If you were hurt in an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare accident in Michigan, figuring out what comes next can be unusually complicated. The rideshare driver’s status at the time of the crash can affect which insurance coverage applies, while Michigan’s no-fault rules may determine where some benefits must be claimed.
At Ben Hall Law, we represent passengers, rideshare drivers, occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, and others injured in crashes involving rideshare services. We investigate how the collision happened, identify the potentially applicable insurance coverage, and pursue compensation available under Michigan law.
Why Rideshare Accident Claims Are Different
A rideshare crash is still a motor vehicle accident, but the insurance questions can be different from those in an ordinary two-car collision. A key issue is often what the rideshare driver was doing in the app when the crash occurred.
Michigan law imposes different insurance requirements when a transportation network company driver is logged into the company’s digital network and when the driver is engaged in a prearranged ride. That makes evidence such as trip records, app activity, crash reports, witness accounts, photographs, and insurance records especially important.
A rideshare accident investigation may need to answer questions such as:
- Was the driver logged into the rideshare platform?
- Had the driver accepted a ride request or begun transporting a passenger?
- Which personal, rideshare-company, and no-fault insurance policies potentially apply?
- Who caused the collision, and is more than one person or entity potentially responsible?
Ben Hall’s prior experience as a Michigan police officer and prosecutor also informs how our firm evaluates crash reports, witness evidence, and the way an accident was investigated.
Who Can Be Injured in a Rideshare Accident?
Rideshare accident claims are not limited to paying passengers. The legal and insurance analysis depends on who was injured, how the crash occurred, and the rideshare driver’s status at the time.
Potential claimants may include:
- Passengers injured while riding in an Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare vehicle
- Drivers or passengers in another vehicle struck by a rideshare driver
- Pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists injured in a collision involving a rideshare vehicle
- Rideshare drivers injured because another motorist caused the collision
The fact that Uber, Lyft, or another transportation network company is involved does not by itself establish who is legally responsible. It does, however, create additional insurance and evidence questions that should be addressed early.
Do I Have a Michigan Rideshare Accident Claim?
Whether you have a claim depends on the facts. Being injured in a crash involving a rideshare vehicle does not automatically mean the rideshare driver or company is liable. The starting questions are who caused the collision, what injuries and losses resulted, and what insurance coverage applies.
- You were a passenger in a rideshare vehicle when the driver caused or was involved in a collision
- You were in another vehicle that was struck by a rideshare driver
- You were a pedestrian or cyclist hit by an Uber or Lyft driver
- You were a rideshare driver yourself and another motorist caused the crash
- A rideshare vehicle was involved in the accident even though you were not using the service at the time
The driver’s app status is particularly important to the insurance analysis. Michigan law distinguishes between a driver who is logged into the digital network but has not accepted a ride and a driver who is engaged in a prearranged ride.
If you are unsure how those rules apply to your accident, Ben Hall Law can review the circumstances and explain the potential avenues for a claim.
Understanding Michigan’s Rideshare Insurance Rules
Michigan has specific automobile-insurance requirements for transportation network company drivers. The required coverage changes depending on whether the driver is merely logged into the digital network or is engaged in a prearranged ride.
Under MCL 257.2123, the required coverage includes:
- Driver not logged into the rideshare network: The special transportation-network-company coverage requirements do not apply. Coverage must instead be evaluated under the driver’s ordinary automobile policy and Michigan no-fault law.
- Driver logged in but not engaged in a prearranged ride: Michigan requires residual third-party automobile liability coverage of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for bodily injury or death, plus $25,000 for property damage, together with the PIP and property-protection coverage required by Michigan’s no-fault law.
- Driver engaged in a prearranged ride: Michigan requires residual third-party automobile liability insurance with a minimum $1,000,000 combined single limit for bodily injury or property damage, together with required PIP and property-protection coverage.
Those requirements make the driver’s status at the time of the collision a significant fact. The available recovery still depends on the claimant, fault, injuries, applicable no-fault rules, policy terms, and other circumstances.
Michigan’s no-fault system also applies to rideshare crashes. PIP benefits can include allowable medical and care expenses, wage-loss benefits, and replacement services, but the source and extent of PIP coverage depend on the injured person’s circumstances and applicable policy choices. A separate third-party claim for noneconomic loss or other recoverable damages is governed by different rules.
Determining which coverage applies can require review of the driver’s app status, trip records, the rideshare company’s coverage, personal automobile policies, and the facts of the collision. Ben Hall Law handles that investigation as part of evaluating a rideshare injury claim.
Compensation After a Michigan Rideshare Accident
The compensation available after a rideshare crash depends on the type of claim being pursued. Michigan no-fault benefits and a third-party liability claim cover different categories of loss. Noneconomic damages in a third-party motor-vehicle claim generally require death, serious impairment of body function, or permanent serious disfigurement under Michigan law.
The types of compensation you may be able to recover include:
- No-fault benefits: Depending on the applicable coverage, these can include allowable expenses for care, recovery, or rehabilitation, wage-loss benefits, and replacement services.
- Excess economic loss: In appropriate cases, a third-party claim may include economic losses that are not payable through no-fault benefits.
