A rideshare trip across Detroit should end at your front door, not in an emergency room. When an Uber or Lyft crash leaves you hurt, the Detroit rideshare accident lawyers at Christensen Law are here to listen to your story and fight for the full recovery you deserve.
The physical, emotional, and financial strain of a serious crash is real, and you should never have to carry it alone. We have advocated for injured Michiganders since 1991, and we treat every client like family during one of the hardest chapters of their life. That means honest answers, steady updates, and a legal team that fights insurance companies as hard as they fight you.
Rideshare claims are rarely simple, because they blend Michigan no-fault rules with layered commercial insurance policies worth up to $1 million. Our team understands how Uber and Lyft coverage works, who is responsible for your medical bills, and how to hold a negligent driver accountable.
Many of these wrecks are really multi-car collisions, so our Detroit car accident lawyers stand ready to help there too. Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (313) 546-1091 for a free, no-risk consultation with a Detroit rideshare accident lawyer.
Why Injured Detroit Riders Choose Christensen Law
Detroit rideshare victims choose our firm because we pair a proven trial record with genuine, one-on-one care. We are not a volume settlement mill. We are trial lawyers who prepare every case as if a jury will decide it, which is exactly what pushes insurance companies to pay full value.
Our results speak for themselves, including a $17.8 million motor vehicle accident verdict and a $9.5 million wrongful death recovery for Michigan families.
Founder David Christensen is a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and holds AV Preeminent status from Martindale-Hubbell. Managing partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is a recognized Leader in the Law and also an ABOTA member.
Together, they lead a team known for record-setting results and a 4.9 to 5.0 review rating across every office. When you work with us, you get real answers, steady communication, and a firm that refuses to back down from Uber, Lyft, or their insurers. That is the heart of our Listen, Protect, Win philosophy, and it is what our Detroit clients feel from the first call.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
How Does Rideshare Insurance Coverage Work in a Detroit Crash?
In a Detroit rideshare crash, the liability coverage available depends almost entirely on what the driver’s app was doing at the moment of impact. Michigan’s Transportation Network Company law (MCL 257.2123) sets escalating insurance requirements across three distinct periods. Understanding those periods often decides how much money is on the table for your injury claim.
Because coverage can swing from $50,000 to $1 million based on app status, insurers have a strong incentive to argue the crash happened in a lower-coverage window. We use Uber and Lyft trip data to pin down the truth and keep the right policy in play.
The Three Rideshare Insurance Periods
- App off: The driver’s personal auto policy applies, much like any ordinary car crash.
- Logged on, waiting for a ride: A smaller policy applies, with at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in liability coverage.
- En route to a pickup or carrying a passenger: A $1 million commercial liability policy applies for bodily injury and property damage.
These tiers matter because the gap between them can be hundreds of thousands of dollars for a seriously injured person. Our Detroit rideshare accident lawyers gather the electronic evidence that proves which period was active when you were hurt.
Michigan law adds an important protection for injured riders. If the driver’s required coverage lapses or falls short, the rideshare company’s own insurer must step in from the first dollar of the claim and defend it. That means you should not be left waiting while two insurers point fingers over whose policy comes first.
Who Pays in a Detroit Rideshare Accident?
In a Detroit rideshare accident, more than one insurance policy usually comes into play, and who pays depends on your role in the crash and your own coverage. Michigan is a no-fault state, so your medical bills and wage loss start with Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits, regardless of fault.
Under Michigan’s no-fault priority rules (MCL 500.3114), an injured passenger looks first to their own auto policy, then to a resident relative’s policy, and finally to the Michigan Assigned Claims Plan if no other coverage exists. This order surprises many riders who assume Uber or Lyft automatically pays their medical bills.
Separate from PIP, the at-fault driver’s liability coverage can pay for pain and suffering and other losses. If a negligent rideshare driver caused your injuries during an active trip, that $1 million commercial policy may apply. If another motorist caused the crash, their insurance, along with any available uninsured or underinsured coverage, comes into focus.
Sorting out a Lyft passenger injury claim in Wayne County can involve three or four insurers at once. We map every available policy, so no source of compensation gets left behind.
Detroit Rideshare Crash Scenarios We Handle
We represent injured people in every type of Detroit rideshare crash, from passengers hurt in the back seat to pedestrians struck in a crosswalk. Each scenario carries its own insurance questions, and each demands a strategy built around the facts.
Detroit sees heavy rideshare traffic, especially around Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and the downtown entertainment district near Little Caesars Arena, Comerica Park, and the Greektown casinos. High volume on corridors such as Woodward Avenue, Gratiot Avenue, and the Lodge Freeway means more chances for serious collisions.
Late-night pickups near the stadiums and casinos, along with steady airport runs on I-94, put thousands of rideshare trips on Detroit roads every week. When one of those trips ends in a serious crash, the injured rider is often the last person with clear answers about which insurance applies. That is where we step in.
