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.
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.
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.
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.
