Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies have completely changed how Texans travel short distances over the past several years, and in most situations, these services are perfectly safe for anyone to use. However, anyone who drives on public roads in Texas has the potential to act negligently and cause a collision that in turn causes serious injuries, and drivers who work for rideshare apps are no exception.
Recovering comprehensively for damages caused by rideshare accidents in Houston can be difficult without guidance from an experienced legal professional who knows how to handle claims like yours. Once retained, a knowledgeable motor vehicle crash attorney at Roberts Markland LLP could provide tenacious representation and tactical support throughout your entire case, advocating tirelessly for your rights and interests every step of the way.
The amount of insurance coverage that apps like Uber and Lyft provides for people injured in crashes caused by one of their drivers varies depending on what the driver was doing at the time of the incident. Most notably, if a person who drives for Uber or Lyft causes a collision while they are not logged into the app as someone ready to take on riders, the rideshare app they work through would not provide any insurance coverage, and anyone injured in the wreck would need to seek restitution through the driver’s own car insurance coverage or through civil litigation against them as an individual.
If a rideshare driver for either of these services is logged into the app but has not yet accepted a ride request, both companies provide a maximum of $50,000 of injury coverage per person, $100,000 of total injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of total property damage/collision coverage per accident. Any damages not covered by this insurance may be recoverable through litigation against the at-fault driver.
Finally, if a rideshare driver in Houston causes an accident while on their way to pick up or actively transporting a passenger, both Uber and Lyft provide up to $1 million in insurance coverage for losses caused by the incident. This coverage is available not just to people in other vehicles impacted by a rideshare driver’s negligence, but also to any passenger in a rideshare vehicle injured by their own driver’s misconduct.
Assuming their respective insurance policies kick in, Uber and Lyft generally provide full reimbursement up to applicable policy limits for all medical expenses and lost wages sustained by someone who gets hurt in a wreck caused by a rideshare driver. In certain situations, physical and psychological pain and suffering may be factored into this type of claim as well.
Third-party litigation against an individual rideshare driver can be significantly more difficult and time-consuming, but it may allow for more comprehensive recovery for all economic and non-economic losses stemming from a rideshare accident in Houston. This could include various future losses like lost earning capacity, lost consortium, and lost overall quality of life.
Rideshare drivers have the same duty to act responsibly behind the wheel as every other driver in Texas. If someone giving you a ride through Uber or Lyft fails to fulfill that duty, or if a rideshare driver collides with you while you are in your own vehicle or walking nearby, you may have grounds to recover substantial compensation through their employer’s insurance or through litigation against them directly.
Either way, guidance from a qualified legal professional at Roberts Markland LLP could be key to achieving a positive final outcome to litigation built around a rideshare accident in Houston. Learn more by calling today.
