When a driver without insurance hits the rideshare you’re in, you may feel a sense of hopelessness, and the questions about paying for your medical bills and covering lost income can become overwhelming.
Fortunately, when you face a situation involving an Uber uninsured motorist in Texas, substantial insurance protections are in place specifically for passengers like you. These policies are designed to cover your injuries and losses, providing a path to recovery.
Key Takeaways for Uber Uninsured Motorist in Texas
- Rideshare passengers are almost never at fault, which strengthens your position when seeking compensation for your injuries.
- Uber and Lyft provide significant Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage for riders.
- Coverage typically includes up to $1 million for bodily injuries when an uninsured or underinsured driver is at fault.
- The rideshare company’s Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage applies from the moment you are picked up until you are dropped off.
- This coverage remains available to you even in the event of a hit-and-run accident where the responsible driver is never identified.
The Hidden Safety Net: Rideshare UM Coverage
After you’re hurt in a rideshare wreck, you need a straightforward way to handle your expenses. While many passengers worry that an uninsured driver leaves them without options, the good news is that rideshare companies in Texas carry specific insurance for exactly this scenario.
Uber and Lyft’s $1 Million UM/UIM Policies
Texas law requires companies like Uber and Lyft to carry robust insurance policies. When you are a passenger in a vehicle during an active trip, you are protected by a commercial insurance policy. This includes a crucial benefit: Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.
Both Uber and Lyft provide up to $1 million in UM/UIM bodily injury coverage for passengers. This policy activates when the at-fault driver either has no insurance or not enough insurance to cover the full extent of your injuries.
A lawyer can help you access this passenger injury compensation to pay for medical treatment, lost wages, and other damages resulting from the crash.
This significant protection serves as a vital safety net. It means that you don’t have to rely on the at-fault driver’s personal assets or your own health insurance to cover everything. The rideshare company's policy steps in to fill the gap.
How This Coverage Works for You
As a passenger, this protection covers you from the moment your ride begins and extends throughout your trip. If an uninsured driver causes a collision during this time, you have a direct avenue for financial recovery.
Consider these scenarios:
- Uninsured At-Fault Driver: A driver runs a red light and crashes into your Uber. The police report confirms they’re at fault and have no insurance. Uber's Uninsured Motorist coverage applies directly to your injury claim.
- Hit-and-Run Collision: Someone sideswipes your Lyft on the highway and speeds away. Since the driver cannot be identified, they’re treated as an uninsured motorist, and Lyft’s UM policy provides coverage.
- Underinsured At-Fault Driver: The driver who caused the accident has insurance, but only the minimum amount required by Texas law. If your medical bills exceed their policy limits, the rideshare’s UIM coverage can cover the remaining amount up to the policy limit.
Understanding the Claims Process After Being Hit by an Uninsured Driver in an Uber
Dealing with any insurance claim can feel complicated, but a rideshare claim has unique elements. Rideshare companies and their large insurance carriers handle these incidents on a daily basis. You need to know how to assert your right to seek compensation effectively.
The process begins the moment the accident happens. Once you’re safe and have received medical attention, you should take steps to document the incident.
Things you can do:
- Report the Accident in the App: Use the Uber or Lyft app to report the crash. This action creates a formal record with the company and is a crucial first step.
- Document Everything: If you can, take photos of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries. Note the names of any witnesses and the responding police officer's information.
- Keep Your Records: Maintain a file of all your medical bills, receipts for crash-related expenses, and any documentation of missed work.
Filing the claim requires submitting your information to the appropriate insurance company. An adjuster will then review the facts of the case, including the police report and your medical records. This is where complexities often arise, as insurers may seek ways to minimize payouts.
The Role of Your Personal Insurance
A common question is how your own car insurance might apply to this situation. If you own a vehicle in Texas and carry UM/UIM coverage on your personal policy, it can provide an additional layer of protection.
However, the primary source of recovery in this situation is typically the rideshare company's substantial commercial policy. A lawyer can help coordinate these benefits to maximize your recovery.
Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, may be another part of your own auto policy that may apply. PIP covers initial medical bills and a portion of lost wages regardless of who was at fault in the accident.
Using your PIP benefits can provide immediate financial relief while your larger claim against the rideshare UM policy is pending.
The Financial Impact of a Rideshare Accident
The costs associated with a serious car accident injury add up quickly. Medical care alone can create immense financial pressure. You have a right to seek compensation for all the ways the injury has affected your life.
This includes more than just the immediate hospital visit. Many injuries require ongoing treatment, creating long-term financial burdens. The full financial toll of an injury often reveals itself over months or even years.
The Long-Term Financial Impact of Your Injuries
Initial emergency care represents only the beginning of a long and costly medical journey. Serious injuries frequently demand future surgeries, extensive physical therapy sessions, or lifelong pain management programs.
Your daily life may also change, and these changes bring new expenses. Some victims may require modifications to their home, such as a wheelchair ramp, or need specialized medical equipment to get by.
