An Uber or Lyft crash creates more paperwork, more insurance companies and more chances to lose evidence than an ordinary car accident. The first hours matter most. This step-by-step guide covers what to do at the scene, in the app, and in the days after, whether you were the passenger, the driver, or someone the rideshare car hit.

At the scene

  1. Call 911. Ask for police and, if anyone is hurt, an ambulance. A police report records who was involved, the vehicles, and the insurance information the drivers gave the officer.
  2. Get medical care. Adrenaline hides injuries. Neck, back and head injuries often show up hours or days later. A same-day emergency room or urgent care visit also creates a record that ties your injuries to the crash.
  3. Ask the rideshare driver two questions. New Jersey's rideshare law requires the driver, on request, to share their insurance information and to say whether they were logged on to the app or on an active ride at the time of the crash (N.J.S.A. 39:5H-10(h)). Write the answers down.
  4. Photograph everything. Every vehicle and its plates, the rideshare sticker or placard on the windshield, the damage, the road, traffic signals, skid marks and your visible injuries.
  5. Collect witness names and phone numbers. Independent witnesses carry weight later, and they are hard to find once they leave.

In the app, before you close it

Rideshare cases turn on app data, because the driver's status in the app decides which insurance applies. How the three app periods work.

  • Screenshot the trip: the driver's name and photo, the car and plate, the route map, and the pickup and drop-off times.
  • Save the receipt. The law requires the company to send riders an electronic receipt within 48 hours showing the start and end points, time, distance and fare (N.J.S.A. 39:5H-9). Don't delete it.
  • Report the crash in the app, but keep it short and factual: where and when it happened, and that you were hurt. Don't guess about speed or fault, and don't downplay your injuries.

In the days after

  • Notify your own auto insurer if you have a policy. In New Jersey, your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage often plays a role in paying medical bills, and policies require prompt notice. PIP explained.
  • Follow your doctor's treatment plan. Gaps in treatment are one of the first things an insurer uses to argue that you weren't really hurt.
  • Keep a simple file: medical bills, pharmacy receipts, missed work, mileage to appointments, and a few notes each week about pain and what you can't do.
  • Stay off social media about the crash. Photos and posts are routinely pulled into injury cases and taken out of context.

What not to do

  • Don't give a recorded statement to the rideshare company's insurer or the other driver's insurer before getting advice. These calls are designed to lock in details that limit your claim. What not to tell an insurer.
  • Don't sign a release or accept a quick check. An early offer usually comes before anyone knows how serious your injuries are, and a signed release ends the claim.
  • Don't assume Uber or Lyft will handle it. The companies' insurers work for the companies. Their job is to pay as little as the facts allow.

If you were driving for Uber or Lyft

Drivers have their own set of steps: preserve your trip log, tell your personal insurer, and look at the uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage that comes with active trips. Options for injured rideshare drivers.

Deadlines

In New Jersey, most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash (N.J.S.A. 2A:14-2). Insurance notice deadlines can be much shorter, and evidence like dashcam footage, nearby business video and app data can disappear within days or weeks. All New Jersey injury deadlines.

See our Uber and Lyft accidents page, or request a free consultation to talk through your crash.