Experienced Uber Accident Lawyers in Texas
Strong advocacy for victims of Uber and Lyft rideshare accidents
People who live, work, or visit our great state often use rideshare services to get to their destination. Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth all encourage locals and tourists alike to make use of these apps. For drivers, the main advantage is earning a full-time living or some extra income. For passengers, using a rideshare app means choosing exactly when you want a ride and where you will be picked up. Rideshare services are also generally cheaper than taxis.
There are risks involved with rideshare services, however. Some people allege that Uber does little vetting of their drivers. Drivers are often unfamiliar with neighborhoods and routes. Many are distracted by their technology. At Slack Davis Sanger, our Texas car accident lawyers understand the unique liability and insurance issues involved when rideshare drivers are involved in accidents. We also represent passengers who are assaulted by drivers. Our personal injury lawyers are respected by clients, insurance adjusters, and other attorneys for our strong record of success.
“Slack Davis Sanger came highly recommended to me by a colleague. From my first meeting with Mike Davis, I knew my sisters and I had made the right choice. Slack Davis Sanger managed all of the details and people day-to-day…This firm delivered – and more.”- Kyle Smith, Client
What kinds of Uber claims do your Texas lawyers handle?
Slack Davis Sanger represents anyone injured in a rideshare accident, including the Uber driver, the passenger, other drivers, other passengers, pedestrians, and bicycle riders. Our Texas car accident lawyers handle the following types of rideshare accidents or misconduct:
- Head-on accidents
- Rear-end accidents
- Broadside accidents
- Single-vehicle accidents
- Multi-vehicle accidents
- Accidents due to defective car parts
- Any other type of accidents
Our injury lawyers can also file claims when a passenger suffers injury getting into or out of the vehicle, as well as passengers who are sexually or physically assaulted by a driver.
Why do rideshare accidents in Texas happen?
Most Uber accidents in Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth occur because of driver negligence, whether the rideshare driver or another motorist. Negligence includes:
- Driving while distracted by smartphones, food and drink, or for other reasons
- Driving while tired
- Driving while drunk
- Speeding or any other type of traffic violation
- Driving too fast for weather conditions
- Driving too fast for traffic conditions
- Many other reasons
Uber drivers need to be especially careful because they have the responsibility of transporting passengers. This means the drivers shouldn’t be using their smartphones to focus on their next rides. Drivers shouldn’t be looking at their GPS system to figure out what routes to take while the car is in motion.
What are typical injuries from Uber accidents?
At Slack Davis Sanger, our Uber lawyers represent personal injury victims who suffer life-changing injuries; injuries that require victims to take off a significant amount of time from work from which to recover. We also represent families when a loved one is tragically killed in a car accident. Some of the many types of injuries we handle are:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Traumatic amputations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Severe burn injuries
- Simple, compound, complex, and multiple fractures
- Internal organ damage
- Vision loss
- Hearing loss
- Sexual assaults
- Other serious injuries
Our lawyers work with your physicians and our own network of healthcare providers to:
- Verify your diagnosis
- Understand what treatments you’ll need – for the rest of your life
- Understand the cost of all your medical care
- Understand every way the injury is affecting you including your physical pain, emotional suffering, and inability to use any part of your body
How does rideshare liability and insurance work in Texas?
Our Texas Uber accident lawyers file claims against everyone responsible for your injuries, an assault, or the death of a loved one. The defendants may include the rideshare driver, another driver, the owners of the vehicle involved in the accident, manufacturers of defective car parts, and other defendants, depending on what happened.
Insurance issues in rideshare accident claims are complex. The following rules generally apply:
- All drivers are required to have minimum liability insurance. In Texas, the minimums are:
- $30,000 for injuries to one person.
- $60,000 for injuries to multiple people in one accident.
- $25,000 for property damage.
- This coverage is called 30/60/25 coverage.
- Passengers may be entitled to payment of their medical bills if they have medical payments coverage, regardless of fault.
- Passengers may be entitled to payment of their medical bills and lost wages if they have personal injury protection insurance (PIP) coverage, regardless of fault.
- Victims may be entitled to uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage, if the responsible defendants don’t have insurance or don’t have enough insurance.
Rideshare drivers must have the following coverages, according to Value Penguin:
- The rideshare app is off and the driver is using his/her car for personal reasons. The driver must have the required state minimums – 30/60/25.
- The rideshare app is on and the driver is looking for a ride. The driver must have 50/100/25 coverage - $50,000 for one victim, $100,000 for multiple victims in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage. The rideshare company (known as a transportation network company/TNC in Texas) may provide this insurance or the driver may be required to obtain it on his/her own.
- The driver is on his/her way to pick up a passenger or has a passenger in the car. The driver must have $1 million for bodily injury and property damage (total) per accident. Normally, the TNC provides this coverage. The TNC normally also provides $1 million in UM/UIM coverage. Uber, according to Value Penguin, also provides “contingent collision and comprehensive coverage that goes into effect while you are carrying passengers.”
Rideshare drivers generally must pass the following requirements:
- Be 21 or older
- Pass a background check
- Pass a Department of Motor Vehicles check
- Have a valid driver's license
- Have sufficient car insurance
- Own a vehicle registered in the state of Texas
There are numerous other rideshare regulations, including vehicle standards that may be evidence of negligence if the owner of the vehicle is not in compliance.
Can you help if I was sexually assaulted in an Uber?
Sadly, there are many drivers who cross the line of decent behavior.
Lyft, according to an October CNN report, released data “disclosing that it received 4,158 reports of sexual assault on its platform in 2017, 2018, and 2019.” The report included 360 reports of rape and 10 deaths due to physical assaults.
Uber released a report in 2019 disclosing “5,981 reports of sexual assault involving passengers and drivers in the two years prior, including 464 reports of rape.”
Our caring personal injury lawyers represent victims of sexual assault. We help you seek the medical care you need. We work with the police when criminal complaints are filed. We demand civil justice by working to hold rideshare drivers liable for these horrible acts and by demanding all the compensation you deserve, including punitive damages.
How much is my Texas rideshare accident claim worth?
Passengers and anyone else injured in an accident involving an Uber driver have the right to seek the following damages:
- Payment of all medical bills, current and future
- Payment for all lost income, current and future
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for any scarring or disfigurement
- A spouse has the right to claim compensation for loss of consortium – the value of the services, support, and intimacy lost because of the victim’s injuries
- Any property damages
Is there an Uber accident lawyer near me?
Slack Davis Sanger serves the Austin, Dallas, and Forth Worth areas, as well as throughout the state. You can find our main offices in Austin, Texas on Bold Ruler Way, right off Capital of Texas Highway / Loop 360, about two miles south of the 360 bridge.
Speak with a strong Texas rideshare lawyer today
At Slack Davis Sanger, our Texas personal injury lawyers are respected for our ability to obtain large jury verdicts and settlements against defendants. We work with investigators, the police, traffic reconstruction experts, and medical experts to help show why defendants are liable and that you deserve the maximum amount of damages Texas law permits. To discuss your claim, call us at 800-455-8686 or complete our contact form to schedule an appointment. We represent clients in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, and throughout the state.