You’ve done everything right. As you prepared for the upcoming social event, you made sure to call for an Uber to transport you to and from the destination safely. Whether you planned to have a few drinks or to coast through the night sober, you took the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe from potential car accidents by delegating driving responsibilities to an Uber driver. Not everything went according to plan, though. You were still involved in an accident as a passenger in the Uber, leaving you to worry about liability and potential legal consequences. At which point it is imperative to immediately contact a Dallas Uber accident attorney at Reyes Law to help protect your legal rights and make sure you are rightfully compensated for your injuries stemming from the Uber accident.
What to Know About TNC Insurance
In certain states like Texas, for example, lawmakers have enacted legislation that protects users of rideshare services. This legislation covers the entirety of the TNC, or Transportation Network Company and states that both the TNC driver and the TNC itself are to be held responsible for compensation in a car accident. This means that, under this law, if you were involved in a car accident as the passenger of an Uber, you will not be held liable for damages or injuries incurred in the incident. However, this comes with a catch. The TNC coverage can only apply as long as the driver’s rideshare application is active at the time of the crash.
Unfortunately, many companies are not being held to the proper legal standards in these cases, resulting in policy loopholes that may or may not hold the driver responsible. Regardless of the circumstances, however, TNC insurance typically includes:
- $100,000 for bodily injury or wrongful death per party
- $25,000 for property damages belonging to all parties involved per collision
Though it may seem reassuring that the limits for bodily injury are higher than they are for property damages, this may pose a more formidable challenge. This means that the insurer will fight even harder to avoid a payout, and may also attempt to place all responsibility on the driver. (If you are an Uber driver, recall that you are an independent contractor, not an Uber employee. This means that if they refuse to accept responsibility for the car accident, you will be left to cover the fees alone.)
Who Is Liable?
TNC insurance may be confusing to those who are unfamiliar with the concept. Still, the bottom line is this: The negligent driver is the one responsible for covering injuries or losses. This extends to the Uber driver, meaning that if they were found guilty of negligence, they would be held accountable for providing compensation. As a passenger, you are not only covered by the compensation provided by the negligent party (Uber driver or not), but Uber’s TNC and other coverages, like the compulsory third party (CTP) insurance.
As you build your case for compensation, make sure to collect the information of the Uber driver, along with all other parties involved. Save the details of your trip and share all evidence with your lawyer, so they can build a strong case in your favor and procure the compensation you need to fund a full recovery.
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