Uber & Lyft Accident Lawyer in Dallas

How Uber & Lyft Insurance Coverage Works in Texas

Texas Insurance Code Chapter 1954 established uniform statewide insurance requirements for Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft. The law creates a three-phase framework tied to the driver’s app status at the moment of a crash. That single fact determines which insurance policy responds and how much coverage is available.

Phase 1: App Off

When the driver’s app is off, only their personal auto insurance applies. Uber and Lyft have no coverage obligation. Most personal auto policies also contain a livery exclusion that voids coverage once a driver is commercially operating the vehicle, which can create gaps when the driver’s app status is disputed.

Phase 2: App On, Waiting for a Request

Once the driver activates the app and waits for a ride request, the TNC must provide contingent liability coverage of at least $50,000 per person for bodily injury, $100,000 per incident, and $25,000 for property damage. This coverage is contingent, meaning the driver’s personal policy is primary. If that policy excludes commercial use, the TNC’s contingent policy steps in.

Phase 3: Ride Accepted or Passenger in Vehicle

From the moment a ride is accepted through drop-off, the TNC’s commercial policy provides at least $1,000,000 in aggregate liability coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage. This is the phase that applies to most passenger injury claims. Uber and Lyft maintain digital records of driver app status, trip acceptance, and ride end times, and those records directly determine which phase applied at the moment of impact. Preserving them early in the claims process is critical.

Who Can File a Rideshare Accident Claim in Dallas

Rideshare accident claims aren’t limited to passengers. A range of people injured in or around a rideshare vehicle may have a valid claim under Texas law.

• Rideshare passengers in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Most passenger claims fall under Phase 3, where the full $1,000,000 commercial policy is in play.
• Occupants of other vehicles struck by an at-fault Uber or Lyft driver, subject to phase-based coverage.
• Pedestrians and cyclists injured by a rideshare driver, who may pursue compensation through the same phase framework.
• Rideshare drivers injured by a negligent third party while on a trip, who may have access to uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage maintained by the TNC.

Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule. A claimant found 51% or more at fault recovers nothing. A claimant found 50% or less at fault has their recovery reduced in proportion to their share of fault. Accurate liability investigation is central to every rideshare accident claim in Dallas County.

Damages Available in a Texas Rideshare Accident Claim

Texas personal injury law allows injured parties to pursue both economic and non-economic damages. The right recovery depends on the facts of the case and the evidence supporting each category of harm.

• Medical expenses, both current and future
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Rehabilitation and ongoing care costs

• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Physical impairment
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Texas doesn’t cap non-economic damages in standard personal injury cases. Where a crash results in a fatality, surviving family members may be eligible to pursue a wrongful death claim for loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and funeral and burial costs.

Steps to Take After an Uber or Lyft Accident in Dallas

What you do in the hours after a rideshare crash can directly affect the strength of your claim. A few actions at the scene and in the days that follow can preserve critical evidence and protect your right to recover.

• Screenshot the app immediately. Capture trip details, driver name, vehicle, and trip status before the session ends. This information can become difficult to retrieve later.
• Call 911. A police report documents the accident and may record whether the driver was on an active trip at the time of the crash.
• Seek medical attention the same day. Delayed symptoms are common after vehicle collisions, and a gap in treatment can be used by insurers to undervalue your claim.
• Collect information and photograph the scene. Get the driver’s name, license, and insurance. Photograph vehicle damage, road conditions, and any visible injuries.
• Don’t give statements to the TNC’s insurer. Don’t accept a quick settlement before speaking with an attorney.
• Contact a rideshare accident attorney promptly. TNC trip records and app activity logs are more accessible early in the process. An attorney can request that evidence before it becomes harder to obtain.

Dallas Rideshare Accident Claims: The Two-Year Deadline

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003 gives injured parties two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That deadline applies to claims against the rideshare driver, the TNC, and any other liable party involved in the crash.

In rideshare cases, evidence like app activity logs, driver status data, and trip records held by Uber or Lyft can become harder to access as time passes. That makes early legal involvement more important here than in a standard auto claim. Waiting doesn’t extend the deadline, and it can narrow the evidence available when your case is built.