By Dan Noll on April 3rd, 2025 in Articles, Car Accident
Springfield Car Accident Lawyers Answer Who is Liable in an Uber or Lyft Accident in Illinois
Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have undoubtedly made getting home safer, but they still cause a significant number of car accidents in Sangamon County and the rest of Illinois. Although some causes of a crash may appear to be obvious, defense lawyers and insurance adjusters may not admit liability right away – or at all. Sarah Noll and Dan Noll at the Noll Law Office know this firsthand, as they are fifth-generation lawyers in Springfield who represent victims and their families after personal injury accidents throughout the region. This includes representing passengers of car accidents who use ridesharing companies such as Uber or Lyft , where complicated insurance issues often arise. In situations where a defense lawyer or adjuster will not admit liability, determining who’s liable in an Uber or Lyft accident often depends on whether the driver was logged into the ridesharing app, en route to pick up a passenger, carrying a passenger, or in some other status window. This status is what dictates the insurance coverage that may be available to victims.
Here at the Noll Law Office, their experienced Springfield car accident lawyers offer free consultations and case evaluations for victims and their families to learn about their rights under Illinois law. Their compassionate legal team also pays the upfront litigation costs and expenses, which are only reimbursed after they recover compensation for victims and their families. The same is true of their legal bills, which are based on a contingency (percentage) of what they recover for a victim – and only paid after that recovery is made. To learn more about your rights after an Uber accident or Lyft accident in Springfield, Sangamon County or anywhere else in Illinois, contact their experienced car accident lawyers by dialing (217) 414-8889.
Understanding Rideshare Insurance Coverage Stages
One of the threshold issues in all ridesharing accident cases in Springfield and the rest of Illinois is what insurance policy applies. Generally, insurance coverage in rideshare accidents follows a tiered system based on the driver’s status at the time of the collision. This staged approach often leaves injured parties wondering whose insurance will actually cover their damages, which is why victims need to work with an experienced Illinois personal injury lawyer such as Sarah Noll or Dan Noll.
The important driver statuses are as following:
Period 0: Driver Not Logged in
If an accident occurs when the rideshare driver has the app turned off, the situation resembles a standard car accident. In these cases, the driver’s personal auto insurance bears primary responsibility for covering damages. Uber or Lyft’s insurance policies typically provide no coverage during this “off-duty” period, meaning the injured party would file claims as they would in any other traffic accident in Springfield.
Period 1: When the Driver Is Logged in but Waiting for a Ride Request
This in-between stage creates one of the most problematic coverage gaps. When a driver is logged in but has not yet accepted a ride, Illinois law requires drivers to maintain minimum personal coverage of $25,000 per person per accident, a total of $50,000 for all people injured in an accident, and $20,000 total for all property damage per accident.
Both Uber and Lyft provide what is known as “contingent liability coverage” during this waiting period, but this coverage only activates if the driver’s personal insurance denies the claim or becomes exhausted. These policies typically offer limited protection, such as for Uber $50,000 for bodily injury liability per person per accident, $100,000 total per accident, and $25,000 total for property damage per accident.
Period 2: When the Driver Is En Route to a Passenger
Once a driver accepts a ride request, the auto insurance coverage significantly increases from either Uber or Lyft. Both major rideshare companies generally provide up to $1 million in liability coverage for bodily injuries suffered when a driver is en route to pick up a passenger by passengers, other drivers, pedestrians, and for property damage. Uninsured (UM) or underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage also typically becomes available during this active ride period, offering additional protection when other drivers lack adequate insurance. The ridesharing company’s insurance policy will now be the primary insurance and be the first one that covers injuries and damages, as opposed to the driver’s personal auto insurance policy like in period 0 or in period 1.
Period 3: Passenger in the Vehicle
The same standards and insurance applies when a driver has a passenger as when a driver is en route to pick up a passenger. Additionally, UM and UIM also applies. Although the insurance is the same, typically cases where a driver is en route to pick up a passenger will result in more legal arguments by the defense lawyer or insurance adjuster to try to limit liability or coverage, although that does not usually work. Whereas when a passenger is in a vehicle, there are less arguments over whether the coverage kicks in because it is obvious.
Potential At-Fault Parties in Rideshare Accidents in Illinois
Insurance coverage is just part of the equation to recovering compensation in a ridesharing car accident. Next, victims must establish liability, or fault of a party. Liability in rideshare accidents rarely falls on just one party, even in single-vehicle crashes, and often involve multiple defendants. Several entities might bear responsibility for a victim’s crash, creating a complex web of potential claims and coverage scenarios that could become difficult for victims if they do not have an experienced Springfield car accident lawyer.
