How Uber’s Ballot Initiative Threatened California Accident Victims’ Rights

Millions of Californians drive across the state every day without giving a second thought to what happens if a crash turns their life upside down. A ballot measure that dominated headlines through the first half of 2026 threatened to change that calculus in ways most drivers never realized. Marketed as a consumer protection reform, the initiative would have rewritten how car accident claims work for every driver in California, not only those hurt in rideshare vehicles.

At Younglove Law Group, we help injured Californians pursue fair car accident claims every day, and we believe drivers deserve to understand what this measure attempted to change and why it raised so much concern among attorneys, doctors, and consumer advocates statewide. Backed almost entirely by Uber, the initiative would have capped attorney fees, altered how medical expenses get calculated, and restricted certain relationships between law firms and medical providers.

The measure, designated Initiative 25-0022 and titled the Protecting Automobile Accident Victims From Attorney Self-Dealing Act, was filed in late 2024 through a campaign committee called A More Affordable California. Qualifying for the November 2026 ballot required more than 874,000 valid signatures from registered voters by June 8, 2026, since amending the California Constitution requires a higher threshold than an ordinary statute. The proposal would have capped attorney contingency fees at 25 percent for motor vehicle accident claims, meaning an injured driver would keep at least 75 percent of any settlement, and it would have applied statewide rather than only to rideshare crashes.

The initiative also would have set new standards for calculating recoverable medical expenses tied to Medicare and Medi-Cal rates, and it would have prohibited referral agreements between personal injury law firms and medical care providers. Uber committed tens of millions of dollars to the campaign, framing the changes as a way to stop attorneys from taking advantage of crash victims. Opponents, including the Consumer Attorneys of California and a coalition of doctors and patient advocates, raised a comparable amount to fight it and to qualify three competing measures.

Attorneys who take car accident claims typically work on a contingency basis, meaning a client owes no fee unless the case succeeds. This arrangement lets injured people hire skilled counsel without paying anything upfront, which matters most in the cases that cost the most to litigate. Capping fees at 25 percent raised concern among legal scholars and consumer advocates for several reasons, including:

Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, publicly noted that no clear evidence supports the claim that capping attorney contingency fees increases what victims ultimately keep, and that several studies point to the opposite conclusion.

Both sides ultimately qualified competing measures for the November 2026 ballot, setting up what was expected to be the most expensive fight over personal injury law in California history. Rather than let voters decide, Uber and the Consumer Attorneys of California negotiated a compromise that became Senate Bill 623, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on June 25, 2026. The final version is narrower than Uber’s original proposal and focuses on disclosure requirements for medical lien transfers rather than capping attorney fees or limiting what an injured driver can recover.

The outcome shows how much was at stake in the original proposal. Insurance companies and corporate defendants already turn to common defense strategies insurance companies use to minimize payouts, and a 25 percent fee cap would have made it harder for many Californians to find an attorney willing to challenge those tactics. Knowing how to recognize a lawyer who will fight for you remains just as important now as it was during the ballot fight.

Whether a ballot measure or a new statute changes the law, Younglove Law Group stays current on developments that affect how much a car accident claim is worth. Our attorneys have recovered over $60 million for clients throughout California and bring more than 20 years of combined experience to each case, and we work on a contingency basis so clients owe nothing unless we win. We also help clients ask the right questions before hiring an auto accident lawyer, since the right representation can make a real difference in a claim.

If you were hurt in a California car accident, you deserve an advocate who understands both the law as it stands today and the legislative changes still shaping it, and our case results reflect what dedicated representation can achieve for injured clients. Our team communicates with clients quickly and clearly, and we offer a free consultation so you can understand your options without pressure. Reach out through our contact form to discuss your case and learn how we can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.