What Happens When Pedestrians are Hit by Uber & Lyft Drivers in Car Accidents

When a Walk Turns Into a Nightmare

You’re walking home, earbuds in, thinking about dinner or your next errand and then you feel it. The hit. The chaos. A car with an Uber or Lyft logo rolls too close, too fast, and suddenly your normal day becomes a blur of sirens and fear. 

You did nothing wrong, yet you’re the one paying the price. Now, the driver points fingers, and the company hides behind “independent contractor” talk. It’s unfair. You just want answers and someone to take responsibility.

Our personal injury attorneys at Horn Wright, LLP, help pedestrians who were hit by rideshare drivers fight back against the confusion and corporate dodging. We handle these cases across New York, New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, holding both drivers and rideshare companies accountable. 

Whether your accident happened near Times Square, in downtown Concord, or on a quiet road in Portland, we’ll make sure your recovery and your rights don’t get lost in the fine print.

Why Pedestrians Are So Vulnerable Around Rideshare Drivers

When Uber or Lyft drivers focus on their phones instead of the road, pedestrians pay the price. These drivers juggle GPS navigation, pings from the app, and constant passenger ratings — all while driving through crowded intersections. 

That combination creates dangerous distractions, especially in dense New York neighborhoods where crosswalks fill fast.

Rideshare drivers often work long hours and skip breaks to make ends meet. Fatigue slows reaction time and makes them more likely to miss someone stepping off a curb. Add unpredictable weather, congested streets, or the glare of evening lights, and even a small lapse can cause devastating injuries. 

Pedestrians don’t have bumpers or seatbelts to protect them,  just a few seconds to survive someone else’s mistake. When you’re hit, you’re not just hurt physically. Your sense of safety disappears. 

That’s why you need a legal team that understands both the medical side of your injuries and the corporate side of the blame game.

How Fault Works When a Rideshare Car Hits You

Who pays after a rideshare driver hits you depends entirely on what the driver was doing at that exact moment. Uber and Lyft each divide insurance coverage into three “app phases,” and every phase changes who’s financially responsible.

• App Off – When the app isn’t active, the driver is considered off-duty. That means their personal auto insurance is the only policy that applies. Unfortunately, these policies often carry only minimum coverage under New York law. If your injuries are serious, and most pedestrian injuries are, the personal policy rarely comes close to covering medical bills, therapy, or lost wages.
• App On, Waiting for a Request – Once a driver logs in and waits for a passenger, limited corporate coverage activates. Uber and Lyft typically provide $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident in liability coverage. It’s more than a personal policy but still not enough when surgeries, hospitalization, and months of missed work enter the picture.
• Ride Accepted or Passenger Onboard – When the driver has accepted a trip or is transporting a passenger, the rideshare company’s $1 million liability policy becomes available. This is where most strong pedestrian claims fall, but Uber and Lyft fight hard to deny that the app was active at the time. That’s why evidence like timestamps and GPS data is crucial.

Understanding which phase applies can make or break your claim. The difference between a few seconds of app activity can mean hundreds of thousands in compensation.

What to Do Immediately After Being Hit by a Rideshare Driver

The shock after being hit can cloud your judgment, but the actions you take in those first few minutes matter later. Following these steps will help protect your case and preserve the evidence you’ll need.

• Call 911 right away – Always make the call, even if the driver says the damage looks minor. Paramedics can catch injuries that don’t show up immediately, like concussions or internal bleeding. The police report also documents key facts, including the driver’s rideshare status, before anyone has time to change their story.
• Gather every detail you can – If you’re able, take photos of the car, its license plate, the driver’s rideshare ID, and the intersection. Screenshot the Uber or Lyft logo, the driver’s name, and any visible app screens. Those details disappear quickly once the driver logs out or deletes information from the app.
• Get witness names and numbers – People nearby often see things you don’t, like how fast the car was going or whether the driver was looking at their phone. A simple text exchange with a witness can later become the proof that turns a weak claim into a winning one.
• See a doctor the same day – Never assume you’re fine just because you can stand up. Adrenaline masks pain. Medical records from the same day as the crash link your injuries directly to the accident, leaving no room for insurers to argue otherwise.

