By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
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Can you change lawyers on a rideshare case?
Yes. The rule is the same as in any California injury case. Under Fracasse v. Brent, you may discharge your lawyer at any time, and a contingency lawyer who is let go can only claim the reasonable value of the work done, paid from a recovery if there is one.
Rideshare claims are often slower than car claims because the companies use their own insurers and claim handlers, and the driver may have a separate personal policy. If months have passed and nobody can tell you which policy applies to your crash, that is a fair reason to ask for a second look. Our California switching guide explains the general process.
California’s rideshare insurance tiers
Public Utilities Code § 5433 sets the insurance that a transportation network company like Uber or Lyft, together with its drivers, must carry. The amount depends on the driver’s app status:
| App status at the time of the crash | Required coverage under § 5433 |
|---|---|
| Driver accepted a ride, through the end of the trip | $1,000,000 primary for death, personal injury and property damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident for passengers, from the moment they enter the car until they exit. |
| Logged in and waiting for a request | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident for injury or death, $30,000 property damage, plus at least $200,000 in excess coverage. |
| Logged off | Section 5433 does not apply. The driver’s personal auto policy is usually the starting point. |
The statute also says coverage does not depend on a personal auto insurer first denying the claim. If an adjuster told you to wait for the driver’s personal carrier to say no, a new lawyer should push back.
Free second opinion
Tell us what is going wrong with your current lawyer. We will look at where your case stands and tell you plainly whether switching makes sense.
App data and records a new lawyer has to request
- The trip record with exact times for request, acceptance, pickup and drop-off.
- The driver’s login status and GPS trail around the time of the crash.
- Your own ride receipt and in-app messages. Take screenshots now, before an app update or account change makes them harder to find.
- Any dashcam video the driver records, which some rideshare drivers use.
- The claim numbers for each insurer involved: the rideshare company’s carrier, the driver’s personal carrier and the other driver’s carrier.
- Your own policy, which may provide medical payments or underinsured coverage.
App data lives on company servers. A new lawyer should send a written preservation request right away and not assume the first firm did. If the first firm did get some data, we compare it with the full trip record to look for gaps.
Who you were in the crash changes the claim
A passenger usually has the clearest path, since the passenger rarely shares any fault. A pedestrian, cyclist or driver hit by a rideshare car has to prove the rideshare driver caused the crash, and the app status sets the limits. If another car hit the rideshare vehicle while you were riding, the at-fault driver’s policy comes first, and the rideshare uninsured motorist coverage may matter if that driver had little or no insurance.
California’s pure comparative fault rule, from Li v. Yellow Cab Co., still applies when fault is shared between drivers. Your recovery goes down only by any share of fault assigned to you.
Deadlines that do not wait for a switch
The usual deadline to sue for injuries in California is two years, under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. If a public bus or a government vehicle was also involved, a government claim is usually due within six months under Government Code § 911.2. Changing lawyers does not extend either one.
Fees when you move a rideshare case to us
Your attorney fee stays the same when you switch to Beverly Law. What the former lawyer is owed for their time is taken from our fee, not charged to you on top. Case costs that firm already paid are normally reimbursed from the recovery, as with any case. No recovery means no fees and no costs.
If you already signed a release with the rideshare insurer and were paid, that generally closes the claim for good, and we would not be able to help.
What happens after you call us
We review your file for free in English or Spanish. If you hire us, we notify your former lawyer and every insurer, request the full file, and send preservation letters for the trip data. If a case is on file in court, we handle the substitution. The old firm’s fee claim comes to us. Contact Beverly Law or call (310) 552-6959.
Common questions
Can I change lawyers in the middle of an Uber accident case?
Yes. In California you can change lawyers on an Uber or Lyft case at any time before it is resolved, and the new lawyer handles the transfer.
How much insurance does Uber or Lyft have in California?
Under Public Utilities Code § 5433, $1 million applies from the moment a driver accepts a ride until the trip ends. Lower limits apply while the driver is logged in and waiting for a ride.
What if the rideshare driver's app was off?
Then § 5433 coverage does not apply, and the claim usually goes through the driver’s personal auto policy and your own coverage.
Does switching rideshare lawyers cost more?
No. The prior firm’s claim on a rideshare case is paid from our fee, so your total does not change. See our switching guide for how fee splits usually work.
My rideshare claim has been open a year with no answers. Should I switch?
Ask your lawyer first which policy applies and what the plan is. If you cannot get a clear answer, a free second opinion is a reasonable next step.
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Related pages
How to Switch Personal Injury Lawyers in California · Can You Switch Lawyers in the Middle of a Personal Injury Case? · Can I Switch Car Accident Lawyers in California? · My Lawyer Won't Call Me Back. What Can I Do? · My Lawyer Is Not Working on My Case: Signs and What to Do · Do I Pay Two Lawyers If I Switch?
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Important: This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. If you already signed a settlement release, we generally cannot take the case. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 8, 2026.