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Uber and Rideshare Accident Attorney in Indianapolis, IN

Getting into a crash while riding in or driving for Uber or Lyft raises insurance questions that a typical car accident doesn’t. Rideshare accidents cover crashes involving a rideshare driver, whether you were a passenger, the rideshare driver yourself, another driver, or a pedestrian struck by a vehicle working for one of these platforms, and figuring out which insurance policy actually applies often depends on exactly what the driver was doing at the moment of the crash.

Indiana law requires transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft to maintain minimum insurance coverage for their drivers, but that coverage changes depending on the phase of the trip. When a driver is logged into the app and waiting for a ride request, coverage is typically limited to lower liability limits and doesn’t include collision coverage for the driver’s own vehicle. Once a driver accepts a ride and is en route to pick up a passenger, and once a passenger is in the car, significantly higher coverage generally applies. These distinctions matter a great deal in a claim, since the rideshare company, the driver’s personal insurer, and the rideshare company’s insurer may all point to each other depending on which phase applies. Many personal auto policies also specifically exclude coverage for commercial ridesharing activity, which is part of why identifying the correct policy quickly matters so much in these claims.

At RileyCate, we help identify which coverage applies to your specific situation and pursue claims against the appropriate insurer, whether that’s the rideshare company’s policy, the driver’s personal policy, or both. We represent injured passengers, other drivers, pedestrians, and rideshare drivers themselves when they’ve been hurt by another party’s negligence.

Rideshare accident claims often involve layered insurance coverage and companies with significant resources to dispute a claim, which is where trial-tested litigation experience matters. Will Riley and Russell Cate lead our rideshare accident team. Russell Cate is recognized as a Super Lawyer, and his and Will Riley’s appellate work before the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Indiana Supreme Court gives our clients real depth in this kind of litigation. Will Riley’s Super Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and AV Preeminent recognition reflects that same trial-tested approach.

Every matter we take on is personally overseen by Will and Russell, who staff it with the attorneys, associates, and staff it calls for based on its size and complexity, so your claim gets careful attention from the outset.

Why Choose Us

Nobody plans to need a lawyer. When something goes wrong, what you need first is someone who will listen, tell you honestly where you stand, and take the next steps off your plate. That is how every case at RileyCate, LLC begins.

We represent individuals, families, and small businesses across Fishers, Indianapolis, and surrounding counties in personal injury and complex litigation, business and real estate disputes, criminal defense, and appeals.

Will Riley and Russell Cate personally oversee every matter, staffing each case to its size and complexity. Both are recognized as Super Lawyers and have argued before the Indiana Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Will also holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a Top 100 Trial Lawyer designation.

We are trial-tested, not just settlement-focused. We have tried hundreds of cases, because insurance companies, opposing businesses, and prosecutors negotiate differently with a firm willing to go the distance.

About RileyCate

When you’re a passenger in an Uber or Lyft during an active trip, the rideshare company’s liability coverage generally applies and typically provides substantial coverage for injuries. The exact coverage depends on the circumstances of the crash and which driver was at fault. An attorney can help you identify and pursue the correct policy.
This period generally carries lower liability coverage from the rideshare company and no collision coverage for the driver’s own vehicle, which can create a coverage gap if the driver’s personal policy also excludes commercial use. Determining exactly what coverage applies during this phase is one of the more complicated parts of a rideshare claim. An attorney can help sort out which policies are actually available.
Rideshare companies generally classify their drivers as independent contractors, which limits direct claims against the company itself in most situations, though their insurance coverage is still typically available to injured parties. The claim usually proceeds against the applicable insurance policy rather than the company directly. An attorney can explain how this applies to your specific accident.
If a rideshare driver caused your accident while you were outside the vehicle, whether as a pedestrian, cyclist, or another driver, you may still be able to pursue a claim against the rideshare company’s insurance depending on what phase of the trip the driver was in at the time. The same coverage phases that apply to passengers generally apply here. An attorney can help identify which policy applies to your situation.
If another driver caused your accident while you were working for Uber or Lyft, you may be able to pursue a claim against that driver’s insurance, and depending on the coverage available, the rideshare company’s underinsured motorist coverage may also apply. Your own personal auto policy may exclude commercial activity, which makes understanding what coverage actually applies especially important. An attorney can help you sort through the available policies.
Indiana generally provides two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under Indiana’s statute of limitations, though the specific insurance policies involved in a rideshare claim can have their own notice requirements that are worth addressing well before that deadline. Acting quickly also helps preserve evidence like the rideshare app’s trip data. An attorney can help you understand the deadlines that apply to your specific claim.
Shared ride trips generally carry the same rideshare company insurance coverage as a standard trip, since the coverage applies to the vehicle and driver during an active ride rather than to each individual passenger arrangement. If other passengers were also injured, each person’s claim is typically evaluated on its own facts and injuries. An attorney can help you understand how a shared ride affects your specific claim.
Fault in a rideshare accident is generally determined the same way as any other car accident, by looking at traffic laws, witness statements, and physical evidence, though the rideshare app’s own trip data can add an additional layer of evidence about the driver’s speed and route. Indiana’s modified comparative fault rule applies here as well. An attorney can help gather and interpret the specific evidence available in a rideshare case.

If you were hurt in an accident involving Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare service, figuring out which insurance applies can be confusing on your own. We offer a consultation to review your accident and identify the coverage available to you. Reach out to RileyCate today to speak with a rideshare accident attorney about your situation.

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