Guide
What a for-hire crash claim is worth
The distinctive thing about for-hire crashes is that the practical ceiling — available coverage — is usually much higher than in an ordinary crash. That doesn't inflate a small claim, but it means a serious injury isn't artificially capped by a state-minimum policy.
Published July 27, 2026 · Last reviewed July 30, 2026
What drives the number
Largely the same factors as any injury claim, with coverage sitting over the top.
- The severity and permanence of the injury, and whether findings are objective
- Medical costs incurred and reasonably expected
- Lost income and lost earning capacity
- Whether you can return to your work
- Comparative fault, which for passengers is normally zero
- Available coverage across every applicable layer
- Venue
Why the commercial policy matters so much
State minimum liability limits are low almost everywhere — frequently in the tens of thousands. A serious injury exhausts that in days of hospitalization, and against a private driver with no assets the claim effectively stops there.
A commercial or platform policy carrying a million dollars, potentially with excess coverage above it, changes the entire analysis. Establishing that the higher policy applies is often worth more to a claim than any other single piece of work in it.
Fees and how we're paid
Injury representation is contingency-based — typically a third of the recovery, nothing if there's no recovery. Case costs are separate and usually advanced by the firm.
We're paid a flat advertising fee by law firms. It doesn't scale with your recovery and doesn't come out of it.
Questions
Can you tell me what my case is worth?
Not from a form. It depends on your injuries, your treatment, your income, and which policies apply — none of which can be assessed from a web page. Anyone quoting a figure without that information is marketing.
How long do these take?
Straightforward passenger claims with clear liability and adequate coverage can resolve in months. Cases with contested coverage periods or multiple insurers take longer, often a year or more.
Should I take the first offer?
Not before you know the full extent of your injuries. Early offers are made specifically because you don't yet — and settling releases everything, including problems that appear later.
Situations this applies to
It was an Uber or Lyft
Four coverage states. The one that applied at impact decides the claim's ceiling.
Read this
I was a passenger
You're almost certainly not at fault. The work is finding the coverage.
Read this
A taxi or rideshare hit me
Often more coverage available than an ordinary crash — if you can identify the vehicle.
Read this
I drive and I was hurt
Classification decides whether comp applies — and it's not decided by your 1099.
Read thisRelated guides
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