Rideshare crashes in Chicago are governed by the Illinois Transportation Network Providers Act and a tiered insurance system — Period 0/1/2/3 — that determines whether the driver's $25K personal policy or Uber/Lyft's $1 million corporate policy applies. Schwaner Injury Law represents passengers, third-party drivers, and pedestrians injured by Uber and Lyft drivers throughout the Chicago metro.
Illinois rideshare insurance follows a four-period framework. The period determines whether the driver's $25K personal policy or the $1 million corporate policy applies.
Driver is not logged into Uber/Lyft. Only personal auto insurance applies — typically the Illinois minimum 25/50/20.
Driver logged in waiting for request. Contingent $50K/$100K/$25K from rideshare carrier supplements personal policy.
Driver accepted ride, en route. $1,000,000 liability Uber/Lyft policy applies.
Passenger is in the vehicle. $1,000,000 liability + uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Required by 625 ILCS 57/ — the Illinois Transportation Network Providers Act. Identifying which period was active is the central issue in many rideshare cases.
Rideshare claims often involve overlapping insurance — the driver's personal policy, the rideshare's contingent or primary coverage, the third-party driver's policy, and uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. David Schwaner identifies every layer.
We send preservation letters to Uber and Lyft within days to lock down trip records, route data, and driver background information. You pay nothing unless we win.
$1 million liability while the driver is on an active trip (Period 2 or 3) under 625 ILCS 57/. $50K/$100K/$25K contingent during Period 1. Period 0 is personal insurance only.
Yes. Vicarious liability and direct claims (negligent hiring, retention, training, supervision) often apply. The classification of drivers as independent contractors does not bar all claims against the rideshare company.
2 years from injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202) for personal injury. 2 years for wrongful death (740 ILCS 180/2). 5 years for property damage. Act fast — rideshare app data is purged quickly.
Passengers are typically the most straightforward claims. The $1M Uber/Lyft Period 3 policy applies regardless of which driver was at fault, and uninsured motorist coverage backstops any uninsured at-fault driver.
For passenger claims, no — you are covered either way. For third-party drivers and pedestrians, fault matters. Under modified comparative negligence (735 ILCS 5/2-1116), you can recover so long as you are 50% or less at fault, with damages reduced by your percentage.
Schwaner Injury Law offers free, confidential consultations 24/7. No fee unless we win.
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You speak directly with David. We identify which Period applied and which carrier(s) are on the hook.
We send preservation letters to Uber/Lyft to lock down trip records, GPS data, driver acceptance time, and driver background.
We pressure every applicable carrier — rideshare corporate, driver personal, third-party driver, and UM/UIM.
Most rideshare cases settle. If they don't, David tries them — in Cook County or wherever the crash occurred.
You receive your settlement or verdict. No fees unless we win.
David has recovered $30M+ for Illinois injury victims, including in rideshare crashes.
We coordinate driver, rideshare, third-party, and UM/UIM policies to maximize recovery.
Late-night Chicago rideshare crashes are common. We answer 24/7.
No upfront costs. We advance all litigation expenses.
Illinois-specific answers to the questions rideshare passengers and victims ask most.
Drivers commonly run Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash simultaneously. The carrier whose app accepted the active ride covers the trip. We pull data from every platform to identify which carrier's policy attached at the moment of the crash. This is a frequent dispute and a frequent source of additional coverage.
Both companies routinely contest Period status to push claims onto smaller personal policies. We compel production of GPS logs, ride request logs, driver acceptance time stamps, and trip itineraries. Trip receipts in your app are powerful evidence.
Yes. Sexual assault and physical assault claims against rideshare companies are an active area of litigation, often involving negligent hiring and inadequate background checks. Many such claims have been consolidated into MDL proceedings. We handle these cases with confidentiality.
Drivers can recover under the rideshare's UM/UIM coverage when an at-fault uninsured driver causes the crash, plus a third-party claim against any other negligent driver. Workers' compensation is generally not available because rideshare companies treat drivers as independent contractors, but other recovery paths exist.
Yes — every case. No upfront fees, no costs unless we recover for you. Free 24/7 consultation at (312) 635-4000.
Schwaner Injury Law represents rideshare passengers, drivers, and third-party victims throughout Chicago and the suburbs — including the Loop, River North, Wrigleyville, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Hyde Park, Pilsen, Lakeview, the Magnificent Mile, downtown, O'Hare, and throughout Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, and Will counties. Call (312) 635-4000 for a free consultation. Available 24/7, no fee unless we win.
David J. Schwaner is a Chicago personal injury attorney with 20+ years of experience and over $30 million recovered for injured Illinoisans. Admitted to the Illinois bar in 2005 after graduating from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, David handles complex rideshare, motor vehicle, and catastrophic injury cases throughout Illinois. Rated Super Lawyers and Avvo Top Attorney, with a 98% case recovery rate.