What to Do If You Were Injured While Riding in an Uber or Lyft in Texas

An experienced Fort Worth car accident lawyer can fight for your rights

Rideshare services have become a staple in Fort Worth and across Texas, offering convenience for commuters, travelers, and everyday riders. But when an Uber or Lyft ride ends in a crash, passengers can be left with serious injuries, unanswered questions, and a complicated legal process. Unlike typical car accident claims, rideshare injury cases involve overlapping insurance policies, unclear liability, and companies that move quickly to protect their bottom line.

Uber and Lyft drivers are not employees of the companies they drive for. Instead, they are classified as independent contractors, which limits the rideshare company’s direct liability under Texas law. While both companies carry significant insurance coverage, that coverage only applies when specific conditions are met – namely:

Whether the driver was logged into the app
Whether a ride had been accepted or was in progress

Most passengers have no way of knowing the driver’s exact status at the time of the crash. Without this information, it can be difficult to determine which insurance policy applies – or whether Uber or Lyft will even acknowledge the incident as their responsibility. In many cases, these companies will try to shift blame, deny coverage, or delay the claims process while the victim’s medical bills and lost income continue to mount.

For someone injured while using a rideshare service, knowing what to expect – and what steps to take – can be the difference between a denied claim and full financial recovery. These cases are rarely simple, and injured passengers often need experienced Lyft and Uber accident lawyers to help uncover what happened and hold the right parties accountable.

Common causes of Uber and Lyft crashes in Fort Worth

Rideshare accidents can happen for many reasons, but certain patterns are especially common in and around Fort Worth, where high-traffic corridors and urban congestion increase the risk of driver error. Many of these crashes are preventable and stem from the nature of rideshare work itself. Frequent causes of rideshare collisions include:

Distracted driving: Rideshare drivers often interact with GPS, respond to ride requests, or glance at app notifications while behind the wheel.
Driver fatigue: Long shifts or late-night driving can lead to drowsiness, reduced reaction time, and poor decision-making.
Speeding: In an effort to complete more rides and increase earnings, some drivers exceed the speed limit or drive aggressively.
Inexperience or unfamiliarity with roads: Drivers from outside the area may miss signage, take unsafe turns, or struggle in construction zones.
Third-party negligence: Many crashes involve other vehicles on the road, making liability even harder to untangle.

Each of these scenarios presents different legal questions. Proving how the crash occurred and who is at fault often requires a full investigation, including access to trip data, witness statements, and digital records.

Who may be held liable for a rideshare injury?

Liability in a Texas rideshare accident is rarely limited to just one individual. Multiple parties may share responsibility depending on the circumstances of the crash. Holding all at-fault parties accountable is key to maximizing compensation. Possible liable parties include:

The rideshare driver: If the driver caused the crash due to distraction, recklessness, or poor driving decisions.
Another driver: A third-party motorist is to blame in many cases, especially in multi-vehicle collisions.
Uber or Lyft’s insurance provider: If the driver was logged into the app and actively transporting a passenger, company-backed insurance may apply.
Vehicle manufacturers or repair shops: If a mechanical defect or poor maintenance contributed to the accident.
Government entities or contractors: If hazardous road conditions or signage failures played a role.

Determining liability may require subpoenas, expert analysis, and legal access to app activity logs and internal company records.

How rideshare insurance coverage works in Texas

Texas law requires Uber and Lyft to carry commercial insurance coverage, but it’s only active when the driver is using the app. This tiered coverage structure often creates confusion – especially when companies dispute which phase the driver was in during the crash. Coverage tiers typically include:

App off: Only the driver’s personal insurance applies. Uber and Lyft assume no responsibility.
App on, no ride accepted: Limited liability coverage is provided – $50,000 per person for bodily injury, $100,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
En route to pickup or transporting a passenger: The full $1 million commercial liability policy applies, along with uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.

Accessing the appropriate policy often requires legal intervention, especially when rideshare companies resist releasing internal trip data or driver logs.

What compensation may be available

Rideshare accident injuries often require extensive medical care, time away from work, and ongoing treatment. Under Texas law, injury victims are entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages, depending on the extent of their losses. Types of compensation may include:

Medical expenses: Emergency care, surgeries, rehabilitation, and future treatment.
Lost income: Time away from work and diminished earning capacity.
Pain and suffering: Physical pain, emotional trauma, and reduced quality of life.
Disfigurement or disability: Permanent impairments resulting from the crash.
Property losses: Damage to personal belongings, such as electronics or luggage.

