Detroit facts that matter in a Uber and Lyft accident case
- Little Caesars Arena in Midtown Detroit, home of the Red Wings and Pistons since 2017, seats 20,332 for basketball, and Ford Field downtown, home of the Lions, seats about 65,000. Source
- Detroit Metropolitan Airport is in Romulus, about 18 miles southwest of downtown Detroit, and handled 33,372,682 passengers in 2025. Source
- Under Michigan's Limousine, Taxicab, and Transportation Network Company Act, a rideshare driver logged on but without a passenger must carry at least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident, and $25,000 property damage liability coverage, and during a prearranged ride the minimum is a $1,000,000 combined single limit, in addition to Michigan personal protection insurance. Source
Coverage follows the app
Michigan’s Limousine, Taxicab, and Transportation Network Company Act sets the insurance a rideshare driver must carry (MCL 257.2123). The highest limit, $1,000,000, applies from the moment the driver accepts a ride request until the last rider gets out.
Who pays your PIP
A rideshare passenger claims first from their own auto policy or a household relative’s. Only if none covers you does the rideshare vehicle’s insurer pay. Expect a dispute between insurers, so apply to every possible insurer in writing within one year.
Suing for pain and suffering
If your injuries meet the threshold, you can sue the at-fault driver. When that driver was logged on to the app, the coverage the act requires stands behind the claim.
Detroit courts, police and hospitals
| Crash reports | Detroit Police Department |
|---|---|
| District court | 36th District Court (421 Madison St., Detroit) (serves City of Detroit) |
| Circuit court | 3rd Circuit Court (Wayne County), Detroit |
| Trauma centers | DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital & University Health Center (Level I, in Detroit); Henry Ford Hospital (Level I, in Detroit); Ascension St. John Hospital (Henry Ford St. John Hospital) (Level I (adult); Level II (pediatric), in Detroit); DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital (Level II, in Detroit) |
| Major roads | I-75, I-94, I-96, M-10 (John C. Lodge Freeway), M-39 (Southfield Freeway), M-1 (Woodward Avenue) |
| From our office | About 35 minutes to downtown by car (approximate) |
What to do now
- Get medical care.
- Screenshot the trip in the app: driver, car, time and route.
- Get the crash report number.
- Report the crash to your own insurer and to Uber or Lyft through the app.
- Call us before signing anything from the rideshare company’s insurer.
One year. Give your no-fault insurer written notice within one year of the crash. Use the deadline calculator to see every date for your case.
Other Detroit crash cases we handle
Sources: Michigan courts directory, Michigan Traffic Crash Facts (2024), the DIFS Level I and II trauma center list, the Michigan Compiled Laws and local agency websites, checked October 2026.
Questions people ask us
Who pays if I’m hurt in an Uber in Detroit?
Your own auto policy, or a household relative’s, pays no-fault benefits first. If none applies, the rideshare vehicle’s coverage pays. A claim for pain and suffering goes against the at-fault driver’s coverage.
Does it matter if the driver had a passenger?
Yes. The insurance Michigan requires is highest from the time the driver accepts a ride until the last rider gets out, and lower when the driver is logged on but waiting for a request.
Where would a Detroit case be filed?
Claims of $25,000 or less usually go to the 36th District Court. Larger claims and most injury lawsuits go to circuit court, the 3rd Circuit Court for Wayne County. Venue can also depend on where a defendant lives or does business.