A rideshare accident lawyer in Texas from Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., may be able to help you recover compensation and get justice after you suffer injuries in an Uber or Lyft crash. Collision injuries can cause you to incur medical bills, lost income, property damage, and more. You may be able to recover fair monetary damages based on your expenses and losses.
We provide free legal case consultations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and other areas of Texas. We can assess your case and help you decide what to do next and answer any questions you have. We can discuss your options for seeking compensation with you for free today.
Recoverable Damages in a Texas Rideshare Accident Claim or Lawsuit
When a victim suffers injuries in an accident involving a rideshare vehicle, they may be able to seek and recover a range of damages based on their expenses and losses. This generally includes:
- Medical treatment
- Future medical needs for accident injuries
- Lost income and/or reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Related expenses (with receipts)
- Pain and suffering losses
- Other non-economic damages
Attorneys from Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., know how to assess the value of a traffic accident case and determine how much your case may be worth. We will not know a potential settlement value until we investigate what happened and identify the damages you suffered. This allows us to determine the possible range for a negotiated agreement with the insurer or prove your case’s value to the jury.
Wrongful Death Damages May Also Be Available
If your immediate family member died in a Texas rideshare accident case, a wrongful death lawyer from our team can pursue damages on your behalf. Those who can benefit from these actions include spouses, children, and parents of the deceased. We can assess your options, explain the recoverable damages, and help you decide your next steps when we review your case with you for free.
Building a Claim and Filing for Insurance Coverage After a Rideshare Crash
In many ways, rideshare accident injuries proceed just like other traffic accident cases. However, these kinds of accidents require us to prove liability in addition to showing the driver caused the crash. Several insurance policies could be available depending on your crash’s circumstances. Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., can sort through these details and determine which party we can hold responsible.
Unlike cabs or other commercial drivers, a rideshare company generally is not vicariously liable for collisions their drivers cause. According to the State Bar of Texas, this is because there are two factors the accident victim must prove to hold the company liable:
- The driver worked for the company when the accident occurred; and
- The driver was acting in “the course and scope” of their job description
Where this fails is that rideshare drivers are not employees of the company. Instead, they are contract workers. However, this does not mean Uber or Lyft will not have to pay. Under Texas Insurance Code § 1954.001, Texas requires a minimum liability policy to cover rideshare drivers.
Uber and Lyft provide these policies and ensure there is coverage available throughout the time their drivers are working. Policies generally work like this:
- If the driver is off the app, their personal auto liability policy should pay.
- If the driver is on the app but does not have a match, their personal policy is primary, but the rideshare company provides additional secondary coverage.
- When the driver matches with a rider, the rideshare company’s corporate liability policy kicks in and offers at least $1 million in coverage.
Taking Legal Action in a Rideshare Collision Case
Like most other traffic accident cases, rideshare collision claims generally settle outside of court. This requires us to develop and file an insurance claim and demand fair compensation or negotiate an appropriate agreement. If this is not effective—or if there are other certain aspects of your case that call for a lawsuit—we will sue the liable party or parties on your behalf.
If you do need to sue in your rideshare accident case, our team may be able to help. As a part of protecting your rights, our team will ensure we understand key deadlines in your case and can meet them as long as we are on your side with enough time to do so. For personal injury and wrongful death cases, the time limit to begin a lawsuit is generally two years under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003.
We Will Not Back Down from Uber or Lyft if Their Driver Hurt You
As a personal injury law firm serving the greater Dallas area and other parts of Texas, Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., sees plenty of traffic accident cases that require complex insurance claims and liability. We can help you identify which insurance policy was in effect when your crash occurred.
Our team is widely known for our willingness to go after big-name brands and win in big cases. We will not hesitate to file a claim based on a rideshare company’s liability policy or the individual driver’s coverage. Alternatively, we can sue the potentially liable parties based on the evidence in your case.
Our attorneys work on contingency. You will not need to pay us any attorney’s fees unless and until we win compensation for you.
You Can Speak to Texas Legal Team Today for Free
At Trujillo & Sanchez, P.C., our attorneys provide complimentary consultations and case assessments. We can review your case with you and discuss your options for seeking compensation and holding the liable parties accountable.
You may be able to recover financial damages, and we may be able to help. We will also answer your questions and explain our contingency fee policy. Connect with us today to learn more.