A crash in an Uber or Lyft can leave you with serious injuries, growing medical bills, and real questions about who is responsible for paying. At Christensen Law, our Michigan rideshare accident lawyers stand with injured passengers, drivers, pedestrians, and grieving families across the state.
We have fought for accident victims in Michigan since 1991, and we treat every person who calls us like family.
Rideshare claims are different from an ordinary car crash because two systems of coverage overlap at the same time. Michigan’s no-fault insurance rules sit next to the large commercial policies that Uber and Lyft carry, and figuring out which one applies takes real experience. That is the work we do every day, and we are ready to do it for you.
You do not have to sort through this alone, so reach out the moment you are able. Call Christensen Law 24/7 at (248) 600-4591 for a free, no-risk consultation, and let us protect your rights from day one. If your claim also involves a standard collision, our Michigan car accident lawyers can help you there, too.
CHRISTENSEN LAW HAS A 24 HOUR RAPID RESPONSE SERVICE
Who Pays for a Rideshare Accident in Michigan?
Who pays depends on what the rideshare driver’s app was doing at the exact moment of the crash. Michigan uses a layered system, so the source of payment can shift based on whether the driver was offline, waiting for a request, or actively carrying a passenger.
Specifically, three questions shape almost every Michigan rideshare accident claim. Was the app on, had the driver accepted a ride, and who was truly at fault for the collision? The answers decide which policies come into play and in what order.
Your own Michigan no-fault policy usually pays your first medical bills and lost wages, no matter who caused the crash. On top of that, a separate liability claim may reach Uber or Lyft’s commercial coverage when their driver caused your harm. We build your case around both layers, so nothing you are owed gets left behind.
How Michigan No-Fault Insurance Applies to Uber and Lyft Crashes
Michigan’s no-fault system pays your medical care and lost wages first, no matter who caused the rideshare crash. These first-party benefits, called Personal Injury Protection or PIP, come before any lawsuit against the driver who hit you.
PIP benefits can cover reasonable medical treatment, a share of your lost income, and replacement services for tasks you cannot do while healing. They can also cover attendant care, which is the paid help you may need at home after a severe injury. The Michigan No-Fault Act is designed to move these benefits to you quickly, so your recovery does not stall.
Some drivers also carry coordinated coverage, where their health insurance pays medical bills first, and the auto policy fills the gaps. That choice can change how your bills are handled after a rideshare crash. The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services oversees these auto insurance rules, and we review your policy so you understand which benefits are available.
One tricky part is deciding which policy pays your PIP first. Michigan follows an order of priority, so an injured passenger often turns to their own auto policy, then to a resident relative’s policy, before any other source. We handle that order under MCL 500.3114, so your benefits are not delayed by insurers pointing fingers at one another.
When your injuries are serious, you may also bring a third-party lawsuit for pain and suffering against the at-fault party. A third-party claim is the case you file directly against the person or company responsible, and Michigan sets a threshold for it under MCL 500.3135. We know how to meet that standard and document the full weight of what you have been through.
Michigan also follows a modified comparative negligence rule. In plain terms, you can still recover money even if you were partly to blame, as long as you were not more than 50% at fault. We work hard to keep an unfair share of blame off your shoulders.
What if You Were a Rideshare Passenger?
If you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft, you are almost never at fault, and you have strong options for compensation. Your no-fault PIP benefits still apply, and the at-fault driver’s liability coverage may be open to you as well.
Passengers sit in a unique position, because they did nothing to cause the crash. That often makes the injury side of the claim clearer, even though the insurance side can still be layered. Two drivers, two personal insurers, and a rideshare company can all become part of a single claim.
If you were riding to work, to the airport, or home from a night out, the same rules apply. What matters is your app-based trip and the injuries you suffered, not the reason you booked the ride. We take time to gather trip records that confirm you were a paying passenger when the crash happened.
A Lyft passenger injury claim under Michigan no-fault frequently draws on both your own PIP benefits and the rideshare company’s liability policy. When the driver was carrying you at the time of the crash, a large commercial policy is generally in play. The key point is simple: as an injured passenger, you hold real leverage, and we help you use every bit of it.
Uber and Lyft’s $1 Million Commercial Coverage Explained
Uber and Lyft carry up to $1 million in liability coverage that applies while their driver is on an active trip. The amount available rises and falls with the driver’s app status, which is why that one detail can decide the value of your claim.
Michigan regulates these companies as Transportation Network Companies, which are the platforms that connect riders with drivers through an app. State law sets escalating insurance requirements across three periods, so the coverage picture changes with each stage of a trip:
- App off: The driver is not working, so their personal auto policy applies just like any other private driver.
- App on and waiting for a request: Lower limits generally apply, often $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus property damage coverage.
- On the way to you or during your ride: A commercial policy of up to $1 million in liability coverage generally applies.
Because coverage can jump from a modest limit to $1 million based on a single tap in the app, proving the driver’s exact status at the moment of impact is often the most important work in the case.
