San Antonio Uber/Lyft Accident Lawyer
In recent years, rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have become popular transportation alternatives. However, these companies do not specially train their drivers, which means they are just as likely as any other drivers to cause an accident. Pursuing compensation for injuries you suffered because of a rideshare accident with a rideshare vehicle can quickly become a complicated and time-consuming endeavor. Let a San Antonio Lyft and Uber accident attorney help you pursue your legal options efficiently and effectively.
For more than 30 years, our law firm has advocated for injured car accident victims throughout San Antonio, Central, and South Texas. Troy has more than 30 years of legal experience and is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, which is a distinction extended to just over 1 percent of personal injury attorneys who practice in Texas. If you work with our law firm in the wake of an Uber or Lyft accident, you can trust that you’ll have an experienced, skilled legal advocate in your corner who will diligently work to secure the best possible result on your behalf.
If someone else is partially or responsible for your injuries or the injuries of a loved one, you should not be left to pay for the consequences of your harm out-of-pocket. Reach out Law Offices of Troy A. Brookover for a free consultation. Contact us online or call (210) 226-2000.
Common Rideshare Accident Scenarios
Our firm represents the interests of rideshare accident victims who have sustained their injuries under a variety of different circumstances. Some of the most common rideshare accident types that our firm has managed occur when the following scenarios unfold:
- When the driver is on duty with a passenger – If a Lyft or Uber driver causes an accident while they have a passenger onboard, rideshare companies generally provide combined liability insurance coverage of up to $1 million per accident. This coverage can compensate not only the rideshare passenger or passengers but also any other people injured as a result of the accident.
- When the driver is on duty and is on the way to pick up a passenger – When a rideshare driver has accepted a passenger’s ride request and is driving to pick up that passenger, the same $1 million combined liability coverage applies.
- When the driver is on duty and waiting on a fare – Rideshare companies provide lower limits for rideshare drivers who are logged into the company’s mobile app and waiting on ride requests. Uber and Lyft offer $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident of bodily injury/death liability coverage, as well as $25,000 per accident of property damage liability coverage.
- When the driver is not on duty and not logged into the lyft / Uber app – If a Uber or Lyft driver is not logged into the mobile app, their personal auto liability policy applies. Drivers in San Antonio are required to have insurance that provides, at a minimum, $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident of bodily injury liability coverage, and $25,000 per accident of property damage liability coverage.
- When another driver hits an Uber or Lyft – If another driver negligently, recklessly, or intentionally hits the Uber or Lyft you were riding in, you can hold that Uber or Lyft driver responsible for compensation. In addition, Uber and Lyft’s rideshare insurance coverage includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage of up to $1 million, allowing you to seek a fair compensation from the rideshare company if the third-party driver doesn’t have liability insurance or their policy limit doesn’t fully compensate you for your harm.
Who Is Liable for a Rideshare Accident?
The parties who could be liable for compensation in the aftermath of Uber and Lyft accidents accidents in San Antonio will depend on the underlying circumstances of your crash. As all Uber and Lyft drivers must, rideshare drivers are required to carry personal auto liability insurance. But, rideshare drivers must also have higher liability insurance coverage limits than usual when they’re performing their rideshare duties. The rideshare company for which these drivers provide services usually provides this extra insurance coverage.
What to Do After an Uber or Lyft Accident in San Antonio?
If you’re hurt due to an Uber or Lyft accident, taking the following steps can help our firm to help you pursue financial compensation for your injuries:
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible so that a doctor can examine you and diagnose any car accident-related injuries. Follow your doctor’s treatment instructions and recommended course of care.
- Take photos or videos of the accident scene. Try to document important details like vehicle damage, visible injuries, skid marks or debris on the road, traffic controls at the scene, visual obstructions for the drivers, and weather/lighting/road/and traffic conditions.
- Report the crash to Uber or Lyft. Do not assume that the Uber or Lyft driver will report the accident. If you were riding in the Uber or Lyft vehicle, you can report the accident through the trip screen on the mobile application. Alternatively, anyone can report being involved in an accident with an Uber or Lyft through each company’s website. You may wish to wait to take this step until after you’ve spoken with our team if you have any questions about the process.
- Keep copies of all bills, invoices, and receipts for expenses you incur as a result of the accident. For example, if you miss work because of injuries, gather your pay stubs, income statements, and tax returns to help us accurately calculate your lost wages.
- Refrain from posting about the accident or your injuries on social media. Your posts may later be used to call your legal car accident claim into question, even if they seem harmless at first glance.
Finally, receive a free consultation from a San Antonio Uber & Lyft accident attorney at our law firm to discuss how to recover the compensation you deserve. There is no reason why you should be burdened with the costs associated with your accident if another party can and should be held liable for those losses.
What Compensation Can I Recover Through an Uber Accident Lawsuit?
After a rideshare accident, you may be entitled to recover a fair compensation from several different parties, including the ridesharing company, the Uber of Lyft driver, and another negligent third-party driver. This compensation can reimburse you for expenses and losses you incurred or expect to incur as a result of the crash. Financial recovery for a rideshare accident can include:
- Medical bills and rehabilitation expenses stemming from the treatment of accident related injuries
- Any costs of long-term care you may need as a result of accident-related disability
- Loss of wages or income, including lost future earning capacity, if you cannot work due to accident-related injuries or disabilities
- Physical pain and emotional distress, including diminished quality of life caused by permanent disability or physical scarring/disfigurement that interferes with your daily experience
How Long Do I Have to File an Accident Claim?
Under Texas’s statute of limitations for car accidents, crash injury victims are ordinarily granted two years from the date of an Uber or Lyft accident to file a claim. Under limited circumstances, you might have longer to file. With that said, exploring your legal options right away is a good idea. The sooner that you alert Troy to your situation, the sooner he can preserve critical evidence, negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf, and begin protecting your rights.
An Uber and Lyft accident attorney from our law firm can review the details of your case and advise you as to how long you have left before you need to file a lawsuit to pursue rideshare accident claim compensation. Filing a lawsuit after the statute of limitations that applies to your case has run will result in the dismissal of your case.
How Can a San Antonio Rideshare Accident Lawyer Can Help Me?
If you’ve been injured as a result of an Uber or Lyft accident, your focus is likely on recovering and treating your injuries or the injuries of a loved one. This is completely understandable. However, it’s important to invest some time in pursuing a legal claim against those responsible for the car accident, your injuries, and your losses. Once a San Antonio car accident lawyer at our law firm is alerted to your need for legal assistance, Troy can handle the “heavy lifting” of your case and claims with the insurance company on your behalf so that you can focus on your health. Specifically, he can help you with your legal needs by:
- Investigating the crash to recover evidence that proves who caused the ridesharing accident and who is, therefore, liable to compensate you for your injuries and losses.
- Determining applicable auto insurance coverages, including any related to a potential claim against the rideshare company’s insurance.
- Calculating your past, ongoing, and future losses to determine what a fair and full recovery amounts to.
- Filing auto insurance and legal claims on your behalf and aggressively pursuing maximum compensation for you through the settlement process.
- Taking your case to court or trial if that proves to be the best way to get the full amount of compensation you deserve.
To learn more about recovering compensation for all the different personal injury cases we handle, please visit: