Rideshare Reality Check in Greater Philadelphia
An Uber sideswipes a bicyclist on Chestnut Street. A Lyft driver rear-ends you at a red light near City Hall. A rideshare passenger suffers whiplash when an 80-thousand-pound tanker brakes hard on I-95. When gig economy wheels meet Philly traffic, lives change fast, and the web of multiple insurers scrambles to limit what rideshare accident victims collect.
Our Pennsylvania car accident lawyers cut through the finger-pointing and force every carrier, rideshare company, or the at-fault driver’s insurance company to pay full value.
From our Center City office, we fight for injured Pennsylvanians across the Greater Philadelphia area, including Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware, and Chester Counties.
Why Accident Victims Trust The Law Offices of Craig A. Altman
Insurance adjusters cruise the Schuylkill hunting cheap, fast releases from rideshare accident victims. We don’t let them. We request driver-app data, electronic trip logs, and intersection cameras, then make the multiple insurance companies pay maximum compensation for your injuries. When they stall, we file. When they low-ball, we try the case.
Proven rideshare wins – We’ve battled James River (Uber), Allstate (Lyft), and every major commercial insurer in court and arbitration.
Rapid digital footprint preservation – We subpoena ride-timestamp logs, surge-pricing data, and 911 audio, evidence that disappears fast.
Layered-policy mastery – $50k/$100k Stage 1? $1 million Stage 3? We untangle who pays first.
Bilingual team – Our Spanish-speaking staff keeps every client in the loop.
Rideshare Accident Scenarios We Handle Every Day
Big rig, bus, bicycle, or Prius in purple Lyft livery. If it rolls on Pennsylvania pavement, we’ve seen it wreck. The table below shows the crashes we tackle daily and the proof that demands fast action.
Accident Type | Common Scenarios |
|---|---|
Passenger Injuries | Sudden stops, rear-ends, freeway pile-ups while you ride in the back seat |
Driver-Versus-Driver Collisions | Uber/Lyft driver hit by speeding car or semi-truck |
Pedestrian & Cyclist Impacts | Curb pick-ups blocking bike lanes, right-hook turns |
Third-Party Vehicle Damage | Rideshare driver causes chain-reaction crash, multiple insurers involved |
Uninsured & Hit-and-Run | UM/UIM claims when the at-fault driver flees or has no insurance coverage |
Assaults in the Vehicle | Physical or sexual attacks by drivers or passengers, negligent hiring claims |
Types of Compensation We Chase
Getting healthy costs money; for rideshare accident victims, getting justice should not cost a dime from your pocket. Pennsylvania calls these losses “damages,” and every missed receipt is bonus profit for the insurance company. We build a master spreadsheet on day 1, so nothing slips through.
Medical bills
Future care
Lost wages
Vehicle & property damage
Pain, suffering & loss of life’s pleasures
Punitive damages in DUI, texting driver, or reckless Uber or Lyft driver cases
Why the detail matters: Insurance companies only cut checks for line items they can verify.
Applicable Pennsylvania Laws for Rideshare Injury Claims
Pennsylvania’s Transportation Network Company Act (66 Pa. C.S. Ch. 26) stacks on top of the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law and creates extra insurance hurdles that can trap Uber and Lyft accident victims.
| Rule | How It Affects Your Claim |
|---|---|
| Statute of Limitations – 42 Pa. C.S. § 5524 | Two years to sue (for wrongful death claims, the clock starts on the date of death). |
| Modified Comparative Negligence – 42 Pa. C.S. § 7102 | Recover if you’re ≤ 50 % at fault; the award drops by your share. |
| Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage Stacking – 75 Pa. C.S. § 1738 | You can stack policies unless you have signed the specific waiver. |
| Full vs. Limited Tort | Rideshare passengers are automatically full tort, so pain and suffering are on the table. |
| Seat-Belt Rule – 75 Pa. C.S. § 4581 | Riding unbelted, even in the back, can trim damages. |
Uber vs. Lyft Insurance Layers at a Glance
Rideshare insurance policies shift the second the driver taps “online.” Knowing the exact layer helps us pinpoint who pays first and how much is really on the table.
