There are advantages to using rideshare services, which have grown in popularity over the past decade. They are cheaper than taxis and less congested than public transportation. But accidents still happen, and because Uber and Lyft drivers are independent contractors, you may be confused about who to turn to if you are involved in a car accident.
Rideshare drivers must have their own auto insurance, although Uber and Lyft offer some coverage when drivers are officially interacting with their apps because they are transporting passengers. If you are injured in an Uber/Lyft/rideshare accident in New Braunfels, our experienced attorneys can represent you in negotiations for insurance settlements or court.
Beginning in 2010, Uber and Lyft started offering ridesharing services to passengers. More than 36 percent of adults used the services by 2019, according to Pew Research Center. These Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) hire drivers who maintain control over when and how much they work. Passengers request a driver on the Uber or Lyft app, and drivers in the vicinity are offered the fare, which they can accept or decline. The TNC takes charge of transferring the driver’s cut of the fares.
Rideshare drivers need special insurance in Texas. Coverage is based on the phase the driver is in. When the rideshare app is turned off, Phase 0 is employed, which is Texas general liability insurance the driver must purchase. When the app is active, Phase 1 occurs while the driver waits for a ride. Texas demands $50,000 in liability coverage per injured person, $100,000 for bodily injury liability coverage per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident.
When a rideshare driver is en route to pick up a passenger (Phase 2) or is transporting a passenger (Phase 3), liability amounts rise to $1 million for bodily injury and property damage per accident. Uber and Lyft do their part by providing $1 million in uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. After involvement in an Uber/Lyft/rideshare crash in New Braunfels, our attorneys offer compassionate and aggressive representation to get injured individuals the compensation they deserve.
Our qualified lawyers can build strong personal injury cases to recover compensation for those injured in Uber/Lyft/rideshare collisions in New Braunfels. These cases are generally based on the negligence of the driver, which means the driver breached a duty to act reasonably and caused an accident with injuries.
When we negotiate with insurers, we adamantly decline lowball settlement offers they make to preserve profits for shareholders, hoping the injured person is desperate for money and will take the first offer. Our clients deserve the most compensation available for both their economic damages (which include lost wages and medical bills) and non-economic damages (which include the pain an injured person suffers, emotional angst, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life).
Uber and Lyft have established dynamic and economical rideshare services that are now entrenched in American culture, mostly to your benefit. The services are cost-effective and cheaper than taxis. With one text, you avoid crowded, noisy, and loud public transportation.
Rideshare injury accidents can be frustrating because drivers are considered self-employed as independent contractors with Uber and Lyft.
With one of our attorneys as your dedicated legal advocate, insurance settlements will either be fair or declined in favor of a civil lawsuit. We collect a wide range of evidence to create a strong case for negligence. After being involved in an Uber/Lyft/rideshare accident in New Braunfels, let us help you pursue the justice you deserve.