Some possible parties who may be liable include the following:
The Rideshare Driver
Rideshare drivers are often the primary party in all ridesharing accidents, even if the driver does not appear to be the primary cause of the crash, a driver is often still going to be a party in a lawsuit. But unfortunately, many rideshare drivers are often at fault for crashes, including due to fatigue or distractions such as using the app or speaking with passengers.
Uber or Lyft as Companies
The rideshare companies themselves maintain complex relationships with liability and have historically been unable to get away with having some fault for ridesharing accidents, although they initially tried to shift all blame off to drivers. Apps like Uber or Lyft typically only accept responsibility during active ride periods, and if a driver deviates from the suggested route or violates company guidelines, the companies might deny coverage for other conduct or conditions of a driver such as being ill, fatigued, or using medications that were not disclosed. Their insurance policies often include provisions and exclusions that can complicate claims, making professional legal guidance particularly valuable in these situations. Thus, victims need an experienced Springfield rideshare accident lawyer like Sarah Noll or Dan Noll to represent them in Illinois.
Other Drivers or Third Parties
Many rideshare accidents involve multiple vehicles or external factors that complicate liability determinations, sometimes those are also the primary parties who are at fault and which may have different insurance policies. Other motorists may bear partial or complete fault, while commercial vehicles, municipal vehicles, or even roadway conditions might contribute to rideshare accidents in Springfield or Sangamon County. Bicyclists, pedestrians, or road hazards can introduce additional liability factors that require thorough investigation to properly identify all potential sources of compensation. Thus, courts may need to apportion fault between the liable parties in order to determine who pays what amount of compensation.
Illinois-Specific Considerations for Rideshare Accidents
Illinois has implemented specific laws, regulations and legal frameworks that affect rideshare accident claims, creating a unique landscape for both victims and insurance providers. It also creates a complex matrix of legal authorities that must be considered by car accident lawyers in Springfield to help victims recover the compensation that they truly deserve.
Some of the important bodies of law that apply include the following:
Illinois Statutory Law (Legislatively-made Law)
Laws that go through the formal rulemaking process of government (i.e., generally meaning when a law passes in both houses and then the governor signs), are the main backbone of legal authority for ridesharing accident cases in Springfield and the rest of the state. These statutes often take priority over other legal authorities, and are important because they include the vehicle and traffic laws that apply to all motorists.
Illinois Common Law (Judge-made Law)
Judicial decision writing is what makes the common law, which is an interpretation of the other bodies of law but also a determination of the public sentiments and opinion at the time a case is decided. This includes claims in the common law, which are not products of statute or regulations. With the exception of Louisiana (which uses civil law), all states use the common law system which has evolved over time and is flexible.
Illinois Transportation Network Providers Act
The Transportation Network Providers Act, also known as the TNC Act or just TNC, governs rideshare operations in Illinois, establishing mandatory insurance minimums for all stages of rideshare activity, driver background check requirements, and operating standards that can affect liability determinations. Understanding the TNC law and the associated regulations is crucial when determining how responsibility may be allocated following an accident, as a violation of the law or the regulations can be used to help prove liability.
Comparative Fault Rules
Illinois follows modified comparative negligence principles, which means if you are more than 50% responsible for an accident, you cannot recover damages. Your compensation may be reduced by your proportional percentage of fault, and these rules apply to everyone involved in a Springfield ridesharing accident such as passengers, drivers, and third parties.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
When negligent defendants lack adequate insurance, other options exist for recovering damages for medical bills, lost wages, and conscious pain and suffering. During active rides, the rideshare company’s policy typically includes UM/UIM coverage that can help fill coverage gaps. Illinois requires all auto policies to include UM/UIM protection, which may provide additional recovery avenues, and both Uber and Lyft’s policies also have UM/UIM coverage when a driver is en route or completing a ride with a passenger.
Still Unsure Who’s Liable in an Uber or Lyft Accident in Springfield, Illinois? Call the Noll Law Office
Navigating the aftermath of an Uber or Lyft accident in Illinois requires understanding the complex interplay between multiple insurance policies, state laws, and liability between third parties. Working with an experienced Springfield personal injury attorney ensures you explore all avenues for compensation while protecting your rights throughout the claims process. If you have been involved in a rideshare accident, do not navigate this complex landscape alone with your family. Contact a car accident lawyer likes Sarah Noll or Dan Noll at the Noll Law Offices who can help you establish liability and prove entitlement to compensation for your damages.
Schedule your free personal injury case evaluation with their Springfield car accident lawyers to learn more by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by sending a message here. They can meet with you at home, their office, the hospital, virtually, over the phone, or other places to discuss you possible ridesharing case against a negligent driver or a ridesharing company like Uber or Lyft.