These steps may sound simple, but they’re the foundation of a case that holds up — no matter how hard the rideshare company tries to twist the facts.

Common Injuries Pedestrians Suffer in Rideshare Crashes

When a car hits a pedestrian, the injuries are almost always serious. Bones break, muscles tear, and recovery takes months or even years. Rideshare crashes make things worse because drivers often strike at full speed while distracted.

• Head and brain trauma – A pedestrian’s head takes the brunt of the force, leading to concussions or traumatic brain injuries. These injuries can cause memory loss, headaches, and mood changes that affect every part of daily life.
• Spinal cord and back injuries – The sudden impact can fracture vertebrae or cause herniated discs. These injuries lead to chronic pain, limited movement, and sometimes partial paralysis. Physical therapy becomes a long-term part of recovery.
• Broken bones and fractures – Collisions at city speeds often shatter bones in the legs, hips, or arms. Surgery, pins, and months in casts or braces can follow, leaving you unable to work or care for yourself.
• Internal bleeding and organ damage – These injuries aren’t always visible, but they’re life-threatening. Without immediate medical care, internal trauma can cause complications that surface days after the crash.

Every injury deserves full attention and fair compensation. You shouldn’t have to beg a corporation to acknowledge pain they helped cause.

How Uber and Lyft Try to Avoid Paying Pedestrians

When a rideshare driver hits you, the company immediately starts looking for ways to escape liability. 

Uber and Lyft claim their drivers are “independent contractors,” not employees, which they use to avoid responsibility for crashes. But when the app pressures drivers to rush, double-book, or work overtime, those corporate decisions play a direct role in accidents.

These companies also rely on confusion. They stall by saying they’re still “reviewing coverage” or “waiting on more details.” They may even suggest you file under the driver’s personal policy, hoping you’ll give up when it doesn’t cover enough. 

That’s why legal guidance matters. Once our car accident attorneys get involved, those delays stop, and their excuses start collapsing under evidence.

We trace responsibility back to the source — the company that profited from the ride. We use data, time stamps, and driver communications to prove corporate involvement. When Uber or Lyft knew a driver was working for them, they can’t walk away from what happened.

What You Can Claim as a Pedestrian Victim

The law allows injured pedestrians to seek full compensation for both financial and personal losses. Our firm fights to recover every category of damages that reflects how your life changed after the crash.

• Medical expenses – From ambulance rides and hospital bills to long-term therapy, medication, and mobility equipment, these costs add up fast. We pursue every cent, including future care that insurers often overlook.
• Lost wages and future earnings – If your injuries keep you from working or reduce your ability to earn in the future, that lost income is recoverable. No one should lose financial stability because of a driver’s reckless moment.
• Pain, suffering, and emotional trauma – The physical pain is only part of the harm. Many clients struggle with anxiety, nightmares, or fear of crossing streets again. Emotional recovery matters — and we make sure it’s valued properly.
• Permanent disability or disfigurement – Severe injuries can leave scars or lasting disabilities that change how you move through the world. We fight for settlements that reflect those permanent losses, not just immediate bills.

Each claim we build is designed to show the real impact. Not the quick, low-dollar version insurance companies prefer.

How Horn Wright, LLP, Protects Injured Pedestrians

You shouldn’t have to chase corporate insurers or decode policies while recovering from an injury. That’s what we do for you.

Our Uber or Lyft car accident lawyers represent pedestrian victims. We gather evidence from the moment you contact us — pulling app data, securing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and coordinating with medical experts. We handle the calls, the claims, and the negotiations so you can focus on healing.

We’ve built a reputation for standing up to rideshare corporations that try to dodge accountability. We don’t let them hide behind buzzwords or corporate shields. When you work with us, you get relentless advocacy, plain communication, and results that actually matter.

Your walk deserves justice, not excuses. You deserve to feel safe again, and we’ll fight until that happens. Contact our office today to start taking action.