- Noneconomic damages: Pain, suffering, and other noneconomic losses may be recoverable when Michigan’s statutory threshold is met.
- Property-related losses: Vehicle and other property claims are governed by Michigan’s separate no-fault and liability rules and depend on the circumstances of the crash.
- Wrongful death damages: When a rideshare crash is fatal, eligible survivors may have claims under Michigan’s wrongful death law.
The categories and amount of compensation are highly fact-dependent. A careful claim should distinguish between no-fault benefits and damages that may be pursued from an at-fault party rather than treating every loss as part of a single insurance claim.
Who May Be Liable for a Rideshare Crash
Determining who is responsible for a rideshare accident is not always straightforward. Multiple parties may share liability depending on the circumstances, and Michigan’s comparative fault system allows more than one party to be held accountable.
Potentially liable parties may include:
- The rideshare driver: If the Uber or Lyft driver caused the accident through negligence such as distracted driving, speeding, or running a red light
- Another motorist: If a third-party driver caused the collision, their insurance may be responsible for your damages
- The rideshare company: While Uber and Lyft classify their drivers as independent contractors to limit their own liability, the company’s commercial insurance policy still applies when the driver is on a trip or has accepted a ride request
- Vehicle or parts manufacturers: If a defective vehicle component such as faulty brakes or a tire blowout contributed to the crash
- Government entities: If a poorly maintained road or a malfunctioning traffic signal played a role in the accident, a government agency may share responsibility, though these claims come with strict notice requirements
Identifying every potentially liable party is critical because it determines which insurance policies are available to compensate you. Our team investigates each case thoroughly to make sure no source of recovery is overlooked. We handle all types of motor vehicle accident claims, and rideshare cases are no exception.
Deadlines in Michigan Rideshare Accident Cases
Different deadlines can apply to different parts of a Michigan rideshare accident case. A negligence action for injury to a person is generally subject to a three-year limitations period under MCL 600.5805, while claims for no-fault benefits are governed by separate timing rules.
There are also shorter deadlines that can catch people off guard:
- No-fault benefit claims have their own notice, filing, and recovery rules under Michigan’s Insurance Code, so they should not be treated as though the general three-year personal-injury period controls every aspect of the case.
- Claims involving a governmental entity can be governed by additional statutory notice requirements and shorter deadlines.
- Rideshare-specific evidence can include app activity, trip records, GPS information, communications, and other electronic records. Preservation should be considered early in the investigation.
Because the applicable deadline depends on the claim and the parties involved, it is important to identify those issues rather than assuming every rideshare accident has a single filing deadline.
Evidence That Matters in a Rideshare Accident Claim
The rideshare platform creates records that may not exist in an ordinary car-accident case. Establishing the driver’s status can be important both to reconstructing the collision and to determining which insurance requirements were in effect.
Depending on the case, relevant evidence may include:
- Rideshare app and trip records showing when the driver logged in, accepted a request, began the trip, and ended it
- Police reports, photographs, video, witness statements, and vehicle data relating to how the crash occurred
- Personal and transportation-network-company insurance policies and coverage records
- Medical records and other evidence documenting the injuries and their effect on the injured person
Ben Hall’s background as a former Michigan police officer and prosecutor gives the firm practical experience reviewing investigations and identifying the evidence that may matter. In a rideshare case, that work also includes determining the driver’s platform status and identifying the insurance coverage potentially available.
FAQs About Michigan Rideshare Accident Claims
These questions address some of the issues that make Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare accident claims different from ordinary motor vehicle cases.
Yes, you can still pursue a claim even if you were not wearing a seatbelt. Michigan law does not make failure to wear an available safety belt evidence of negligence, but it can be considered in reducing certain damages to the extent the failure to wear the belt contributed to the injuries. Michigan law limits that reduction to 5%.
You may still have a claim. If another driver caused the crash, you can pursue compensation through that driver’s liability insurance. You may also have access to the rideshare company’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, depending on the driver’s app status at the time.
Michigan law requires that if a rideshare driver’s personal auto insurance lapses or does not meet the required coverage levels, the rideshare company’s own insurance must step in and cover the claim from the first dollar. This is an important protection for injured individuals.
Michigan’s comparative-fault rules are more nuanced than a simple yes-or-no cutoff. Damages are generally reduced according to the claimant’s percentage of fault, and a person who is more than 50% at fault cannot recover noneconomic damages. The effect on a particular claim depends on the damages being sought.
Reporting the collision through the rideshare platform can create an additional record of the incident. Preserve screenshots, trip information, receipts, messages, and any other information available through the app. Before giving a detailed recorded statement to an insurer or company representative, understand who is requesting it and why.
Talk to a Michigan Rideshare Accident Lawyer
If you or someone you care about was injured in an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare accident in Michigan, Ben Hall Law can help determine how the rideshare driver’s status, Michigan no-fault law, and the available insurance coverage affect the claim.
We offer free consultations to review how the crash happened, who may be responsible, what insurance coverage may apply, and what legal options are available. Rideshare claims can involve overlapping rules, so the goal is to identify the right claim rather than make assumptions based simply on the Uber or Lyft name.
Contact Ben Hall Law to discuss the circumstances of your rideshare accident and the next steps available under Michigan law.
