Whether you’re catching a ride home from Riverview-Fisk Park or heading down JFK Boulevard after a night out, Uber and Lyft have become everyday transportation lifelines in North Bergen. But the aftermath can be confusing and overwhelming when a rideshare trip ends in a crash, especially one you didn’t cause. Who’s responsible? Whose insurance applies? What are your rights?
Ride-sharing service accidents involve layered insurance policies, app-based coverage loopholes, and state-specific laws that can make even a simple claim feel like a maze. If you suffered an injury as a passenger, pedestrian, or another driver, a North Bergen Uber accident attorney at Glugeth & Pierguidi, P.C., is here to help you understand your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.
What You Do After the Accident Matters
The moments following a rideshare accident can feel chaotic. However, the following steps can protect your health, rights, and future claims:
- Seek medical attention—some injuries, like concussions or soft tissue damage, take hours or days to appear;
- Report the accident—to the rideshare platform (through the Lyft or Uber app) and the North Bergen Police Department or local authorities,
- Document everything—photos of the scene, app screenshots, contact details for witnesses, and any immediate symptoms or injuries, and
- Speak with a North Bergen Uber accident attorney—so you fully understand your legal options before talking to insurers.
These early actions can make or break your claim. The sooner you begin building your case, the stronger your position becomes.
New Jersey’s Transportation Network Company Safety and Regulatory Act (N.J.S.A. 39:5H-1 to 39:5H-27) sets specific requirements for rideshare companies and their drivers.
Insurance Requirements
Rideshare drivers in New Jersey are required to have specific insurance coverage:
- Logged into the app but not actively providing a ride. Drivers must carry a minimum of $50,000 for bodily injury per person, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
- Logged in and providing a ride. The minimum coverage increases to $1.5 million for bodily injury, death, and property damage.
These requirements are put in place to ensure that victims of rideshare accidents receive proper compensation.
To win compensation, your North Bergen rideshare accident attorney must prove the other party was negligent by establishing the following elements:
- Duty. The driver owed you a legal responsibility to operate the vehicle safely.
- Breach. The driver failed to meet that standard.
- Causation. The breach directly caused the accident.
- Damages. You suffered injuries or losses as a result.
Rideshare accident claims also involve understanding how insurance layers apply, whether the driver was off-duty, logged in, or actively transporting a passenger. An experienced accident lawyer can help determine where liability rests and how to recover from the appropriate policy.
Why Do Uber and Lyft Accidents Happen in North Bergen?
Some rideshare accidents result from unavoidable conditions, but many result from driver behavior or pressure from the rideshare model. Common reasons these crashes occur include:
- App-related distractions—checking directions, ride requests, or ratings while driving;
- Driver fatigue—drivers working multiple gigs or long shifts increase the risk of delayed reactions;
- Speeding—many drivers may rush to squeeze in extra trips; and
- Impairment—driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or other substances;
Understanding how and why the crash occurred is a critical first step toward building a strong injury claim.
Here are some of the most common injuries we see in North Bergen rideshare cases:
- Soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash, strained neck muscles, and lower back pain, can linger long after the crash;
- Fractures and broken bones can occur from sudden side impacts or airbag deployment during a rollover or T-bone collision;
- Head injuries, including concussions and more serious traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), can affect memory, balance, and mood;
- Spinal cord trauma may cause nerve damage, chronic pain, or, in the most serious cases, permanent disability; and
- Emotional trauma, including anxiety, sleeplessness, or a fear of riding in vehicles again, especially after high-impact or traumatic crashes.
The physical damage is just part of the equation. Rideshare accidents often carry a financial toll that grows over time to include:
- Lost income if you had to take time off work to recover,
- Reduced future earning potential if your injuries limit your ability to return to your job or field,
- Long-term medical expenses from physical therapy and prescription medications to surgeries and assistive devices, and
- Emotional and physical pain that affects your quality of life and relationships.
If you’ve been affected, a North Bergen rideshare accident lawyer can calculate and pursue the full extent of what you’re owed.
What Might Stand in the Way of Your Claim?
Even when the facts seem clear, Uber and Lyft’s insurers may fight your claim with tactics designed to limit what they pay out. Knowing the roadblocks ahead can help you prepare:
- Blaming you for the crash. New Jersey’s comparative fault rules (N.J.S.A. 2A:15-5.1) allow insurers to reduce or deny your claim if they argue you were more than 50% at fault.
- Hiding behind personal insurance. If the driver wasn’t officially on the app, Uber or Lyft may try to deny responsibility and shift the burden to a lower-limit personal policy.
- Limiting payment under PIP. New Jersey’s no-fault system (PIP insurance) may restrict compensation for medical bills depending on your coverage and role in the accident.
This is where a skilled rideshare accident attorney makes all the difference by pushing back against insurance tactics and uncovering the full compensation you deserve.
How Glugeth & Pierguidi, P.C. Can Help
At Glugeth & Pierguidi, P.C., we bring over 30 years of combined experience fighting for injured clients across New Jersey and New York. Unlike firms that rush to settle, we are seasoned trial lawyers who prepare every case as if it’s going to court. That pressure often results in better settlement offers, and when it doesn’t, we’re ready to go the distance.
We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for people just like you. And because we treat every client like family, we stay personally involved in each case, offering timely updates and strategic guidance. This is one of the reasons we’ve earned a reputation as one of the region’s most respected personal injury firms.
If you were injured in a rideshare accident in North Bergen, now is the time to act. Contact us today. We’re here 24/7 to listen, advise, and take action so you can focus on healing while we focus on results.
Resources: