Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
Available 24/7 (214) 333-3333
An Uber accident can upend your life without warning. You may have been heading home from dinner on Magnolia Avenue, getting dropped off near West 7th Street, or catching a late-night ride through downtown Fort Worth. Then everything changed. Now you are coping with injuries, mounting medical bills, time away from work, and no clear answers about what to do next.
Rideshare accident cases are more complex than ordinary car accident claims. Multiple insurance companies may be involved, and each one may try to push blame onto someone else. Uber drivers carry different insurance depending on whether they were waiting for a ride request, on their way to pick you up, or actively driving you. That status at the time of the crash matters, and figuring it out takes experience.
At Frenkel & Frenkel, our Fort Worth Uber accident lawyers have decades of experience helping injured Texans fight back against insurance companies. We investigate the crash, track down all available coverage, and push hard for the compensation you deserve. We prepare every case as if it is going to trial, and insurers know it.
If you or a loved one was hurt in a rideshare accident in Fort Worth, call us for a free consultation. We take Uber accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
Quick Answer
What Should I Do After an Uber Accident in Fort Worth?
Your safety comes first. Call 911 and get medical attention right away, even if you do not feel seriously hurt. Some injuries take hours or days to fully show up. When you are safe, open your Uber app and screenshot your trip details, the driver's profile, your ride receipt, and the route map. That information tells us which insurance period applies to your case.
Do not speak with any insurance adjuster or give a recorded statement before talking to an attorney. Call Frenkel and Frenkel at (817) 333-3333 for a free consultation. We can send a formal request for Uber's digital records and protect your claim before important deadlines run out.
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Understanding Uber’s Three Coverage Periods
The single most important factor in any Uber crash claim is which coverage period was active when the wreck happened. Texas Insurance Code, Chapter 1954 sets the insurance rules for companies like Uber.
Period Offline: When the Uber app is fully off, the driver is on personal time. Only the driver’s own auto insurance applies. Most personal policies have a livery exclusion. This may limit or deny coverage if the driver was using the car for paid rides at the time of the wreck.
Period 1 (App On, No Ride Accepted): The driver has the app open and is waiting for a request. Uber’s backup liability coverage applies. In Texas, this typically provides $50,000 per person for bodily injury, $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. This coverage is secondary to the driver’s personal policy.
Periods 2 and 3 (Ride Accepted Through Trip End): Once a driver accepts a request and until the rider exits the car, Uber’s primary commercial policy covers up to $1,000,000 in third-party liability. It also includes UM/UIM bodily injury coverage and backup collision and full coverage.
Texas TNC Rules and What They Mean for Your Case
Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 2402 governs rideshare companies in the state. Under this law, Uber drivers are classified as independent contractors, not employees. This affects how fault is assigned and what insurance applies to your claim.
Recent Texas laws, including House Bill 1745 from the 88th Legislative Session, added rules that can limit a TNC’s vicarious liability. The company must have met its required insurance duties. This makes it even more important to work with a lawyer who knows the current legal rules.
The Challenge of Proving the Coverage Period
Insurers may dispute the driver’s app status at the time of the wreck. They do this to shift blame to a different policy or deny the claim. The driver’s app status is digital data that Uber controls. It can become harder to get over time. That is why acting fast after a crash matters.
A skilled lawyer can send a formal hold notice to Uber to save this data. Screenshots you take right after the crash are also strong proof of your rider status during the trip.
Texas Proportionate Fault and Your Recovery
Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Section 33.001. You can recover payment as long as your share of fault is 50% or less. If you are found to be 51% or more at fault, you may be barred from recovering anything.
Your total payment is also reduced by your share of fault. For example, if you are awarded $200,000 but are found 10% at fault, your recovery would drop to $180,000. A skilled lawyer can work to lower any fault assigned to you and raise your potential recovery.
Uber accident claims are not like standard car accident cases. They involve layered insurance policies, disputed driver status, and a corporation with a dedicated legal team whose goal is to pay you as little as possible. Trying to navigate this process alone puts you at a serious disadvantage.
A skilled Fort Worth Uber accident attorney levels the playing field. Here is what Frenkel & Frenkel does on your behalf from the moment you hire us:
If you have been injured in an Uber accident in Fort Worth, do not wait. Contact Frenkel & Frenkel today for a free consultation. There are no upfront costs and no attorney fees unless we win your case.
The first thing to do after any Uber crash is to call 911 and get medical care. Do not wave off an ambulance because you feel okay in the moment. Crash injuries can worsen over the hours and days that follow, and a gap in treatment can hurt your claim later.
Once you are safe, preserve your records before anything is deleted. Screenshot the Uber app while the trip is still showing. Save your driver’s name and photo, your ride receipt, and the map of your route. These details tell an attorney and an insurer exactly which insurance period was active when the crash happened.
Do not give a statement to any insurance company before speaking with a lawyer. Call Frenkel and Frenkel at (817) 333-3333. We can formally request digital records from Uber through the legal process and make sure your rights are protected before key deadlines pass.
Quick Answer
Can I recover more compensation if multiple parties caused my Uber accident?
Possibly. When more than one party shares fault for a crash, each may carry their own separate insurance policy. Identifying all responsible parties can open up more sources of recovery than a single-defendant case would allow. This is one of the most important reasons to work with an attorney who looks beyond just the Uber driver.
Most people assume an Uber accident works like any other car accident claim. It does not. Uber classifies its drivers as independent contractors, not employees — a distinction the company uses aggressively to limit its own liability. On top of that, multiple insurance policies may apply depending on what the driver was doing at the exact moment of the crash, and each insurer will argue that someone else’s policy should pay.
According to Uber’s own U.S. Safety Report, more than 100 deaths resulted from 91 fatal crashes involving Uber vehicles in a single recent year. A study published by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found that rideshare apps may be responsible for a two to three percent increase in traffic fatalities nationwide. Fort Worth, as one of the most heavily trafficked cities in Texas, sees its share of these crashes every year.
Navigating the insurance and liability maze after an Uber accident requires an attorney who understands how rideshare companies operate — and how to hold them accountable.
Our attorneys have spent decades fighting for people injured in Uber accidents. We have the knowledge and resources to take on even the most complex cases. Contact us today for a free case review, no upfront costs.
Our founding attorneys used to defend insurance companies. Now, they use that inside knowledge to fight for injured people like you. We know the tactics companies use, and we know how to counter them.
We have recovered over $1 Billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients. For 16 straight years, our attorneys have been named among the Best Lawyers in Fort Worth.
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Distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of crashes in Tarrant County. Rideshare drivers are especially at risk because the Uber app constantly pushes navigation prompts, rider messages, and new trip requests while they drive.
Fort Worth’s West 7th Street corridor has seen ongoing concerns about rideshare safety. The city has implemented restricted pickup zones in the area following safety incidents tied to heavy late-night pedestrian traffic and rideshare congestion. Downtown Fort Worth and the Near Southside district along Magnolia Avenue face similar challenges.
Fort Worth’s Vision Zero program tracks high-crash corridors across the city. Several of these zones overlap with areas where rideshare pickups and drop-offs are concentrated. Data from Fort Worth OpenData can help identify where these risks are highest.
Uber crashes in Fort Worth happen for many reasons. Common factors include:
Riders injured during an active Uber trip in Fort Worth or the surrounding Tarrant County area
Uber passengers hurt because another driver caused the crash
Pedestrians or cyclists struck by an Uber driver in Fort Worth
Drivers and passengers in other vehicles hit by an Uber driver during Periods 1, 2, or 3
Injured parties whose claims were denied or reduced because of a coverage period dispute
Victims of Uber crashes where the driver carried no insurance or insufficient coverage
Families who lost a loved one in a fatal rideshare crash and are pursuing a wrongful death claim
Riders injured at Alliance Airport, Meacham Airport, or other Fort Worth transportation hubs due to rideshare zone hazards
Victims of hit-and-run crashes involving an Uber driver who left the scene
Claims involving serious injuries including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, and permanent scarring
There is no upfront cost to get started. Frenkel and Frenkel handles Uber accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you. Your initial consultation is free. Call (817) 333-3333 to speak with someone on our team today.
Texas law gives most personal injury claimants two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. This deadline comes from Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Section 16.003. Missing it could mean losing your right to seek compensation entirely. It is also worth acting early because digital records from Uber, such as trip logs and GPS data, may not be preserved indefinitely. Talk to a lawyer as soon as you can.
Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to recover economic damages, such as past and future medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and property damage. Non-economic damages, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of consortium, may also be available. If a loved one was killed in a rideshare crash, surviving family members may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim under Texas law.
Coverage period disputes are common in rideshare cases. Uber and its insurer may argue that the driver was in a lower-coverage period to reduce their payout. An attorney can challenge this by subpoenaing Uber's trip logs, GPS data, and app activity records. Your own screenshots of the app at or near the time of the crash can also be valuable. Do not accept a coverage determination without getting a second opinion from a lawyer.
Directly suing Uber is difficult in most cases because Texas law treats Uber drivers as independent contractors under Chapter 2402 of the Texas Occupations Code. That classification limits Uber's direct liability for a driver's individual actions. Even so, Uber's commercial insurance policy is typically the source of compensation during Periods 2 and 3, and there may be situations where Uber's own conduct, such as how it screens or monitors drivers, comes into question. A lawyer can evaluate whether a direct claim against Uber makes sense in your case.
Call 911 first, even if your injuries seem minor. Some injuries, including whiplash and head trauma, may not cause obvious symptoms right away. If you can do so safely, screenshot the Uber app to capture your trip details, the driver's profile, and your ride receipt. Photograph the scene, any vehicle damage, visible injuries, and road conditions. Gather contact information from other drivers and any witnesses nearby. Then call Frenkel and Frenkel at (817) 333-3333 before speaking with any insurance company.
If you were driving for Uber when another driver hit you, you may have a personal injury claim against that driver's auto insurance. If that driver had no insurance or not enough coverage, Uber's UM/UIM policy may provide additional compensation during Periods 2 and 3. Your own personal injury protection coverage may also help cover initial medical costs. A lawyer can help you sort through all available options and make sure you are not leaving any recovery on the table.