Common cases we handle include:
- Injured rideshare passengers hurt when their Uber or Lyft driver crashes or is struck by another vehicle.
- Pedestrians and cyclists struck by a rideshare vehicle on busy Detroit streets and near transit hubs and the airport.
- Other motorists and their passengers hit by a rideshare driver who ran a light, sped, or drove distracted.
- Multi-vehicle pileups on I-75, I-94, or M-10 that pull a rideshare car into the wreck along with several others.
No matter how your crash happened, our Detroit Uber accident attorneys know how to trace liability and build a case for full compensation. Reach out today, so we can start protecting your rights while the evidence is fresh.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Detroit Rideshare Crash?
After a Detroit rideshare crash, you may recover both no-fault PIP benefits and, in serious cases, added damages from the at-fault party. The two tracks work together to cover the full weight of a life-altering injury.
Michigan PIP benefits pay for reasonable medical care, up to 85% of lost wages for as long as three years, replacement services for tasks you can no longer do, and related costs, regardless of who caused the crash. These benefits are meant to keep your household steady while you heal.
For the most serious injuries, PIP can also cover attendant care, which is the in-home help a badly hurt person needs with daily tasks. Coordinating these benefits with health insurance and other coverage takes careful, detailed work. We handle that coordination, so your care is not interrupted by a billing dispute.
When an injury is serious, you can also pursue a third-party claim against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering and other non-economic losses. Michigan law allows this when the harm meets the serious impairment of body function threshold under MCL 500.3135. Broken bones, brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and other severe harms often qualify.
Michigan’s comparative fault rule (MCL 600.2959) lets you recover even if you were partly to blame, as long as you were not more than 50% at fault. Deadlines are strict, so acting quickly protects your right to file. Talk with our team before an insurer talks you out of what you are owed.
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How We Build Your Detroit Rideshare Accident Case
We build every rideshare case around two things that consistently win: your story and the defendant’s own conduct. As managing partner Sarah Stempky-Kime puts it, we like to let the treatment team do the talking, and we love to let defendants dig their own hole.
That approach starts with listening. We get to know you, your injuries, and how the crash changed your daily life, so a jury understands the real stakes. Then we let your doctors and treatment records show the full extent of your harm in their own words.
At the same time, we go after the evidence that rideshare companies hold but rarely volunteer. Uber and Lyft keep second-by-second logs of when a driver was logged on, when a ride was accepted, and the GPS path of the trip. That data can settle a coverage dispute worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We move fast to preserve those records, along with crash reports, camera footage, and witness accounts, before anything disappears. This is the same rigor we bring to Michigan rideshare accident claims across the state. If you were hurt, let us start building your case today.
When a case belongs in front of a jury, we are ready to try it in Wayne County, not simply settle it on paper. That readiness is often what moves an insurer from a lowball number to a fair one. It is also why so many Detroit families trust us with their most serious claims.
Detroit Rideshare Accident Attorney FAQs
Below are answers to some of the questions Detroit rideshare crash victims ask us most often.
You generally have one year from the crash to file a written claim for Michigan no-fault PIP benefits under MCL 500.3145, and a separate deadline applies to third-party injury lawsuits. Missing a deadline can cost you the right to recover, so it is wise to speak with a lawyer early. We review your dates right away and protect every filing window.
Nothing upfront. We handle rideshare injury cases on a contingency fee, which means you pay no attorney fee unless we win compensation for you, and your consultation is always free. That way, every injured Detroiter can afford strong representation, no matter their financial situation.
Not before speaking with a lawyer. Insurance adjusters often request recorded statements hoping you will say something they can use to reduce or deny your claim. Let us handle those conversations, so your words are not turned against you later.
You still have rights. A pedestrian or cyclist struck by a rideshare vehicle can claim Michigan PIP benefits and, when the injury is serious, pursue the at-fault driver for added damages. We handle these struck-by cases throughout Wayne County and know how to trace the right coverage.
You may still have options. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can apply, and during an active rideshare trip that protection is part of the $1 million policy backing the driver. We dig for every layer of coverage, so an insurance gap does not quietly become your loss.
Every case is different, and the value depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical costs, lost income, and how the crash has changed your life. We do not chase quick, lowball settlements. We build your case for full value and stand ready to take it to trial if an insurer will not pay what is fair.
Talk With a Detroit Rideshare Accident Lawyer Today
If an Uber or Lyft crash has turned your life upside down, you do not have to face the insurance companies alone. Our team is ready to listen to your story, protect your rights, and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
Christensen Law has recovered record-setting results for Michigan families since 1991, including a $17.8 million verdict, and we bring that same determination to every rideshare case. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP, we are available 24/7 for a free consultation.
Call our Detroit office today at (313) 546-1091, and let a Detroit rideshare accident lawyer put the power of Listen, Protect, Win to work for you.
