,000 maximum for bodily injury per person, a $100,000 maximum limit per accident, and a $25,000 maximum limit for property damage with no deductible.

The Driver Accepts a Ride

As soon as a driver accepts a ride, the rideshare company’s liability coverage begins. It provides a $1 million per accident limit. This coverage lasts from the time a driver picks up the rider until the time the driver ends the ride in the app.

What if Uber & Lyft Try to Deny Liability?

Companies like Uber and Lyft try to deny liability for drivers of their business as they claim the individuals are considered independent contractors and they are responsible for any rideshare accidents.

The company will essentially deny all responsibility if the driver is found to be negligent, and the plaintiff will have to hold the driver liable for the rideshare accident.

For now, this is how rideshare accident cases in Louisiana are being handled. However, that might change in the future. Uber currently has a case pending where the classification of ridesharing services could change.

Drivers would be considered employees instead of independent contractors, which would change the way litigation would take place when accidents occur in the future.

Contact a New Orleans Rideshare Accident Attorney

Have you been involved in a rideshare accident with an Uber or Lyft vehicle? The New Orleans Uber and Lyft accident attorneys at Cueria Law Firm can help you determine the best course of action so you can recover any damages owed to you.

Schedule a free consultation today.

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