CPUC Regulations Increase California Uber Accident Liability

If you were hurt in an Uber crash anywhere in California, here’s the good news: state rules don’t leave passengers guessing. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber, and those rules expand insurance obligations, safety requirements, and recordkeeping—all of which can increase the leverage of your claim. A seasoned Uber accident attorney can use these regulations to pin down coverage quickly, prove fault, and push for full compensation.

Why CPUC rules matter to your claim (not just to Uber’s lawyers)

The CPUC requires TNCs to carry specific, period-based insurance and to keep detailed safety and trip records. That framework does two big things for injured riders:

1. It clarifies which policy must pay (and how much) based on the driver’s “app status.”
2. It creates paper trails and data—trip logs, insurance proofs, safety policies—that your attorney can compel and use to prove liability.
   

The coverage “periods” that unlock money (and how they boost liability)

• App OFF: Treated like a normal crash—driver’s personal auto policy applies.
• Online & Waiting (Period 1): TNCs must provide primary third-party liability coverage for injuries and property damage (with additional excess coverage). This closed a historic gap when drivers were logged in but hadn’t accepted a ride.
  
• Ride Accepted or Passenger Onboard (Periods 2–3): Primary commercial liability applies, and current California law requires at least $1,000,000 in UM/UIM while a passenger is in the car—critical for hit-and-runs or underinsured third parties.
  

Bottom line: App status = insurance trigger. Your lawyer will grab the trip timestamps to make the right carrier step up.

Zero-tolerance and background checks: safety rules that support your case

The CPUC requires every TNC to maintain and enforce a zero-tolerance intoxicating-substances policy for drivers. If intoxication is involved, that policy—and Uber’s response to complaints—can become powerful evidence.

California law and CPUC decisions also require driver background checks and DMV monitoring (Employer Pull Notice Program), plus training and vehicle inspections (often a “19-point” inspection). If screening or monitoring failed, that can support direct-negligence claims against the company.

Records & reporting: the paper trail that raises accountability

TNCs must keep and produce insurance proofs, trip records, safety program details, and annual reports. The CPUC retains inspection authority for complaints and investigations—another reason riders aren’t stuck in the dark. Your attorney can leverage these reporting duties to secure data that reconstructs the crash.

How CPUC rules “increase liability” in practice

• Clearer primary coverage: Period-based rules reduce insurer finger-pointing and speed up access to primary TNC coverage—especially in Periods 2–3.
  
• Bigger safety net for passengers: The $1M UM/UIM requirement during active rides means serious injuries aren’t derailed by a low-limit or hit-and-run driver.
  
• Policy & compliance evidence: Zero-tolerance, training, inspections, and monitoring create standards that, if violated, can support company-level negligence—not just driver fault.
  
• Data that proves the story: Trip logs, timestamps, and telematics help answer who was at fault and which coverage applies, raising settlement value.
  

What a claimant should do in the first 72 hours (so the CPUC framework actually helps you)

1. Get medical care within 24–72 hours. Ask providers to note objective findings (ROM limits, spasm, neuro signs).
2. Screenshot the trip screen (driver, plate, route, timestamps) and report the incident in the app to create an internal record tied to the correct period.
3. Canvas for video fast (stores, apartments, buses). Many systems are overwritten within days.
4. Avoid recorded statements to any insurer until you’ve spoken with counsel.
5. Call an attorney who routinely handles rideshare cases and knows how to demand CPUC-related records right away.

How an uber accident attorney uses CPUC rules to lift case value

• Maps coverage by period (personal vs. TNC primary; UM/UIM eligibility) and notices every carrier early to prevent delays.
  
• Demands safety & compliance files (zero-tolerance protocols, driver training completion, inspection proofs, EPN monitoring) to test company conduct.
  
• Compels trip/telematics data to show speed, braking, and automation states near impact—evidence adjusters and juries respect.
• Builds a clean medical record with objective metrics and future-care projections so your pain isn’t reduced to a number.

FAQs riders ask us about CPUC rules

Does the “independent contractor” label change my rights?
 Not for passengers. The insurance scheme still applies, and CPUC requirements still generate data and standards your lawyer can use.

Do I need to sue Uber to access the $1M limits?
 Often no. Many cases resolve through the required TNC insurance without naming the company; adding Uber may be strategic if safety or screening failures appear.

Is the $1M UM/UIM really current?
 As of now, current law requires $1M UM/UIM while a passenger is in the vehicle (there have been proposals to change this, but proposals aren’t law). Your attorney will confirm the operative limits for your crash date.

Talk to Bojat Law Group — Your Los Angeles Uber accident lawyer team

Rideshare claims move fast when you know where the pressure points are. Bojat Law Group uses CPUC rules to identify the right coverage, secure trip and safety data, and build a medical story that claim teams can’t ignore. Whether you need a Los Angeles Uber accident lawyer, a los anglees uber accident lawyer (we see that search, too), or a statewide uber accident attorney, we’re ready to help—now.

Free consultation. No Win No Fee. Call (818) 877-4878 or contact Bojat Law Group today.