Texas Uber and Lift Accidents Attorney
If you have been injured in an accident caused by an Uber driver or while riding as a passenger of Uber or Lyft, you may be entitled to seek compensation. In that case, you may have a claim against the Uber driver’s personal auto liability insurance or you may have a claim against the Uber insurance coverage provided to Uber drivers while they are on the clock. Our firm’s accident lawyer can review the specific details of your accident and determine the appropriate legal steps to take.
Uber/Lift drivers (and passengers) involved in car accidents (regardless of who was at fault) must seek compensation from their own auto insurance companies first and sometimes exclusively for injuries suffered. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance will also cover a significant portion of medical expenses sustained during an accident. Most auto insurance companies have a policy that bars recovery when a driver was using the vehicle for commercial purposes. Commercial insurance coverage is not offered to Uber and Lyft drivers in the State of Texas. Both Uber and Lyft do provide coverage for drivers and passengers through liability policies. In order to collect damages under these policies, a passenger must have been en route from the pickup point of the ride to the destination. The policy also requires proof that at the time of the collision, the driver was using the route indicated by the rideshare service’s software. It is not uncommon for drivers to take alternate routes because of construction or traffic. However, rideshare service companies have been known to try and deny coverage to injured passengers upon a finding that their drivers were not traveling on the prescribed route.
Causes of Uber and Lyft Accidents
The same factors that cause regular car accidents apply to Uber and Lyft collisions as well. Speed and aggressive driving are common causes of accidents due to the nature of transportation. Uber and Lyft drivers are able to drive and earn as much money as they want. The more they drive, the more money they make. Thus, speeding and ignoring traffic signals are ways to quicken the cash flow. A few other factors that contribute to rideshare collisions are:
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Tailgating
- Alcohol
- Poor vehicle maintenance
Compensation for Uber and Lift Accident Injuries
There are two types of damages an injured passenger can collect upon filing a personal injury claim against a negligent driver and/or the rideshare service company: compensatory and punitive. The purpose of compensatory damages is to make the plaintiff “whole.” Plaintiffs can collect compensatory damages for both monetary and non-monetary losses. Some of these include:
- Present and future medical expenses
- Present and future loss of income
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Household services
- Wrongful death damages
- Loss of enjoyment
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Punitive damages are not awarded as frequently as compensatory damages. Courts will award punitive damages in cases where the defendant’s behavior was particularly egregious or outrageous. The purpose behind punitive damages is to make an example out of the defendant so as to deter others from committing similar acts in the future.