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After an Uber or Lyft accident, you are dealing with injuries, medical bills, and the stress of figuring out what comes next. Filing a legal claim is probably the last thing on your mind. But Massachusetts law sets a firm deadline on how long you have to take action, and missing it can permanently eliminate your right to compensation.
The general statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Massachusetts is three years from the date of the accident. That applies to rideshare crashes just like any other motor vehicle collision. Three years might sound like plenty of time, but rideshare cases involve multiple insurance layers, corporate defendants, and evidence that disappears fast. Delays work against you.
Kiley Law Group has spent more than 50 years holding negligent parties accountable across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. If you were injured in a rideshare accident, call our office today for a free consultation before the clock runs out.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, §2A, you have three years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline applies to all parties involved in a rideshare accident, including the Uber or Lyft driver, the rideshare company, and any third-party drivers who contributed to the crash.
If you do not file your lawsuit within three years, the court will almost certainly dismiss your case. It does not matter how strong your evidence is or how severe your injuries are. The deadline is enforced strictly, with very limited exceptions.
This three-year window applies to the lawsuit itself. Insurance claims and settlement negotiations often happen before litigation, but if negotiations break down, you need enough time remaining on the clock to file suit.
A standard two-car accident typically involves two drivers and two insurance policies. A rideshare accident can involve the Uber or Lyft driver's personal auto insurance, the rideshare company's contingent liability policy, the at-fault third-party driver's coverage, and potentially the rideshare company itself. Sorting through these layers takes time.
Uber and Lyft store trip data, GPS logs, and driver status records on their own servers. There is no guarantee that data will be available months or years after an accident. Dash cam footage, traffic camera recordings, and witness memories all degrade over time. An attorney can send preservation letters to Uber or Lyft early to prevent critical evidence from being deleted.
Many rideshare accident injuries, including soft tissue damage, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal injuries, take weeks or months to fully diagnose. You need a clear picture of your medical prognosis before you can accurately value your claim. Starting the legal process early gives your attorney time to build your case while your medical treatment progresses.
Each insurance carrier involved in a rideshare accident will conduct its own investigation and make its own coverage determination. The rideshare company's insurer may dispute the driver's app status. The driver's personal insurer may deny coverage entirely. These disputes take months to resolve, and every month spent negotiating is a month closer to the filing deadline.
Massachusetts law provides a few narrow exceptions that can extend or pause the statute of limitations. These exceptions apply in specific situations and should not be relied on without legal advice.
If the injured person is under 18 at the time of the accident, the three-year clock does not start until they turn 18. A child injured as a passenger in an Uber at age 15, for example, would have until age 21 to file a lawsuit. A parent or guardian can also file on the child's behalf before then.
If the injured person is mentally incapacitated as a result of the accident, the statute of limitations may be tolled (paused) until the incapacity is resolved. This exception is narrowly defined and requires medical documentation of the incapacity.
If the at-fault party leaves Massachusetts after the accident, the time they spend out of state may not count against the statute of limitations. This can be relevant in rideshare cases where the driver relocates.
Wrongful death claims arising from a rideshare accident have a separate three-year statute of limitations under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 229, §2. The clock starts from the date of death, not the date of the accident, if those dates differ.
If the statute of limitations expires before you file your lawsuit, your case is over. The court will dismiss it regardless of the facts. The at-fault driver, Uber, Lyft, and their insurers will have no legal obligation to compensate you.
Insurance companies know this. In many rideshare accident cases, adjusters will delay settlement negotiations, request unnecessary documentation, and drag out the process hoping the deadline passes. This is a deliberate tactic, and it works against unrepresented claimants who do not realize time is running out.
Do not let an insurance company's delays cost you your right to compensation. If you have been injured in a rideshare accident and have not yet spoken with an attorney, act now.
The statute of limitations is the deadline for filing a lawsuit. But insurance policies also have their own deadlines for reporting claims and submitting proof of loss. These deadlines are separate from the statute of limitations and are often much shorter.
Most auto insurance policies require you to report an accident "promptly" or within a "reasonable time." Uber and Lyft's commercial policies may have specific reporting windows. Failing to notify the relevant insurer in time can jeopardize your coverage, even if you are still within the statute of limitations for a lawsuit.
The safest approach is to report the accident to all relevant insurance companies as soon as possible and contact an attorney to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Massachusetts is a no-fault state, which means your own auto insurance (or the rideshare company's policy) pays your initial medical bills and lost wages through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, regardless of who caused the accident.
PIP benefits in Massachusetts cover up to $8,000 in medical expenses and lost wages. You must submit PIP claims to the applicable insurer within two years of the date of the accident. If you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, the rideshare company's PIP coverage applies first.
To step outside the no-fault system and pursue a full personal injury claim against the at-fault party, your medical expenses must exceed $2,000 or your injuries must meet the serious injury threshold under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, §6D, which includes bone fractures, permanent disfigurement, and loss of sight or hearing.
Beyond avoiding the deadline, filing early gives your legal team critical advantages.
You have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, §2A. This deadline applies to claims against the rideshare driver, the rideshare company, and any other at-fault parties. Missing this deadline will result in your case being permanently dismissed.
No. The statute of limitations applies to lawsuits filed in court. Insurance claims have separate reporting deadlines set by each policy. PIP claims in Massachusetts must be submitted within two years. Liability claims should be reported as soon as possible to avoid coverage disputes.
In limited circumstances, yes. If the injured person is a minor, the clock does not start until they turn 18. If the injured person is mentally incapacitated due to the accident, the deadline may be paused. If the defendant leaves Massachusetts, time spent out of state may not count. These exceptions are narrow and should be discussed with an attorney.
Massachusetts follows the "discovery rule" in some cases, which means the statute of limitations may start when you knew or should have known about your injury rather than the date of the accident. This is more common in medical malpractice than car accidents, but delayed-onset injuries like traumatic brain injuries may qualify. Consult an attorney to evaluate your situation.
No. You should contact an attorney as soon as possible after the accident, even if your treatment is ongoing. Your lawyer can begin preserving evidence, communicating with insurance companies, and building your case while you focus on recovery. Waiting until treatment ends risks running out of time.
Every day that passes after an Uber or Lyft accident is a day closer to the filing deadline and a day further from the evidence that supports your claim. Kiley Law Group has helped injury victims across Massachusetts and New Hampshire recover over $1 billion in compensation. We handle rideshare accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win.
Call Kiley Law Group today or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.
This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Massachusetts law cited includes Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 260, §2A (statute of limitations), Ch. 229, §2 (wrongful death), Ch. 231, §6D (serious injury threshold), and Ch. 175, §228 (TNC insurance). Laws change; consult a licensed Massachusetts attorney for advice specific to your situation.
