Statute of Limitations for Uber & Lyft Accident Car Crash Claims

The Clock Starts Ticking Faster Than You Think

When you’re in a rideshare crash, time doesn’t feel real. Everything slows down — except the law. Behind the chaos of hospitals, car repairs, and phone calls, the legal clock starts ticking. 

That clock is called the statute of limitations, and once it runs out, your right to sue or recover compensation disappears. No warnings. No extensions (except in rare cases). Just gone.

Our personal injury attorneys at Horn Wright, LLP, help injured riders, drivers, and pedestrians across New York, as well as New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, file before deadlines close. 

We track every date, every filing requirement, and every loophole Uber or Lyft might exploit to delay your claim. Whether your crash happened on a busy Manhattan street or a quiet New England road, we make sure time never beats your case.

Why The Statute of Limitations Matters More than You Realize

The statute of limitations isn’t just red tape. It’s the gatekeeper of your rights. 

In New York, most personal injury cases, including rideshare crashes, must be filed within three years from the date of the accident under Civil Practice Law & Rules Section 214(5). Miss that deadline, and the court won’t even hear your case, no matter how strong it is.

For wrongful death claims, the limit is even shorter — just two years. And if a government vehicle or agency was involved, special rules under the General Municipal Law require a Notice of Claim within 90 days. That’s barely enough time to catch your breath.

Uber and Lyft know these deadlines inside and out. Their insurers stall, hoping you’ll lose patience or worse, lose your right to sue. That’s why acting early isn’t optional. It’s strategy.

How Rideshare Cases Complicate the Timeline

You’d think one accident equals one deadline, but rideshare crashes don’t play by simple rules. These cases involve overlapping parties — drivers, passengers, multiple insurers, and the rideshare platforms themselves. Each layer can trigger a different legal timeline.

If your Uber driver caused the crash, one limitation applies. If another driver hit your rideshare vehicle, another might. If you were a pedestrian struck by an Uber or Lyft, the timeline could vary depending on whether the driver was logged into the app or not.

And in some states, the clock doesn’t start ticking until you knew or should have known about your injury. That “discovery rule” sounds generous, but it’s narrow. Courts expect you to act as soon as any symptoms appear. Waiting too long, even out of confusion or pain, can cost you everything.

When the rules overlap, our car accident lawyers untangle them. You shouldn’t need a stopwatch to get justice.

Common Mistakes that Cost Victims Their Right to Sue

Deadlines are unforgiving. One small error can erase months of effort. Here are a few missteps that catch people off guard:

• Waiting for insurance to “work it out” – Adjusters may promise quick settlements, but they’re not protecting you. By the time you realize they’re stalling, your filing window may be gone.
• Assuming verbal notice counts – Telling Uber or Lyft about your injuries doesn’t stop the clock. Formal legal filings do. Without a complaint or claim notice, your rights keep slipping away.
• Confusing state and corporate deadlines – Uber and Lyft’s internal reporting timelines aren’t the same as legal ones. You can meet their deadlines and still miss the court’s.
• Thinking the clock pauses automatically – Only specific legal exceptions (like incapacity or being a minor) stop the countdown. Even then, you need documentation.
• Filing in the wrong jurisdiction – Multi-state rideshare operations create overlapping courts. Picking the wrong venue wastes precious time.

The law doesn’t forgive confusion. But it does reward speed and accuracy. 

Exceptions that May Extend Your Filing Window

Every rule has rare but powerful exceptions. These don’t happen automatically. They must be argued and proven.

• Minors and legal incapacity – If the injured person is under 18 or unable to make decisions due to injury, the clock can pause until they’re legally capable of filing.
• Discovery of hidden injuries – Some injuries, like brain trauma or internal bleeding, reveal themselves later. The timeline might adjust if doctors can prove you couldn’t have known earlier.
• Defendant concealment or fraud – If a party hid their role or gave false information, courts can extend your right to sue. That’s especially relevant when Uber or Lyft denies a driver’s active status.
• Out-of-state defendants – If the at-fault driver leaves New York or moves out of reach, the countdown can stop until they’re back under the court’s jurisdiction.
• Government involvement – Claims involving municipal vehicles or unsafe roads follow a stricter but separate process under the General Municipal Law Sections 50-e and 50-i.

Exceptions aren’t loopholes. They’re safety nets for people who act in good faith. We know how to use them without losing momentum.

Why Rideshare Companies Play the Waiting Game

Uber and Lyft are experts at running out the clock. 

They’ll ask for more documents, request “additional review,” or promise to “revisit your claim.” It’s delay disguised as diligence. Their goal is to keep you hopeful while time slips away.

Some even argue that their drivers weren’t “on the app” to deny coverage, hoping you’ll spend months gathering proof. Once your statute of limitations expires, they win automatically. No payout required. 

That’s why we move quickly. We file early, preserve evidence immediately, and stop corporate stalling before it costs you your case.

Deadlines motivate us because they terrify insurers. When we show up ready to file, the tone changes fast.

How Horn Wright, LLP, Keeps Your Timeline Safe

You shouldn’t have to memorize legal clocks. That’s our job. From day one, we calculate every potential deadline based on your accident date, jurisdiction, and claim type. Then we track them aggressively.

We handle rideshare injury claims throughout New York, New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Our team sends notice letters, files claims, and preserves evidence long before deadlines approach. 

Our New York attorneys coordinate with medical providers, accident reconstructionists, and investigators to make sure your case doesn’t just meet the timeline — it’s fully prepared when it does.

We don’t let time scare us. We use it to build leverage. 

Steps You Can Take Right Now to Protect Your Rights

You don’t need to know every law, just the smart first moves.

• Get legal help early – A quick consultation saves months of confusion. Even if you’re not sure you’ll sue, having someone track your dates keeps options open.
• Save every record – Police reports, trip receipts, emails, and medical records all help establish when the clock started. Organized files save time later.
• Don’t rely on the company’s process – Uber and Lyft’s internal claim systems aren’t legal filings. Their “reviews” don’t stop deadlines.
• Ask questions fast – If you’re unsure how long you have, call an attorney right away. Waiting to “see how you feel” costs time you can’t replace.
• Follow up regularly – Deadlines shift if new parties are discovered or if insurers confirm different coverage. Stay informed.

Every day counts. Each small step now prevents a big loss later.

Don’t Let Time Erase Your Case

Rideshare companies have lawyers who watch clocks for a living. You deserve someone watching yours. Time shouldn’t be the reason you lose justice. It should be the reason you win faster.

Our Uber or Lyft car accident lawyers at Horn Wright, LLP, protect victims across New York and neighboring states by keeping every deadline in check. We act quickly, document carefully, and fight strategically to keep your claim alive, no matter how complex it gets. 

The law gives you a window. We make sure you don’t miss it. Because when the countdown starts after a crash, your recovery deserves to finish on your terms, not theirs. When you’re ready to take the first step, contact us to schedule your free case review.