Uber and Lyft accidents in Washington
A rideshare crash can involve three insurance policies: the driver’s personal policy, the rideshare company’s commercial policy, and your own. Which one pays depends on what the driver was doing at the moment of the crash.
The three periods that decide coverage
App off: the driver is a private motorist and only their personal policy applies. App on, waiting for a request: the rideshare company’s contingent coverage applies, with lower limits. Ride accepted or passenger aboard: the company’s commercial policy applies, and Uber and Lyft both carry $1,000,000 in third-party liability coverage for this period.
If you were a passenger
A passenger is rarely at fault, and the commercial policy is in force for the whole ride. If another driver caused the crash, their insurer is also responsible — a passenger can have claims against both drivers.
Evidence specific to rideshare crashes
Screenshot the trip in your app — the receipt shows the route, time and driver. The company holds GPS and app-status data that establishes which coverage period applied; a formal request to preserve it should go out early.
Fault and deadlines
Under Washington’s pure comparative fault rule, a driver found 30% at fault recovers 70% of their damages, and a driver found 80% at fault still recovers 20%.
The 3-year deadline (Rev. Code Wash. § 4.16.080(2)) applies to rideshare crashes too.
Real Washington results
Documented Washington verdicts and settlements from public court records.
| Case | Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
Liu v. State Farm Ins. Co 2021 · Car accident | Car accident | $1,500,000 verdict |
Gomez v. Clark 2022 · Car accident | Car accident | $400,000 verdict |
Laughner v. Spokane Authority Spokane County, 2015 · Rear-end collision | Rear-end collision | $1,500,000 settlement |
Mershon v. Hurley 2024 · Intersection crash | Intersection crash | $375,000 verdict |
Brown v. Aguilar King County, 2021 · Car accident | Car accident | $1,484,417 verdict |
Real cases, shown as recorded in public court records. Verdicts are jury awards; settlements are agreed payments. They are other people’s cases and not predictions of what your case is worth. Every case is different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays if my Uber or Lyft crashed in Washington?
While a passenger is aboard, the rideshare company’s commercial policy — $1,000,000 in liability coverage for both Uber and Lyft — applies to injuries the rideshare driver caused.
Can I sue Uber or Lyft directly?
The companies classify drivers as independent contractors, so claims usually proceed against the driver and the company’s insurance rather than the company itself. An attorney can assess whether an exception applies.
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This page is general information about Washington law, reviewed September 2026. It is not legal advice, laws change, and the right answer for your claim depends on its facts. CaseChecker.ai is not a law firm; it connects people with independent attorneys licensed in their state.