Fort Lauderdale Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer

A rideshare crash in Broward County rarely involves just one insurance policy. The driver has a personal auto policy, the other motorist has coverage of their own, and Uber or Lyft may carry commercial coverage that changes depending on whether the app was off, waiting for a ping, or carrying a passenger. Spencer Morgan Law represents people hurt in rideshare collisions in Fort Lauderdale, across Broward County, and throughout Florida, and sorting out which policy applies is usually the first real question in these claims.

If you are searching for a Fort Lauderdale Uber & Lyft accident lawyer, you are probably dealing with more than a bent fender. Passengers get thrown against seats and doors, drivers get hit while stopped to pick someone up, and pedestrians and cyclists get struck by drivers who were looking at a navigation screen. Each of those people has a different path to compensation, and the app company’s involvement can slow things down if nobody pushes the claim forward.

Where Rideshare Injuries Come From

• Passenger Injuries: Riders hurt while in the back seat can often pursue claims against more than one source of coverage, including the rideshare driver’s side, the company’s commercial policy, and the at-fault driver in another car. Our firm has recovered $125,000 for an Uber passenger and $120,000 in a separate rideshare case.
• Collisions With Another Motorist: Many rideshare crashes are caused by a driver in a different vehicle who ran a light, changed lanes without looking, or rear-ended the car. Those claims run against that driver’s liability coverage, and underinsured motorist coverage may matter when limits are low.
• Driver-Fault Crashes: When the Uber or Lyft driver caused the wreck, the question becomes which policy responds, which depends on the status of the app at the moment of impact.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Strikes: Downtown Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas Boulevard, and the beach corridor along A1A see heavy foot and bike traffic mixed with drivers hunting for pickup spots. Pedestrians and cyclists hit by a rideshare vehicle have their own coverage avenues.
• Rideshare Drivers Hurt on the Job: A driver injured by another motorist while working has PIP, possible uninsured motorist coverage, and claims against the at-fault party, and the app company’s policies may add to that.
• Airport and Port Pickups: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades generate constant rideshare traffic, with sudden stops, curb-side merging, and drivers unfamiliar with the roads.
• Hit-and-Run and Uninsured Drivers: When the other driver flees or has no coverage, your own uninsured motorist protection and the rideshare company’s policies may become the main sources of recovery.

How Rideshare Coverage Works in a Florida Claim

Florida is a no-fault state, and that matters even when an app company is involved. Your own personal injury protection coverage is the first place medical bills and lost income go, regardless of who caused the crash. PIP pays 80 percent of reasonable medical expenses and 60 percent of lost wages, up to a combined limit of $10,000, with a $5,000 death benefit. There is a catch that trips people up: PIP pays nothing for medical care unless you get initial treatment within 14 days of the crash. And the full $10,000 is available only if a qualified provider, such as a physician, dentist, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse, determines you had an emergency medical condition. Without that determination, benefits stop at $2,500.

Passengers in an Uber or Lyft generally look to their own PIP if they own a vehicle and carry it, or to the policy covering the vehicle they were riding in. PIP will not cover everything, though. Serious injuries, such as fractures, herniated discs, or surgical cases, usually require a liability claim against the at-fault party. Our firm has handled cases where injuries led to a cervical disc replacement months after the accident, arthroscopic knee surgery, and shoulder and wrist procedures, and the size of those recoveries came from proving the medical story, not from PIP.

Fault is also a bigger issue than it used to be. Under the current version of Florida’s comparative fault statute, a person found more than 50 percent responsible for their own harm recovers nothing in a negligence case. At 50 percent or less, the recovery is reduced by that person’s share of fault. That rule applies to claims arising on or after March 24, 2023, and it means a rideshare driver or insurer who can blame a passenger, pedestrian, or the driver of the other car for more than half the crash has a powerful argument. Evidence from the scene, dashcam footage, and the app’s trip data can decide that fight.

Why Choose Spencer Morgan Law for a Rideshare Crash Claim

Clients tell us the difference they notice is that someone answers. Reviews of the firm come back to the same themes: calls returned, questions answered at every stage, and a team that explains each step. One client wrote that the office had her case organized and her treatment arranged by the next day. Another said every one of her many questions got a prompt reply. Spencer Morgan keeps clients fully informed and gives personal attention to the case rather than passing it down a line of strangers.

That experience matters here because rideshare claims are really insurance disputes, and the firm has years of practice dealing with carriers who look for reasons to pay less. A client once wrote that the way Mr. Morgan spoke to the insurance representative was both effective and passionate.

The firm also handles the practical fallout of a crash: getting cars fixed, securing fair reimbursement for total losses, resolving medical bills, and helping clients get needed medical care. You don’t pay unless we recover, consultations are confidential, and Spanish-language services are available.

Serving Fort Lauderdale and Broward County Rideshare Accident Victims

Spencer Morgan Law handles rideshare claims for people in Fort Lauderdale and across Broward County. From downtown Fort Lauderdale and Las Olas through Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, and the beach area, we represent clients hurt on the roads they use every day. We also serve people in Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Plantation, Sunrise, Davie, Weston, Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Lauderhill, Tamarac, Margate, Oakland Park, Wilton Manors, Dania Beach, Hallandale Beach, and Cooper City.

