October 15, 2026 
11 min read 
Driving for Uber or Lyft offers flexibility that traditional jobs often do not. You can choose when to log in, use more than one rideshare app, and decide how much you want to work.
But that flexibility comes with an important legal distinction in Florida: rideshare drivers are often classified as independent contractors rather than employees.
The Florida Third District Court of Appeal reinforced that distinction in Abner v. Lyft Florida, Inc., a 2025 decision involving a Lyft driver who was transporting a passenger when he was involved in a serious crash.
The court determined that the driver qualified as an independent contractor under Florida’s Transportation Network Companies law. Although Abner was not a workers’ compensation case, the decision is important for Uber and Lyft drivers because worker classification can affect what benefits and legal protections may be available when you are injured while working.
If you drive for a rideshare platform in Florida, here is what you should understand about the ruling and what it may mean if you get hurt on the job.
What Happened in Abner v. Lyft?
Abner v. Lyft arose from a July 5, 2017 collision involving Lyft driver Rolando Cepero and motorcyclist Dexter Franklin.
At the time of the crash, Cepero was transporting a passenger on a prearranged Lyft ride.
Natasha Abner, individually and as Franklin’s guardian, sued Cepero and Lyft. She later settled with the driver but continued her claims against Lyft.
One of the central arguments was that Lyft should be held responsible for the driver’s negligence because Cepero was acting as Lyft’s employee or agent when the accident occurred. The lawsuit also included negligent hiring and retention claims.
Lyft argued that Cepero was an independent contractor under Florida Statute § 627.748, which regulates transportation network companies, or TNCs.
The trial court granted summary judgment for Lyft. On October 22, 2025, Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal affirmed that decision.
Why Did the Court Rule That the Lyft Driver Was an Independent Contractor?
Florida law specifically addresses whether qualifying rideshare drivers are employees or independent contractors.
Under Florida Statute § 627.748(9), a TNC driver is considered an independent contractor rather than an employee when four requirements are satisfied:
- The rideshare company does not unilaterally require the driver to log in during specific hours.
- The company does not prohibit the driver from using competing rideshare platforms.
- The company does not restrict the driver from having another occupation or business.
- The company and driver have a written agreement stating that the driver is an independent contractor.
In Abner, the plaintiff argued that Lyft’s terms of service restricted Cepero from engaging in other work.
The appellate court disagreed.
The court found that Lyft’s agreement restricted certain activities while Cepero was actively providing Lyft services, but did not generally prevent him from having another job or business. The agreement also stated that Cepero had discretion to engage in other employment or business activities.
The court therefore concluded that the requirements of Florida’s TNC statute were satisfied and Cepero was an independent contractor.
What Does Abner Mean for Uber and Lyft Drivers in Florida?
For Florida Uber and Lyft drivers, the most important takeaway is that state law gives rideshare companies a specific framework for treating qualifying drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.
That distinction can become particularly important if you are injured while driving.
Employees may qualify for Florida workers’ compensation benefits when they suffer covered work-related injuries. A rideshare driver who qualifies as an independent contractor may not have those same workers’ compensation protections through Uber or Lyft.
However, this does not mean that an injured rideshare driver has no legal options.
Instead, an injury may require examining several different issues, including your employment classification, what you were doing when the accident occurred, which insurance coverage was active, and whether another person or company was responsible for your injuries.
Does Abner Mean Every Gig Worker Is an Independent Contractor?
No.
This is one of the most important limitations of the decision.
Abner involved a Lyft driver and applied Florida’s specific Transportation Network Companies statute. The court did not rule that every person earning money through an app is automatically an independent contractor.
It also did not decide a workers’ compensation claim.
Delivery drivers, freelance workers, home-service providers, construction workers, and other people commonly described as gig workers may be subject to different laws and classification rules.
Even within the gig economy, the correct legal analysis depends on the type of work performed and the law governing that working relationship.
Van Dingenen Law explains more about who may and may not qualify for coverage in its guide to workers who are exempt from workers’ compensation in Florida.
What If You Drive for Both Uber and Lyft?
Many rideshare drivers use more than one platform.
Florida’s TNC law specifically recognizes this type of flexibility.
One of the requirements for independent contractor status under Florida Statute § 627.748(9) is that the rideshare company does not prohibit the driver from using another TNC’s digital network.
That means the ability to drive for both Uber and Lyft can be consistent with the independent contractor framework established by Florida law.
In Abner, the court also emphasized that Lyft’s agreement gave the driver discretion to pursue other employment and business activities.
For drivers, this helps explain why the flexibility that makes rideshare work appealing can also be relevant to employment classification.
Why Your App Status Matters After a Rideshare Accident
If you are injured in an accident while driving for Uber or Lyft, what you were doing on the app at the time can matter.
For example, were you:
- Offline?
- Logged into the app and waiting for a request?
- Driving to pick up a passenger?
- Actively transporting a passenger?
Florida law imposes insurance requirements on transportation network companies and drivers, and the applicable coverage can depend on the driver’s status when an accident occurs.
That makes digital records especially important.
After a rideshare accident, preserve screenshots, trip details, app activity, communications with the rideshare company, insurance information, photographs, witness information, and the police report whenever possible.
These records can help establish exactly what you were doing when the injury occurred and which potential sources of coverage should be investigated.
What Does the Ruling Mean for Florida Workers’ Compensation?
Florida workers’ compensation generally provides benefits to qualifying employees who suffer covered work-related injuries.
