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A rideshare accident is disorienting. One moment you are a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, and
the next you are dealing with injuries, confusion, and a car full of strangers. Or maybe you were
driving your own vehicle when a rideshare driver ran a red light. Either way, the steps you take
in the minutes, hours, and days after the crash directly affect your ability to recover
compensation.
Rideshare accidents are not the same as standard car accidents. The presence of a
transportation network company (TNC) like Uber or Lyft introduces additional insurance layers,
corporate procedures, and evidence that can disappear if you do not act quickly. What you do
right now matters.
Kiley Law Group has represented injury victims across Massachusetts and New Hampshire for
more than 50 years, recovering over $1 billion in compensation. If you were hurt in a rideshare
accident, call 978-474-8670 for a free consultation.
Your safety comes first. Check yourself and anyone else involved for injuries. Call 911 immediately, even if the injuries seem minor. Adrenaline can mask pain, and many rideshare accident injuries, including whiplash, concussions, and internal bleeding, do not produce obvious symptoms right away.
A 911 call creates an official record of the accident and dispatches both police and emergency medical services. The police report generated from this call is one of the most important pieces of evidence in your case.
Massachusetts law requires all drivers involved in an accident to stop and remain at the scene. Even if you were a passenger, stay until police arrive and complete their report. Leaving the scene can create legal problems and makes it harder to document what happened.
If you are able to move and the vehicles are creating a hazard, move to the shoulder or sidewalk. Turn on hazard lights if you have access to the vehicle's controls. Do not attempt to move anyone who may have a spinal injury.
The evidence you collect at the scene is often the strongest evidence in your entire case. Insurance companies and juries rely heavily on photos, police reports, and contemporaneous records.
Use your phone to photograph everything. Capture the damage to all vehicles from multiple angles, including close-ups and wide shots that show the overall scene. Photograph skid marks, traffic signals, road conditions, weather conditions, and any visible injuries. If there is dash cam or security camera footage nearby, note the location of the cameras.
This is critical and unique to rideshare accidents. Open your Uber or Lyft app and screenshot your trip details, including the driver's name, photo, license plate, vehicle information, trip route, and pickup/drop-off times. This information can disappear from the app. Take the screenshots now.
Get the name, phone number, insurance information, and license plate number of every driver involved, including the rideshare driver. If there are witnesses, get their names and phone numbers too. Ask the responding officer for the police report number so you can request a copy later.
As soon as you are able, write down your own account of the accident while the details are fresh. Include the time, location, direction of travel, what you saw and heard, and what the rideshare driver was doing right before the crash. This written account can be valuable evidence months later when memories have faded.
See a doctor within 24 hours of the accident, even if you feel fine. Some of the most serious rideshare accident injuries have delayed symptoms.
A prompt medical evaluation creates a direct link between the accident and your injuries. If you wait days or weeks to see a doctor, the insurance company will argue that your injuries were caused by something else or are not as serious as you claim.
Do not skip or delay medical treatment. Follow your doctor's recommended treatment plan completely. Gaps in treatment give insurance adjusters ammunition to reduce your claim.
Both Uber and Lyft have in-app accident reporting features. Open the app, go to your trip history, select the trip, and report the accident. The company will open a claim file and assign an adjuster. Be factual in your report, but keep it brief. Do not speculate about fault or the severity of your injuries.
Even if you were a passenger, notify your own auto insurance company about the accident. Massachusetts is a no-fault state, and your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage may apply. PIP covers up to $8,000 in medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the crash.
Massachusetts law requires you to file a crash report with the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) within five days if the accident caused injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,000. The Crash Operator Report (form CRA-65) can be filed online through the MassDOT website. Drivers involved in the crash are required to file; passengers typically are not, but should confirm with an attorney.
Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company without speaking to an attorney first. Insurance adjusters for Uber, Lyft, and other drivers' insurers will contact you quickly. They may seem friendly and helpful, but their job is to minimize what the company pays. Anything you say in a recorded statement can be used to reduce or deny your claim.
Do not post about the accident on social media. Insurance companies and defense attorneys routinely search claimants' social media accounts. A photo of you smiling at a family event can be used to argue you are not really injured. A post saying "I'm fine" can undermine your entire claim.
Do not accept an early settlement offer. Insurance companies often make quick, low offers before you understand the full extent of your injuries. Once you accept a settlement, you cannot go back and ask for more, even if your injuries turn out to be worse than expected.
Do not sign any documents from the insurance company without legal review. Insurers may ask you to sign medical authorizations, releases, or other documents that limit your rights. Have an attorney review anything before you sign.
The sooner you have legal representation, the better your outcome is likely to be. An experienced rideshare accident attorney can handle the insurance companies, preserve critical evidence, and build a case that reflects the full value of your injuries.
In a rideshare case specifically, your attorney will determine the driver's app status at the time of the crash, identify which insurance policies apply, send preservation letters to Uber or Lyft to protect trip data and GPS records, and manage communications with all parties so you can focus on your recovery.
Kiley Law Group handles rideshare accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront and nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Use this checklist to make sure you have captured the evidence that matters most in a rideshare accident case.
Yes, always call 911 after a rideshare accident. A police report is one of the most important pieces of evidence in your case. It documents the scene, identifies the parties involved, and often includes the officer's preliminary assessment of fault. Massachusetts law also requires drivers to report accidents that cause injury or significant property damage.
Yes. Many rideshare accident injuries, including concussions, whiplash, and internal injuries, have delayed symptoms that may not appear for hours or days. A prompt medical evaluation creates a documented connection between the accident and your injuries. Waiting to seek treatment gives insurance companies a reason to question whether the accident actually caused your injuries.
Yes. Passengers in rideshare vehicles are almost never at fault for the accident, which means you are entitled to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver's insurance, the rideshare company's commercial policy, or both. Passengers are generally in the strongest legal position of anyone involved in a rideshare crash.
Call the police anyway. Some rideshare drivers want to avoid an official report because it may affect their ability to drive for the platform. Your priority is protecting your own health and legal rights, not the driver's employment status. A police report is essential evidence that cannot be created after the fact.
As soon as possible. Ideally, within the first few days. Critical evidence, including Uber and Lyft trip data, GPS logs, and dash cam footage, can be deleted or overwritten quickly. An attorney can send preservation letters to protect this evidence and begin building your case while you focus on medical treatment. You have three years to file a lawsuit under Massachusetts law, but the strongest cases start early.
If you were injured in an Uber or Lyft accident in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, Kiley Law Group is ready to help. With more than 50 years of experience and over $1 billion recovered for our clients, we know how to handle the complexity of rideshare accident claims. We work on a contingency basis, so you pay nothing unless we win.
Call Kiley Law Group today for a free consultation, or contact us online to get started.
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. 175, §228 (TNC insurance requirements), and Ch. 231, §6D (serious injury threshold). Laws change; consult a licensed Massachusetts attorney for advice specific to your situation.
