If you sustained injuries in a rideshare accident in Houston, you should report the accident to law enforcement, then get medical and legal help. After that, you have several options for pursuing compensation for your crash-related losses:
- Filing a claim with the rideshare company’s insurance company.
- Filing with the driver’s insurer.
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit.
What works for your situation depends on the circumstances. However, a Houston car accident attorney can offer personalized advice after a consultation.
Report the Rideshare Accident to the Relevant Houston Authorities
According to Texas Transportation Code § 550.026, you must report any collision that involves injury, death, or damage that makes it difficult to move a vehicle safely. To avoid the consequences of not reporting an accident, notify the authorities immediately after the crash.
In addition, you should contact your insurer. Even if you eventually file with the other party’s insurance because they were at fault, creating a record with your insurer shows you were on top of things. It will be harder for the at-fault parties to call your character into question—which unfortunately can happen.
Keep Your Comments to Yourself
When talking with the rideshare driver at the scene, just exchange information. Don’t chat about the crash, speculate about what happened, or express sympathy. Your statements might come under scrutiny later or be construed as an admission of fault.
You should also follow this policy when talking with a rideshare company representative or the other party’s insurers. Our Houston accident attorneys will advise you on what not to say to your insurer after an accident.
Get Medical Attention as Soon as Possible
After a rideshare collision, visit a doctor to get checked out. You might not feel hurt right away, only to have pain and other symptoms develop later due to soft tissue injuries, whiplash, a traumatic brain injury, or internal injuries.
Talk to a Rideshare Car Accident Attorney
One of your first calls after a rideshare accident in Houston can be to a lawyer who could handle these tasks:
- Speak to the insurance company
- Start securing evidence
- Obtain police reports and other records
- Deal with the driver and the rideshare company
- Protect your right to compensation
- Walk you through the claims or lawsuit process
877-239-4878Available 24/7 | 356 Days | se habla español
Getting Compensation From the Rideshare Company’s Insurance
Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft offer insurance coverage to their drivers. However, the extent of that coverage depends on the driver’s use of the app:
- App is off: No company insurance coverage.
- App is on while the driver waits for a request: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, $25,000 per accident for property damage.
- App is on, and the driver has a request or is transporting a passenger: $1 million in third-party auto liability.
Therefore, accessing these benefits requires knowing the driver’s status at the time of your crash. Your personal injury lawyer can work with the company to obtain this information, then negotiate with the insurance company to ensure you receive all the compensation you need.
Rideshares Are Adept at Avoiding Liability
Despite Uber and Lyft offering drivers insurance coverage, they still try their hardest to avoid giving you access to it after your accident. The rideshare company and its insurance adjusters might foist responsibility off the driver to save themselves.
Our team knows how rideshare companies try to avoid responsibility for their drivers’ actions. We’ll fight their tactics and work to get the money you deserve.
Getting Compensation From the Houston Rideshare Driver’s Insurance
When the rideshare company’s insurance policy doesn’t cover an accident, the collision becomes just like any other car accident. Thus, you would file an injury claim with the driver’s insurer after such a Houston rideshare accident. An adjuster will evaluate the claim while your attorney gathers evidence of negligence, then all parties can hammer out a settlement agreement.
Where this gets complicated is if the driver fails to purchase coverage for accidents that happen while offering rides. Without additional coverage, their insurer might not pay for damages, leaving you in an awkward position—the rideshare considers the driver not actively working for the company, the driver’s insurer says they were, and neither wants to pay.
Complicated scenarios like these are why you might want to work with an experienced Houston rideshare accident attorney following a collision.
877-239-4878Available 24/7 | 356 Days | se habla español
Getting Compensation With a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Houston
You might file a personal injury lawsuit after a rideshare accident for several reasons:
- The driver was uninsured.
- Insurance doesn’t completely cover your catastrophic injuries.
- All parties can’t agree on settlement terms.
- The parties dispute the circumstances of the crash.
- An insurance company operated in bad faith by denying your claim.
A rideshare car accident attorney can manage your lawsuit in any of these scenarios. They’ll file court documents, compile evidence, build a blueprint for fighting for damages, and argue your case in court.
What to Do in Other Houston Rideshare Accident Scenarios
All the above options presume the rideshare driver was responsible for your accident. However, rideshares can be involved in different ways.
Were You a Rideshare Passenger?
If you were a passenger in a rideshare, you could still use any of the above compensation options. In addition, if another driver hit you while you were in a rideshare, you could pursue damages from that driver for their negligence.
Were You a Rideshare Driver?
Did another driver hit you while you were a rideshare driver? If so, you generally file against that driver to recover damages. You could receive up to their policy limits with a claim or pursue a lawsuit against them.
Loncar Lyon Jenkins Can Weigh the Options in Your Houston Rideshare Crash
Contact Loncar Lyon Jenkins today to receive a free case review that includes an analysis of all your options after a collision with a rideshare driver. Our attorneys can discuss what you should do after suffering injuries in a rideshare accident in Houston, including notifying the necessary parties and crafting an approach for your insurance claim or lawsuit.
