The Best Brooklyn Rideshare Accident Lawyer for Your Injury Case
Rideshare Accident Lawyer Brooklyn: When a Crash Turns Your Life Upside Down
If you need a rideshare accident lawyer Brooklyn residents trust, here is what you should know right away:
Quick answers for rideshare accident victims in Brooklyn:
- Call 911 and get medical care first — even if you feel okay
- Document everything — photos, driver’s name, license plate, Uber/Lyft trip receipt
- Do not accept any fast settlement offer from an insurance company
- File your no-fault (PIP) claim with your own insurer within 30 days
- Contact a rideshare accident lawyer Brooklyn before speaking to any insurance adjuster
- You have 3 years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York
Brooklyn’s streets are among the busiest in the country. From the congestion around Flatbush Avenue and Atlantic Terminal to the constant flow of traffic near the Brooklyn Bridge, rideshare vehicles are everywhere — stopping suddenly, double-parking, and switching lanes while drivers check their apps.
That convenience comes with real risk.
According to a 2021 NYPD study, Brooklyn recorded roughly 3,546 accidents in a single month. Rideshare vehicles contributed to a share of those crashes — and nationwide, ridesharing has been linked to a 3% increase in traffic fatalities, adding nearly 1,000 deaths per year.
When a crash involves an Uber or Lyft, the legal situation is far more complicated than a typical car accident. Multiple insurance policies, a driver’s app status at the time of the crash, and the rideshare company’s effort to limit its own liability can all stand between you and the compensation you deserve.
Rideshare accident lawyer Brooklyn terms you need:
Why Rideshare Claims are Complex in Brooklyn
At Segal & Lax, we have seen how a quick trip through the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) can turn into a legal nightmare. Unlike a standard fender-bender between two private citizens, rideshare accidents involve billion-dollar corporations that go to great lengths to distance themselves from the crash.
The biggest hurdle is how these companies classify their drivers. Uber and Lyft drivers are generally classified as independent contractors, not employees. This distinction is a shield that rideshare companies use to avoid being held directly liable for a driver’s negligence. If a driver makes an illegal U-turn on Court Street and hits you, Uber’s first defense might be, “They don’t work for us; they just use our app.”
Furthermore, liability in Brooklyn rideshare crashes is often split between multiple parties. You might be dealing with:
- The rideshare driver’s personal insurance.
- The rideshare company’s commercial policy.
- Other motorists involved in the pile-up.
- Pedestrians or cyclists who may have been caught in the crossfire.
Because of these “layered” insurance policies, determining who pays for your medical bills and car repairs is a puzzle. This is where a brooklyn-car-accident-lawyer becomes essential. We dig into the digital evidence—like app logs and GPS data—to prove exactly what the driver was doing at the moment of impact.
Understanding Insurance Tiers for a Rideshare Accident Lawyer Brooklyn
One of the most confusing parts of these cases is that the amount of insurance money available changes based on what the driver was doing on their phone. New York law requires specific coverage amounts, but they only kick in during certain “phases.”
If you are looking for a rideshare accident lawyer Brooklyn, you need someone who understands these three distinct periods:
| Driver Status | Insurance Coverage Available |
|---|---|
| Offline / App Off | Only the driver’s personal auto insurance applies. |
| Period 1: Logged In, Waiting for Request | $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident for bodily injury; $25,000 for property damage. |
| Period 2: Request Accepted, En Route | Up to $1.25 million in total liability coverage. |
| Period 3: Passenger in Vehicle | Up to $1.25 million in total liability coverage. |
When a driver is actively transporting a passenger or headed to a pickup near Barclays Center, the insurance policy Uber has provides a significant safety net. However, if the driver is simply cruising for fares along Ocean Parkway with the app off, you are limited to their personal policy, which in New York might be as low as $25,000.
Our team at Segal & Lax focuses on identifying these gaps. We work to ensure that if you were injured, you aren’t left holding the bill just because the driver hadn’t “clicked accept” on a ride request yet. For more details on these specific rules, visit our brooklyn-rideshare-accident-lawyer page.
Liability and the Serious Injury Threshold in New York
New York is a “no-fault” insurance state. This means that after an accident, your first $50,000 in medical expenses and lost wages are typically covered by your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance, regardless of who caused the crash.
However, $50,000 disappears quickly if you are rushed to Maimonides Medical Center or NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn with serious injuries. To step outside the no-fault system and sue the at-fault driver for “pain and suffering,” you must meet New York’s “serious injury threshold.”
Under New York law, a serious injury includes:
- Bone fractures
- Significant disfigurement
- Permanent loss of use of a body organ or member
- Significant limitation of use of a body function or system
- A “90/180” injury (an injury that prevents you from performing your usual daily activities for at least 90 of the first 180 days after the crash)
If you’ve suffered a spinal injury or a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a collision on Third Avenue, a personal-injury-lawyer-in-brooklyn will be your advocate. We gather the medical records and professional testimony needed to prove your injury meets this legal definition, opening the door to much higher compensation.
