West Palm Beach Uber and Lyft Accident Lawyer
If you got hurt in an Uber or Lyft crash in West Palm Beach, there may be up to $1 million of insurance coverage sitting on the table. Whether you ever see it comes down to one question: what was the driver's app doing at the moment of impact? I'm Shannon Sagan, The Dash Cam Lawyer®. Proving that moment is what I do. The consultation is free and you pay nothing unless I win.
Who Pays After a Rideshare Crash? Depends on the App.
Florida Statute 627.748 splits rideshare insurance into three periods. The difference between them can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
App off. The driver is just a regular driver. Only their personal auto policy applies, and in Florida that can be as thin as it gets.
App on, waiting for a ride request. Uber or Lyft must provide at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash in bodily injury coverage, plus $25,000 in property damage.
Ride accepted or passenger in the car. One million dollars in coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage.
The insurance companies fight over which period applies. The driver swears the app was off. The rideshare company claims the trip hadn't started yet. Every argument about a timestamp is really an argument about the size of your check.
The Dash Cam Wins the Timestamp Fight
Most lawyers start a rideshare case with a letter. I start with the footage. A lot of rideshare vehicles run dash cams now, and the app itself logs GPS, trip status, and speed. That data does not stick around forever, and Uber and Lyft are not going to volunteer it. I send preservation demands immediately so the trip data, the in-car video, and any nearby camera footage get locked down before they vanish.
If you had your own camera rolling, even better. I give away dash cams for a reason. The other side can argue with a witness. They can't argue with the video. Driving Without a Dash Cam? That's Crazy.®
Where These Crashes Happen
Rideshare crashes cluster where rideshare use clusters. The pickup lanes at Palm Beach International. The bar blocks around Clematis Street and The Square. Event traffic leaving the Kravis Center. The merges on I-95, Okeechobee Boulevard, and Southern Boulevard. Late-night trips add drunk and exhausted drivers to the mix, and that is exactly when video matters most.
Hurt as a Passenger? You're in the Strongest Position.
Passengers almost never share fault. If you were riding in the Uber or Lyft when it happened, the million dollar policy could be in play no matter which driver caused the wreck. Don't let an adjuster rush you into a settlement before you know how badly you're hurt. Florida now gives you two years from the crash to file a negligence lawsuit, and if a jury puts more than half the fault on you, you get nothing. The clock is real and so is the fault fight. Get ahead of both.
What Your Case May Be Worth
Medical bills, past and future. Lost wages and earning capacity. Pain and suffering. Property damage. The value turns on how badly you're hurt, which coverage period applies, and how strong your evidence is. That last one is the only thing you can still control after the crash. It's also the thing I'm best at.
What to Do Right Now
Screenshot the trip in your app: driver name, route, time. See a doctor today, not next week. Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company. Then call me. I'll handle the preservation letters, the app data, and the footage before it's gone.
Call The Dash Cam Lawyer® at 561-561-DASH (3274). Free consultation. No fee unless I win. Offices in Palm Springs and Belle Glade, serving West Palm Beach and all of Palm Beach County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays my medical bills after an Uber or Lyft accident in West Palm Beach?
Your own PIP coverage pays first, up to $10,000. Florida is a no-fault state and that applies in rideshare crashes too. For serious injuries, the rideshare policy in effect at the time of the crash is the real target, up to $1 million during a ride.
Can I sue Uber or Lyft directly?
Usually the claim runs against the insurance coverage rather than the company itself, because Florida treats rideshare drivers as independent contractors in most situations. The million dollar policy exists for exactly these cases.
What if the Uber driver was between rides when they hit me?
Then the contingent coverage applies: at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per crash. Proving the app was on is the critical piece. Trip data and video decide these cases.
How long do I have to file a rideshare accident claim in Florida?
Two years from the date of the crash. That is a hard deadline under Florida's 2023 tort reform. Miss it and the case is gone, no matter how strong it was.
What is a rideshare case worth in Florida?
Anywhere from a PIP-level claim to seven figures, depending on the injuries, the coverage period, and the liability picture. No honest lawyer quotes a number before seeing your records and the evidence. Be careful with anyone who does.
Do I need a lawyer if I was a passenger?
Passengers have the cleanest liability position and the biggest policy in play. That is exactly why insurers try to settle with passengers fast and cheap. Talk to me before you sign anything.