Uber Ride Share Accident

San Antonio leaders recently voted to maintain the city’s relationship with ridesharing services, like Uber and Lyft. These companies, and others like them, offer alternatives to more traditional transportation options like mass transit, shuttles, and taxi services. Additionally, the State of Texas recently agreed to regulate ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft at the state level in an effort to maintain uniformity throughout all Texas cities where ride sharing companies are present.

If you hire the services of a taxi cab in San Antonio, city ordinances require the driver to be an employee of a bonded and fully insured company so there is coverage should an accident occur. Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft, however, contract their drivers individually. These drivers are responsible for providing their vehicles and using their personal auto insurance to cover any liability issues.

In San Antonio, rider requests an Uber or Lyft service using a mobile app on their phone. The driver accepting the request will arrive at the rider’s location and deliver them to their requested destination. Typically, about twenty percent of the fare goes to the ride sharing company. This setup keeps the cost to the ride sharing companies low, but this convenient and popular means of transportation has the potential to leave their riders vulnerable if they are injured in an accident.

Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft are growing in popularity as people look for more economic and efficient ways to get around town. As their popularity increases though, so does the potential for Uber rideshare accidents.

Most ridesharing vehicles used for Uber and Lyft are personal vehicles owned by their drivers. While the drivers may carry personal auto insurance, most of the standard auto insurance policies do not cover accidents for vehicles being used for these ride sharing services unless the owner has purchased a separate coverage of insurance for this purpose. As this services increase in use and popularity, their presence on the road creates new and evolving legal issues for attorneys to evaluate.

Although the same laws of negligence in an auto accident apply, the added layer of complexity and whether or not the ride sharing company in addition to the driver can be held liable for an auto accident makes it an especially complex matter.

For example, did you know that if the Uber or Lyft driver’s auto insurance company and their lawyers determine your injuries aren’t covered by the driver’s policy, then you may be responsible for using your own insurance to cover your medical expenses? If that happens, what will you do if you have only minimal coverage or, if you don’t even drive or own a vehicle, aren’t covered at all?

As in any accident, the driver at fault for the collision should be responsible for any compensation entitled by injured passengers. But there may be an instance where insurance coverage limits what an injured passenger may collect for their damages. Attorneys for ride sharing companies are adding to the complexity of these types of claims by asserting their drivers are merely contractors, not employees.

In addition to dealing with the insurance companies involved in representing the driver, you may be faced with the potential of being denied coverage for any injuries you may have sustained if the ridesharing driver has failed to purchase the necessary insurance to cover his services.

These issues are posing challenges for Texas rideshare car accident lawyers. As new ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft continue to grow, you will need to know what to do if you are ever in a San Antonio rideshare accident.

As soon as possible, call Carabin Shaw, our law firm can help you. Our team of experienced and skilled lawyers will help you navigate the complicated and ever-changing legal issues that arise when an Uber rideshare accident takes place.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an Uber rideshare accident in San Antonio, call Carabin Shaw at 800-862-1260. Our attorneys are ready to meet with you for free consultation to discuss your case today.