In our experience handling these claims, we move fast to preserve the platform’s trip data, because that record can confirm which coverage period was active. Insurers know how much rides on that fact, so we do not wait for them to hand it over. We request and protect the evidence early, while it is still available.
Were You Hit by a Rideshare Driver?
If a rideshare driver struck you while you were in another car, on a bicycle, or on foot, you can pursue both your own no-fault benefits and a claim against the responsible coverage. You do not need to be inside the Uber or Lyft to have a valid claim.
Struck-by cases and multi-vehicle crashes add moving parts, because more than one driver may share the blame. Michigan’s comparative fault rule still lets you recover, as long as you were not mostly responsible. We investigate the scene, gather the data, and pin down who did what.
These claims can involve your own auto insurer, the rideshare driver’s personal insurer, and the rideshare company’s commercial policy all at once. We handle Michigan rideshare accident claims of every type, from a single struck-by crash to a complex multi-vehicle wreck. Our job is to make sure every available policy is found and pursued.
How a Michigan Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney Can Help
A Michigan Uber and Lyft accident attorney protects your claim from the pressure tactics insurers use to pay you less. Whether you need an Uber accident lawyer in Michigan or help after a Lyft crash, we take over communication, secure the evidence, and build your case for its full value from the first call.
Here is how we step in for you:
- We deal with the insurers: You focus on healing while we handle recorded statement requests, medical exam demands, and settlement calls.
- We preserve the proof: We act quickly to lock down app records, dash and traffic camera footage, and vehicle data before any of it disappears.
- We build for trial: We prepare every case as though it will be tried, so the other side takes your claim seriously from the start.
- We pursue every dollar: We account for future treatment, attendant care, and long-term needs, not only the bills sitting on your table today.
You pay us nothing up front, and nothing at all unless we win compensation for you.
Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime, an ABOTA member and a recognized Leader in the Law, describes our approach simply. The client is the heart of every case, and our role is to let the medical treatment team and the at-fault party’s own conduct tell the story. That keeps the focus where it belongs, on your recovery and on the truth of what happened to you.
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From the moment I spoke with Dustin, I felt like I was in good hands He, Samantha, and the entire staff at Christensen Law treated me like family, demonstrating kindness, expertise, and a genuine interest...
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Why Injured Michiganders Choose Christensen Law
We are trial lawyers who treat clients like family and refuse to accept lowball offers. Since 1991, we have recovered record results for accident victims across Michigan, from Detroit to Grand Rapids and everywhere between.
A few reasons injured people across the state trust us with their claims:
- A proven record: Our results include a $17.8 million motor vehicle accident verdict and a $9.5 million wrongful death recovery.
- Elite trial credentials: Founder David Christensen is a Michigan Hall of Fame attorney, an ABOTA member, and holds AV Preeminent status from Martindale-Hubbell.
- Recognized leadership: Managing Partner Sarah Stempky-Kime is an ABOTA member and a recognized Leader in the Law.
- Always available: We offer free consultations 24/7 and hold a 4.9 to 5.0 review rating across our offices.
From our offices in Southfield, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Troy, we are ready to listen, protect, and win for you. Call Christensen Law today for a free consultation, and let us put that record to work on your case.
FAQs Answered by Our Rideshare Accident Lawyers in Michigan
Here are answers to questions we hear often from injured Uber and Lyft passengers, drivers, and families across Michigan.
Michigan law sets firm deadlines, and some are shorter than people expect. The window to claim certain no-fault benefits can be far shorter than the window to file an injury lawsuit, so waiting can quietly cost you money. The safest step is to call us early, so we can protect every deadline that applies to your claim.
Nothing up front, because we work on a contingency fee. That means our fee comes only from money we recover for you, and your first consultation is always free. If we do not win compensation, you do not owe us an attorney fee.
You may still have solid options, because more than one policy can apply to a rideshare crash. Depending on the app status and the facts, the rideshare company’s coverage, your own coverage, or another party’s policy may be available. We track down every source of coverage, so a driver’s thin policy does not decide your future.
No, and you should be careful before you agree to one. Adjusters often ask for recorded statements early, then use your words to reduce or deny your claim later. Let us speak with the insurer for you, so an honest answer is never twisted against you.
Rideshare crashes can cause life-changing harm, from traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damage to broken bones and burns. These injuries often require surgery, long rehabilitation, and ongoing attendant care at home. We build claims that account for the full arc of your recovery, not just your first hospital visit.
No, because we serve injured people statewide, from busy Detroit interchanges to the streets near Ann Arbor and across the Upper Peninsula. We handle claims out of our Southfield, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Troy offices. Wherever your crash happened in Michigan, we can help.
Talk to a Michigan Rideshare Accident Lawyer Today
You deserve a legal team that treats you like family and fights for every dollar you are owed. At Christensen Law, our Michigan rideshare accident lawyers are ready to listen to your story, protect you from insurance pressure, and pursue the justice your recovery requires.
Call us 24/7 at (248) 600-4591 for a free, no-risk consultation, or reach out online to get started today. There is no fee unless we win for you. Serving all of Michigan, from the D to the UP.