Depending on the circumstances, workers’ compensation benefits can include authorized medical treatment, wage replacement, disability benefits, and other benefits available under Florida law.
Independent contractors, however, can be treated differently.
This is why Abner is relevant to rideshare drivers even though the case itself was not a workers’ compensation dispute. It illustrates how Florida’s rideshare statute can establish independent contractor status when the statutory requirements are met.
If you are injured while driving for Uber or Lyft and are told that you cannot receive workers’ compensation because you are an independent contractor, that may be an important part of the legal analysis. Still, it should not automatically be treated as the end of the inquiry into your options.
Do Not Assume “Independent Contractor” Means “No Claim”
This is particularly important for injured rideshare drivers.
Being classified as an independent contractor can affect whether workers’ compensation coverage is available through the rideshare company. It does not necessarily mean you have no possible source of compensation after an accident.
Depending on what happened, important questions may include:
- Did another driver cause the crash?
- What insurance coverage applied when the accident occurred?
- Were you logged into the app?
- Had you already accepted a ride?
- Were you transporting a passenger?
- Were multiple parties responsible?
- Was your worker classification legally correct under the law applicable to your situation?
The answers can affect which benefits, insurance policies, or legal claims should be investigated.
If your workers’ compensation claim has already been rejected because of a classification or coverage dispute, a denial does not necessarily mean the issue is over. Learn more about how Van Dingenen Law handles denied workers’ compensation claims.
Can a Company Simply Call You an Independent Contractor?
The words written on a contract are important, but classification questions can involve more than a job title.
Florida workers’ compensation law contains its own rules concerning who qualifies as an employee and when someone may be considered an independent contractor.
The analysis can include how the work is performed, whether the worker operates an independent business, who pays business expenses, how compensation is structured, and other statutory factors.
There are also important differences between industries. For example, Florida workers’ compensation law treats construction differently from many other types of work.
For an injured worker, the practical lesson is simple: do not assume that a 1099, independent contractor agreement, or company policy automatically answers every question about your rights after a work injury.
A Florida workers’ compensation lawyer can review the actual working relationship and determine which rules apply. Van Dingenen Law provides additional information about Florida workplace injury claims and the benefits that may be available to qualifying injured workers.
What Should an Uber or Lyft Driver Do After a Work-Related Injury?
If you are injured while driving for Uber or Lyft, preserving information early can make it easier to determine what happened and which coverage may apply.
When possible:
- Get medical attention. Your health comes first, and medical records can document your injuries and treatment.
- Report the accident. Follow applicable accident-reporting requirements and report the incident through the rideshare platform when appropriate.
- Save your app information. Preserve screenshots, trip history, ride details, and information showing whether you were logged in or transporting a passenger.
- Document the accident. Keep photographs, videos, witness information, police reports, and insurance details.
- Keep communications with Uber or Lyft. Emails, messages, claim information, and other correspondence may become important later.
- Do not assume you have no claim because you are called an independent contractor. Different legal and insurance options may need to be evaluated.
Florida workers’ compensation also has important reporting and filing deadlines. Van Dingenen Law’s workers’ compensation FAQs provide additional information about reporting injuries, benefits, medical treatment, and denied claims.
What If Uber, Lyft, or an Insurer Says You Are Not Covered?
Coverage disputes can be confusing because several legal systems may overlap after a rideshare accident.
A driver may be dealing with a rideshare company’s insurance carrier, another motorist’s insurer, a personal automobile policy, and questions about workers’ compensation at the same time.
The correct answer can depend on what the driver was doing at the precise time of the accident.
This is why preserving your app status and trip information is so important.
If you receive a denial, read it carefully and keep a copy. A denial from one source does not necessarily establish that no other benefits or claims are available.
When the dispute concerns workers’ compensation, Van Dingenen Law can review the denial, identify the insurer’s reason, gather supporting evidence, and determine what steps may be available to challenge it.
Why the Abner Decision Matters Beyond One Lyft Accident
The Abner ruling provides a useful example of how Florida courts may apply the state’s rideshare statute when the employment relationship between a driver and a TNC is disputed.
The court focused on the statutory requirements rather than simply asking whether the driver performed work that benefited Lyft.
That is particularly important for Uber and Lyft drivers because the factors supporting flexibility, such as choosing when to log in, using competing apps, and pursuing other work, are also part of Florida’s statutory independent contractor framework.
At the same time, the ruling has limits.
It should not be read as a decision that every gig worker is an independent contractor, that every classification dispute will have the same result, or that an injured rideshare driver can never have another source of benefits or compensation.
How We Can Help Injured Uber, Lyft, and Gig Workers
If you are injured while working through Uber, Lyft, or another gig platform, determining your rights may involve more than looking at how the company classified you. Your work arrangement, app status at the time of the injury, available insurance coverage, and the circumstances of the accident can all matter.
At Van Dingenen Law, we focus exclusively on Florida workers’ compensation. With more than 60 years of combined experience, we help injured workers understand their rights and pursue the benefits available to them under Florida law.
For rideshare and other gig workers, we can review your employment classification, determine whether workers’ compensation may apply, address disputes involving medical treatment or wage benefits, and challenge a denied claim when appropriate. If a company or insurance carrier points to your independent contractor status as a reason for denying benefits, we can examine the facts of your working relationship and determine what legal options may be available.
You can learn more about our legal team and approach or review our workers’ compensation case results.
If you were injured while driving for Uber, Lyft, or another gig platform, contact us for a free case evaluation to discuss your situation with a Florida workers’ compensation attorney.
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