Inicio » Blog » ¿Cuánto tiempo tengo para presentar una reclamación por un accidente de transporte compartido en California?
|
|
Última modificación el 23 de octubre de 2026
If you were hurt in a crash while riding in or driving for Uber or Lyft, your deadline depends on who is responsible and whether a government vehicle or public road was involved. In most cases, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit under California’s personal injury statute of limitations.
That window can shrink to six months for a claim against a government entity, such as one that owns a vehicle in the crash or maintains a dangerous public road.
A rideshare accident attorney at Bentley & More LLP can tell you which deadline applies before it closes. Because missing statutory time limits forfeits your right to compensation, consulting a trusted rideshare accident lawyer ensures your claim is investigated and filed within all strict deadlines.
Puntos clave
- Most rideshare accident claims carry a two-year filing deadline from the date of the crash.
- Claims against a government entity, such as for a government vehicle or a public road defect, require a written claim within six months.
- Minors generally get until their 20th birthday to sue, except for claims against a government entity, which have their own shorter deadlines.
- Missing a deadline almost always ends the right to recover, regardless of injury severity.
You Usually Have Two Years to File a Rideshare Accident Lawsuit
For a typical Uber or Lyft crash, California gives you two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, whether you were a passenger, driver, or someone hit by a rideshare vehicle. If you suffered serious harm in a traffic collision, speaking with an experienced car accident lawyer helps protect your right to full financial recovery.
Wrongful death claims also have a two-year deadline, measured from the date of death.
Two years sounds generous until you remember that evidence disappears fast. App data and dashcam footage can be deleted, and witness memories fade, long before the deadline arrives.
What Changes If a Government Vehicle or a Dangerous Road Caused Your Crash?
If a city bus, a county-owned vehicle, or a dangerous road condition caused your rideshare accident, you generally must present a written claim within six months under the Ley de Reclamaciones contra el Gobierno California.
This applies to a city or county vehicle collision, a poorly maintained road or signal, or a public transit vehicle accident. Missing that six-month window almost always bars the claim entirely. If a rejection notice follows, a separate six-month deadline to file a lawsuit starts. When catastrophic harm involves government entities or commercial vehicles, working with a reliable personal injury attorney ensures that required notice forms and court filings are handled properly.
Minors Usually Have More Time to File a Case
If the injured person was under 18 at the time of the crash, Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 352 pauses the deadline until their 18th birthday. That usually gives them until age 20 to file their case. That pause does not extend the six-month government deadline, but a minor can usually ask to file a late claim within one year of the crash.
Preguntas frecuentes
Do I have less time to file if Uber or Lyft denies my claim?
A denial from Uber or Lyft’s insurer doesn’t pause or reset your deadline. The two-year statute of limitations keeps running. You still need to file a lawsuit within that window if a fair settlement doesn’t happen first.
Can I still sue if I missed the six-month government claim deadline?
Sometimes. California law allows a request for permission to file a late claim in limited situations, but these applications face a high bar and short deadlines of their own. Speak with an attorney immediately if you think a government entity was involved.
Does the two-year deadline apply to vehicle damage too?
Property damage claims generally follow a three-year deadline rather than the two-year injury deadline. It’s still smart to handle both claims together rather than let one slip while tracking the other.
Bentley & More LLP: A California Rideshare Accident Claim Law Firm
Bentley & More LLP built its practice on exactly the kind of investigation that rideshare accident cases require. Contáctanos today to find out which deadline applies to your crash before it passes.
Acerca del autor: Greg Bentley
Cofundador y abogado litigante en Bentley & More LLP
Greg Bentley es cofundador de Bentley & More LLP en Newport Beach, California. Con 36 años de experiencia, representa a demandantes en casos de lesiones personales, muerte por negligencia, responsabilidad por productos defectuosos, mala fe de las aseguradoras, condiciones peligrosas en carreteras y propiedades, y defectos en obras de construcción. Habilitado para ejercer en el Colegio de Abogados de California, Greg obtuvo su título de Doctor en Derecho en la Facultad de Derecho de la Western State University en 1990. Es miembro de varias organizaciones de abogados litigantes a las que solo se puede ingresar por invitación, entre ellas el Colegio Americano de Abogados Litigantes y la Academia Internacional de Abogados Litigantes, y participa activamente en múltiples asociaciones de abogados litigantes a nivel estatal y regional.
EN