Even smaller costs, like transportation to countless medical appointments and recurring prescription co-pays, accumulate and create a significant financial burden.
A thorough claim accounts for every one of these future and ongoing costs. It looks beyond the immediate bills to secure the financial resources you need for a stable recovery. This forward-looking approach prevents you from paying for someone else’s mistake for years to come.
Common areas of compensation:
- Medical Treatment: This covers everything from the initial ambulance ride and emergency room visit to surgeries, hospital stays, and follow-up appointments.
- Rehabilitation Costs: Many people require physical therapy or other rehabilitative care to regain strength and mobility.
- Lost Wages: You can recover the income you lost while unable to work during your recovery.
- Future Earning Capacity: If your injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or impact your ability to earn a living in the future, you may recover compensation for this loss.
Beyond these economic damages, a serious injury also causes significant pain and suffering. Texas law allows you to seek compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress the accident caused. Pursuing a Lyft or Uber UM claim in Texas allows you to address all these damages.
How a Lawyer Helps Your Texas Rideshare UM Claim
An experienced attorney provides crucial support and guidance after an accident. They handle the complexities of the legal and insurance process so you can focus on your recovery. A lawyer acts as your advocate, protecting your rights at every stage.
Here are some of the ways a lawyer helps:
- Investigating the Accident: Your legal team gathers all the necessary evidence, such as the police report, witness statements, and traffic camera footage, to build a strong foundation for your claim.
- Managing Communications: A lawyer can handle all communication with the rideshare company and its insurance carrier. This prevents you from making statements that an adjuster could use against your claim.
- Calculating Your Damages: Attorneys often work with medical and financial professionals to accurately assess the total value of your claim, including future medical needs and lost income.
- Negotiating a Fair Settlement: With a comprehensive understanding of Texas rideshare insurance laws, a lawyer negotiates skillfully with the insurance company to secure a settlement that covers your total losses.
- Meeting Critical Deadlines: Your lawyer files all necessary legal documents correctly and before the statute of limitations expires, protecting your right to seek compensation.
- Resolving Liens and Bills: Your legal team works to reduce and resolve medical liens from health insurers, maximizing the amount of money you actually receive from the settlement.
- Litigating Your Case: If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement, your attorney can file a lawsuit and represent you in court to pursue a just outcome.
Engaging a Texas rideshare accident lawyer also sends a clear message to the insurance company. It shows them that you’re serious about receiving fair compensation for your injuries. This step alone can improve the outcome of your claim.
FAQ for Uber Uninsured Motorist in Texas
Will Filing a Claim Make My Own Car Insurance Rates Increase?
Texas law doesn’t broadly prohibit insurance companies from raising your rates after a collision caused by someone else. As a rideshare passenger, you usually hold no fault for the accident.
Using your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or Uninsured Motorist (UM) benefits is your right, but whether a claim affects your rates can depend on your insurer and policy.
What if Other Passengers Were Also Injured in the Uber?
Uber's $1 million UM policy limit is substantial and exists precisely for this type of scenario when that coverage applies. The large policy amount is intended to cover damages for multiple injured parties if necessary.
Each injured passenger has the right to file their own individual claim to seek compensation for their specific losses.
Do I Have To Repay My Health Insurance if I Receive a Settlement?
Many health insurance policies include a right of subrogation, which allows them to seek reimbursement from your settlement for the medical bills they have paid. An attorney handles this process on your behalf.
A key part of your lawyer's job is to negotiate with your health insurer to reduce the amount you must pay back, maximizing the compensation you keep.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer if Uber's Policy Covers Passengers?
While the coverage exists, the policy is administered by a corporate insurance carrier that evaluates claims according to its own rules and procedures. The insurer's adjusters and attorneys work to protect their company's financial interests, not yours.
An experienced personal injury lawyer acts as your exclusive advocate to build your case, establish the full value of your damages, and negotiate forcefully for a fair outcome.
How Much Time Do I Have To File an Uber UM in Texas Claim?
In Texas, you generally have two years from the accident date to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. However, a UM/UIM claim often follows a different timeline because it’s usually treated as a contract claim against an insurance company.
It’s always better to start the claim process as soon as possible while the evidence is fresh, so contact a lawyer immediately to learn about your options.
What if My Uber Driver Was at Fault for the Accident?
If your Uber driver caused the accident, your claim would be against Uber's third-party liability insurance policy. This is also a $1 million policy designed to cover injuries to passengers and others involved in the crash. Your status as a passenger still gives you a strong basis for a claim.
Let Us Help You Move Forward
After an accident, you need a team you can trust to handle your case with diligence and compassion. The attorneys at Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock can manage every aspect of your case so you can concentrate on getting better.
We have the resources and knowledge to take on large insurance companies and fight for the passenger injury compensation you need. Let us put our experience to work for you. Contact Cowen | Rodriguez | Peacock today online for a free consultation.