Because the firm serves clients throughout South Florida and the state, we also work with people hurt just across the county line in Miami-Dade, where rideshare traffic between the airports, the beaches, and downtown creates the same kinds of claims. Broward cases are heard in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, with appeals going to the Fourth District Court of Appeal.

What to Do After an Uber or Lyft Crash in Fort Lauderdale

Get medical attention quickly, and treat the 14-day PIP deadline as a hard stop. If you wait two weeks to see anyone, your PIP medical benefits can disappear entirely, and the insurer for the other side will point to the gap as proof your injuries were minor. Go to an emergency room or urgent care, tell the provider about every area that hurts, and ask whether they will document an emergency medical condition if one exists. Follow-up care with your own doctor or a specialist builds the record that a claim rests on.

At the scene, call the police so a crash report exists, and photograph the vehicles, the road, any skid marks, and the damage. Take a screenshot of the Uber or Lyft trip screen if you were a passenger, because the app status at the time of the crash determines which coverage applies. Get the driver’s name, license plate, and insurance information, plus contact details for any witnesses. Do not apologize or guess about fault, and be careful when the rideshare company’s adjuster or the other driver’s insurer calls asking for a recorded statement. What you say can be used to push your share of fault above that 50 percent threshold.

Be careful with medical bills, too. Florida law now requires claimants who treat under a letter of protection, where a provider treats you in exchange for payment out of any settlement, to disclose that arrangement and who referred you. If you have health insurance, evidence of what that coverage was obligated to pay can be admissible. How you finance treatment affects what a jury can see, so talk to a lawyer before signing anything.

The filing deadline is the other clock. For negligence claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023, Florida allows two years to sue, not the four years that applied before. Claims against a government entity, such as a crash involving a city or county vehicle, involve written notice requirements and a recovery cap that is much lower than in a private case. Larger cases in Broward are filed in the circuit court in Fort Lauderdale, while smaller claims may go to county court.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rideshare Accident Claims

Who pays when I am hurt in an Uber or Lyft in Fort Lauderdale?

It depends on who caused the crash and what the driver was doing in the app at the time. Your own PIP typically pays first for medical bills and lost wages. Beyond that, the claim may run against the at-fault driver, the rideshare driver, or the company’s commercial coverage.

How long do I have to file a rideshare accident lawsuit in Florida?

Two years for most negligence claims that arose on or after March 24, 2023. Older claims that arose before that date keep the previous four-year period. Wrongful death actions also generally carry a two-year deadline, so do not wait to talk to a lawyer.

Does the 14-day PIP rule really apply to rideshare crashes?

Yes. PIP pays nothing for medical care unless you get initial services within 14 days of the crash. Get seen early, even if you think you are only sore.

What if I was partly at fault for the crash?

If you were 50 percent or less at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share. If a jury finds you more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover damages in an ordinary negligence case. That makes fault evidence critical.

Can I sue Uber or Lyft directly?

Sometimes. The company’s insurance may apply depending on the driver’s app status, and claims against the company can turn on whether the driver was working at the time. Each case requires a close look at the trip data and the policies involved.

What if the other driver has minimal insurance or flees the scene?

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, if you carry it, can fill the gap, and rideshare company policies may offer additional protection depending on the situation. We have recovered policy limits in hit-and-run cases, including $108,000 and $100,000 results.

I am a rideshare driver who was hurt by another car. Do I have a claim?

Often yes. You have PIP, possible uninsured motorist coverage, and a liability claim against the at-fault driver, and the app company’s coverage may add to your options.

Will my health insurance cover treatment while my claim is pending?

It can. Using health coverage is often better than treating on a letter of protection, because Florida law lets a jury see what your insurer was obligated to pay, and letters of protection must be disclosed along with who referred you for care.

Is it worth hiring a lawyer for a rideshare crash that did not seem serious?

Often it is. Our results include a $100,000 recovery in a car accident with minimal vehicle damage and a $350,000 settlement in a minor car accident. Low property damage does not mean low injury, and early treatment records matter.

How long does a rideshare accident case take in Broward County?

It varies with injury severity and whether the insurers cooperate. Cases that settle before suit can resolve in months, while contested claims that go into litigation in the circuit court take longer. We keep clients updated at each stage.

What does it cost to hire the firm?

You don’t pay unless we recover. Consultations are confidential, and Spanish-language services are available.

Can I still bring a claim if the crash happened while I was a pedestrian or cyclist?

Yes. People struck by rideshare vehicles on foot or on a bike have claims against the driver and applicable insurance. The firm has handled pedestrian, bicycle, and scooter cases, including a $280,000 pre-suit recovery for a scooter collision with an automobile.

Call a Fort Lauderdale Uber & Lyft Accident Attorney Today

If a rideshare crash left you with medical bills, missed work, and an insurer or app company that has not made a fair offer, talk to a Fort Lauderdale Uber & Lyft accident attorney at Spencer Morgan Law. The consultation is confidential, you pay nothing unless we recover, and Spanish-language services are available. Call today and let us start sorting out which coverage applies to your case.