San Antonio Uber/Lyft Car Accident Lawyer
Uber and Lyft are popular ridesharing platforms that offer their customers convenient and economical transportation alternatives. However, if a mishap occurs and someone is injured, obtaining compensation becomes more complicated when Uber or Lyft is involved.
If you have been injured in an accident involving a ridesharing service, it is wise to contact a San Antonio Uber/Lyft car accident lawyer right away. A knowledgeable car accident attorney with experience handling cases involving rideshare companies could help ensure that you receive appropriate compensation for all the losses you suffered.
What Are Common Causes of Rideshare Accidents?
Rideshare drivers must follow the same rules of the road as other motorists, but the nature of the job introduces risks that can increase the likelihood of a crash. Distractions are common because drivers rely heavily on their phones for navigation, ride requests, and passenger communication. Even a brief glance at a screen can take attention away from traffic long enough for an accident to occur. Fatigue is another frequent factor, particularly for drivers who work extended hours or late nights to maximize trips, which can slow reaction times and impair judgment.
Speeding, abrupt lane changes, and aggressive driving sometimes happen when drivers feel pressure to complete more rides quickly. Intersections also present dangers when drivers fail to yield or misjudge the speed of other vehicles. Weather conditions, construction zones, and heavy traffic can further complicate matters when drivers do not adjust their behavior to match the environment. After an Uber or Lyft vehicle crash, working with a knowledgeable attorney who understands how car accident investigations proceed in San Antonio can make it easier to identify what caused the collision and who is responsible.
Rideshare Services Provide Variable Coverage
Rideshare companies advertise that they provide $1,000,000 in coverage for people who might be injured. The companies provide such coverage to their drivers, but it only takes effect under certain conditions. Whether the coverage will be available to someone who is injured in an accident with a driver from a rideshare company depends on the driver’s status at the time of the accident.
No Coverage for Off-Duty Drivers
The drivers are independent contractors and must have their own insurance. A rideshare company’s coverage is supplemental to this coverage and will not cover the damages of anyone the driver injures while not logged into the app. The limits of the driver’s personal policy are all that will be available to anyone the driver injures while using the vehicle for personal reasons.
Limited Coverage If Driver Waiting for Request
When the driver has logged in but has not accepted a ride, the rideshare services offer minimal supplemental coverage. If their driver is at fault in a crash, their insurance will provide coverage of $50,000 for one person’s injury, $100,000 aggregate bodily injury coverage per incident, and $25,000 coverage for property damage. This insurance kicks in if the driver’s personal coverage is insufficient.
Accepting Ride Triggers Full Coverage
The rideshare services offer full coverage only after the driver accepts a ride request. This insurance makes available $1,000,000 in coverage for death, injury, or property damage when the rideshare driver is at fault in an accident. This coverage is available to passengers and other third parties who suffer damages resulting from an accident involving a rideshare driver who is either on the way to pick up a passenger or is currently working a paid trip.
Fault Determines Who Pays
Texas is an at-fault state, meaning that the driver who carries the blame for causing the wreck is responsible for paying the damages of anyone who was injured in it. In an accident with an Uber or Lyft driver, the rideshare company’s insurance will pay third parties, like pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists, only if the rideshare driver is at fault.
Rideshare passengers have access to the company’s coverage if their driver is at fault. The companies also provide passengers with bodily injury coverage if the at-fault party is uninsured or has inadequate coverage to pay the injured passenger’s damages.
Recoverable Damages After a Rideshare Accident
A serious rideshare crash can create financial stress that lasts long after the accident. Medical bills arrive, paychecks may stop, and everyday expenses suddenly become difficult to manage. Someone injured while riding in an Uber or Lyft or after being struck by a rideshare vehicle should contact the Felix Gonzalez Law legal team in San Antonio for support in seeking compensation. This compensation could cover both the direct costs of the collision and the broader ways the injury affects their life. These damages often include:
- Emergency care
- Hospital stays
- Follow-up treatment
- Rehabilitation
- Medication
- Any future medical support they may need
If the individual cannot work during recovery or their injuries reduce their ability to earn a living, they may also pursue lost wages and diminished earning capacity. Repairing or replacing their vehicle and other damaged property can also be part of a claim, along with out-of-pocket expenses related to their recovery.
Not every loss has a receipt or invoice. Many people also experience physical pain, emotional strain, and lasting disruptions to daily routines. Compensation may therefore also account for pain and suffering, mental anguish, and the loss of enjoyment of activities they once took for granted. Accurately valuing these personal harms requires careful attention to detail and an understanding of how deeply an injury can affect someone’s life. Accident victims who need legal guidance after an Uber or Lyft car crash often turn to Felix Gonzalez Law for help documenting their losses and pursuing the full compensation the state law allows.
Delay Could Weaken Your Claim
Each state limits the time an injured person has to file a lawsuit seeking damages. The Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 requires a plaintiff to file a claim within two years of the incident that caused the injury.
Although this might seem like ample time, building a case takes time. In rideshare vehicle crashes it could be especially complicated because there are likely multiple insurers involved. Each insurer will try to minimize their exposure for any losses arising out of the accident.
An injured person benefits from having a legal professional working on their behalf from the beginning of a case. They can keep the discussions centered on the damages the injured person suffered and help to ensure that the client receives a fair and appropriate settlement.
What To Do After a Rideshare Accident
The minutes after a collision can be confusing, but the steps someone takes can significantly affect their health and legal options. The first priority should always be safety. Calling 911 and seeking medical attention right away are important, even if injuries seem minor at first, because symptoms can develop hours or days later. Prompt treatment not only protects the individual’s well-being but also creates records verifying that the crash caused their injuries.
Once everyone is safe, reporting the accident to law enforcement ensures there is an official account of what happened. If possible, the individual should document the scene with photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, and visible injuries to preserve valuable evidence. Gathering names and contact information from drivers, passengers, and witnesses may also strengthen a claim. Rideshare companies operate through mobile apps, so reporting the incident within the platform creates a record that may activate insurance coverage. Before speaking in detail with insurers or accepting any settlement offers, injured individuals should speak with an auto wreck attorney who handles Uber and Lyft claims throughout San Antonio, since early insurance company settlement offers often fail to reflect the true cost of recovery.
Pursue Your Rideshare Accident Case with a San Antonio Uber/Lyft Car Accident Attorney
Rideshare companies are notorious for vigorously defending themselves from liability. If an accident involving an Uber or Lyft vehicle left you with injuries, do not try to handle the claim on your own, even if the claim seems straightforward.
A San Antonio Uber/Lyft car accident lawyer could help you get the damages you deserve. Call today to schedule a consultation.