Calculating full damages often requires medical experts, financial professionals, and legal guidance to ensure no category of loss is overlooked or undervalued.

What to do after a rideshare accident

The steps a passenger takes immediately after a crash involving Uber or Lyft can directly impact the outcome of their injury claim. In Fort Worth – where rideshare collisions frequently occur in high-traffic zones like I-35W, the West 7th corridor, and near downtown entertainment districts – evidence can disappear quickly, and corporate insurers often work fast to limit exposure. Victims in Tarrant, Parker, and Johnson counties should take the following steps to protect their health, preserve their legal rights, and position their case for success.

Report the crash through the rideshare app: Both Uber and Lyft require passengers to report accidents through the app. Filing this report creates a digital timestamp, confirms the ride details, and may trigger an internal investigation. It also helps establish that the victim was a paying passenger at the time of the crash – a critical factor in accessing the $1 million commercial insurance coverage.
Call 911 and request a police report: Passengers should not rely on the rideshare driver to report the accident. A formal police report from the Fort Worth Police Department, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, or another responding agency creates an official record. Victims should provide their own statement to police, especially if the crash occurred at a busy intersection or involved multiple vehicles.
Seek immediate medical attention: Passengers should go to the emergency room or an urgent care facility – even if symptoms seem minor. Hospitals like Texas Health Harris Methodist or Medical City Fort Worth can provide thorough exams. Delaying treatment may not only worsen injuries, but also give insurance companies a reason to question the claim’s validity.
Document everything at the scene: Photos of the crash scene, vehicle damage, skid marks, debris, and visible injuries can serve as powerful evidence later. If the crash occurred near businesses, passengers should take note – many buildings in the Stockyards, Cultural District, and West 7th area have security cameras that may have captured the collision.
Preserve trip information and driver details: Screenshots of the ride summary, route, receipt, and driver profile should be saved immediately. Rideshare apps sometimes archive or delete trip history after a certain period. This data will be essential for proving that the driver was active in the app – and whether Uber or Lyft’s insurance applies.
Gather witness information: Other passengers, bystanders, or even employees of nearby businesses may have seen the crash. Their names and contact information can be useful later, especially in disputed liability cases or multi-vehicle pileups on roadways like I-20, I-30, or Loop 820.
Avoid talking to insurance adjusters without legal advice: Within days of the crash, passengers may receive calls from the driver’s insurer, Uber or Lyft’s third-party administrator, or other involved parties. These calls are often recorded. Any offhand comment can be used to reduce the value of the claim. Injury victims should consult a Fort Worth personal injury attorney before giving any statements.
Follow up with medical providers and keep records: All diagnoses, treatment plans, prescriptions, and follow-up visits should be documented and saved. Physical therapy notes, pain journal entries, and work restrictions can also support claims for non-economic damages like pain and suffering or lost earning capacity.
Consult a Fort Worth attorney experienced in rideshare cases: Texas rideshare injury claims involve overlapping coverage, corporate defense teams, and shifting liability. A local attorney can issue preservation letters, access app data, identify all insurance policies in play, and push back against early settlement offers that don’t reflect the true value of the case.

By following these steps, rideshare passengers in Fort Worth, Arlington, Burleson, Weatherford, and surrounding communities can build a stronger legal claim and avoid common mistakes that cost victims their right to full compensation.

Why legal representation makes a difference

Rideshare accident claims involving Uber or Lyft are built to be difficult. Large corporations, multiple insurers, and shifting liability structures often leave injured passengers stuck with unanswered questions and unpaid bills. Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C., handles these cases with the urgency and focus they demand – preserving key evidence, identifying all liable parties, and pursuing maximum compensation under Texas law.

A free case evaluation is available to anyone injured while riding in a rideshare vehicle in Fort Worth or the surrounding areas. Take action before evidence disappears or insurers gain the upper hand. Contact us today.

“When seeking legal counsel, it’s wise to choose an attorney with key traits that include integrity, cleverness, and the ability to pivot when needed. This is Coby L. Wooten, an attorney with the wherewithal required to navigate the modern legal landscape. Choose wisely. Choose Coby L. Wooten.” – Michael B., ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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