Trip Stage | Uber Coverage | Lyft Coverage |
|---|---|---|
App OFF(Period 0) | Driver’s own insurance policy 15 / 30 / 5 minimum | Driver’s personal auto policy 15 / 30 / 5 minimum |
App ON, no passenger requested(Periods 1–2) | Uber provides $50k bodily injury per person / $100k per crash / $25k property damage, plus optional UM/UIM | Lyft provides $50k / $100k / $25k liability, plus contingent UM/UIM |
Passenger accepted or on board(Period 3) | $1 million liability, $1 million UM/UIM, contingent comprehensive & collision | $1 million liability, $1 million UM/UIM, contingent comp & collision |
Both rideshare companies tout the same headline limits, but claim portals, adjuster response times, and fine-print carve-outs differ. We leverage those nuances to keep your payout moving.
What To Do After a Pennsylvania Rideshare Crash
Call 911. Get a police report and record the incident number before leaving.
Seek medical care on the same day. Concussions and soft-tissue injuries can hide for 48 hours; early records shut down “you weren’t hurt” claims.
Capture proof. Screenshot the ride in-app, note the driver’s name, plate, surge rate, and snap photos of the scene; back everything up to the cloud.
Report the crash in-app, but never give a recorded statement alone. Provide basics only; insist your lawyer be present for further questions.
Track expenses & pain. Mileage to PT, ride receipts while your car is down, and daily pain scores. Log it all.
Call the Altman Team at (215) 569-4488. Digital footprints vanish fast; our legal team will lock them down while you heal.
FAQs from Pennsylvania Rideshare Accident Victims
How long will my rideshare accident case take?
Each crash is different. Injury severity, overlapping insurance layers, and the court’s calendar all affect timing. Some legal claims settle before suit; others require discovery and maybe a jury. We secure evidence early and push hard so you’re never waiting a day longer than necessary.
Who pays: Uber, Lyft, the driver, or the other motorist?
The TNC’s $1 million policy applies when you’re a passenger. If the app is merely on, coverage drops to 50/100/25, and the Lyft or Uber driver’s personal auto insurance, or another at-fault driver, may pay first. We trace every policy, stack UM/UIM when allowed, and force the right carrier to the table.
What if the rideshare driver is uninsured or flees?
Uber and Lyft still owe their statutory coverage. If all else fails, your UM/UIM or the Pennsylvania Assigned Claims Plan can step in. We pursue every avenue with equal force.
Do I have limited or full tort as a rideshare passenger?
Passengers ride full tort, so you can claim pain and suffering even for “minor” injuries.
How much does a Pennsylvania rideshare accident lawyer cost?
Zero up front. We advance filing fees, expert costs, and medical record charges, and work on a contingency approved by Pa. R. Prof. Cond. 1.5(c). No recovery, no fee.
Can I change Uber or Lyft accident lawyers mid-case?
Yes. Pennsylvania clients can switch counsel at any stage. We file a praecipe to substitute appearance and resolve fee liens with prior counsel at no extra cost or delay for you.
Ready to Seek Compensation After an Uber or Lyft Accident?
For over 35 years, our Philadelphia rideshare accident lawyers have turned insurance stall tactics into six- and seven-figure recoveries for accident victims. Click the button below for a free consultation.
$10 Million
Burn Injury in Pennsylvania
$1.3 Million
Bar Patron Assault in Pennsylvania
$750,000
Injury Caused by an Exploding Thermos
$550,000
Neck & Back Injuries
$400,000
Motor Vehicle Accident
$300,000
Minor with a Broken Leg
$300,000
Injuries Resulting From a Trip & Fall
$250,000
Pedestrian Accident
Injured? Tell Us Your Story. We’ll Handle the Rest.
Call To Speak To A Lawyer For A Free Case Evaluation.
Cases We Handle in Pennsylvania
Hurt in a car crash, trucking accident, slip-and-fall, or other negligence-based mishap in Southeast Pennsylvania?
The Altman Team focuses exclusively on personal injury law, leveraging a deep command of Pennsylvania tort statutes to win maximum compensation for residents of Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties.
You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.