Recovering Damages for Your Injuries
The aftermath of a rideshare accident is more than just a dented bumper. It’s the missed shifts at work, the physical therapy sessions, and the sleepless nights. When we take on your case, we look at the full picture of how the accident changed your life.
Victims of Uber and Lyft crashes can recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are the “receipt-based” losses like hospital bills and lost wages. Non-economic damages are the human costs—the pain, the anxiety of getting back into a car, and the loss of enjoyment of your favorite hobbies.
If your accident involved a yellow cab or other for-hire vehicle, the rules might differ slightly, which is why we also handle taxi-accidents.
Common Causes of Uber and Lyft Crashes in Brooklyn
Why do these accidents happen so often? In our 75 years of combined experience, we’ve noticed a few recurring themes:
- Distracted Driving: Drivers are constantly looking at their phones to navigate the Belt Parkway or find a passenger’s exact location.
- Driver Fatigue: Many rideshare drivers work long hours or “double-dip” across multiple apps to make ends meet.
- Sudden Stops: To avoid missing a fare or a drop-off point, drivers often slam on the brakes in the middle of traffic on Atlantic Avenue.
- Double Parking: This forces other drivers to swerve into oncoming traffic, creating a chain reaction of collisions.
For a deeper dive into local traffic patterns, see our brooklyn-car-crash-guide-2026.
Compensation Available Through a Rideshare Accident Lawyer Brooklyn
We fight to recover every penny you are owed, including:
- Current and Future Medical Costs: From the ER visit to future surgeries.
- Lost Earning Capacity: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your old job.
- Rehabilitation Expenses: Physical and occupational therapy.
- Property Damage: Repairing or replacing your vehicle.
- Wrongful Death: If you have lost a loved one in a tragic car-accidents scenario, we help families seek justice.
Legal Deadlines and Comparative Negligence
Time is not on your side after a crash. In Brooklyn, the legal system moves slowly, but the deadlines are strict. If you wait too long to act, you could lose your right to any compensation at all.
The Statute of Limitations for a Rideshare Accident Lawyer Brooklyn
In New York, you generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This is dictated by New York CVP §214.
While three years might sound like a long time, evidence disappears much faster. Witness memories fade, and the rideshare company might overwrite the digital data from the driver’s app. This is why you should contact-us as soon as possible to preserve your claim.
Pure Comparative Negligence in New York
New York follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule. This is actually good news for victims! It means you can still recover money even if you were partially at fault for the accident.
For example, if a jury decides you were 20% responsible for a crash because you were speeding, but the Uber driver was 80% responsible for making an illegal turn, you can still recover 80% of your total damages. If your total damages were $100,000, you would receive $80,000.
Insurance companies love to shift the blame onto you to save money. A brooklyn-personal-injury-lawyer from our firm will push back against these tactics, using police reports and video footage to prove the driver’s negligence. You can learn more about how fault is determined in our brooklyn-car-accident-lawyers-guide.
Frequently Asked Questions about Brooklyn Rideshare Accidents
Can I sue Uber or Lyft directly for my injuries?
Generally, no. Because drivers are independent contractors, you usually sue the driver themselves. However, Uber and Lyft provide the insurance coverage that pays out the settlement. In rare cases, you might be able to sue the company directly if they were “negligent” in hiring a driver with a dangerous criminal record or a history of reckless driving.
What should I do immediately after a crash on the BQE?
First, get to safety. The BQE is notoriously dangerous for secondary collisions. Call 911 so an official police report is created. Use your phone to take photos of the cars, the app screen (if possible), and the surrounding area. Most importantly, do not tell the other driver “I’m fine”—many injuries, like whiplash or internal bleeding, don’t show symptoms until hours or days later.
How does the “no-fault” system work for rideshare passengers?
If you are a passenger in an Uber and it gets hit, your “no-fault” benefits (PIP) will typically come from your own auto insurance policy if you have one. If you don’t own a car, you may be covered by the policy of a relative you live with, or eventually, the rideshare driver’s policy. It sounds backwards, but that is how New York law ensures your initial medical bills are paid quickly.
Conclusion: Why Choose Segal & Lax?
Navigating the aftermath of a rideshare accident in Brooklyn is exhausting. You shouldn’t have to fight insurance adjusters while you are trying to heal.
At Segal & Lax, we offer serious, personalized representation. With over 75 years of combined experience, we know how the Brooklyn courts work—from the Kings County Supreme Court to the local precincts.
Our “no win, no fee” promise means you pay us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We handle the paperwork, the investigations, and the aggressive negotiations so you can focus on getting your life back.
If you’ve been hurt, don’t settle for less than you deserve. Contact a brooklyn-rideshare-accident-lawyer today and let us put our experience to work for you.