Who Is Liable When an Uber or Lyft Driver Causes an Accident in Texas?
At a glance:
- The driver who caused the crash is responsible, whether or not that driver works for Uber or Lyft, and the company’s required insurance usually pays.
- The app status at the moment of impact decides which policy pays.
- During a ride, Texas requires $1 million in coverage on the rideshare policy.
Can you sue Uber for an accident? Usually the claim is against the driver, and Uber’s or Lyft’s required insurance is what pays it. The company itself is rarely the party at fault.
Which policy pays comes down to what the driver’s app showed when the crash happened. A lawyer who handles Uber and Lyft claims can pin that down from the trip records.
Can You Sue Uber or Lyft for an Accident?
Yes, you can sue after an Uber or Lyft accident, but the claim usually runs against the driver and gets paid through the company’s insurance policy. Uber and Lyft are rarely at fault themselves. Texas law treats the people who drive for them as independent contractors.
So is Uber liable for accidents its drivers cause under Texas law? Under Texas Occupations Code § 2402.114, a rideshare driver counts as an independent contractor, meaning a self-employed worker, as long as the company does not set hours or territory. In most cases that keeps the company from answering for a driver’s mistakes the way an employer would.
Texas Insurance Code chapter 1954 still requires Uber and Lyft, which Texas law calls transportation network companies, to carry insurance while their drivers are working. So when you ask who is liable in an Uber accident in Texas, the answer is usually the driver, and the money typically comes from the company’s policy.
Does the App Status Change Which Insurance Pays?
It does. The app status at the moment of the crash decides which insurance policy pays and how much coverage is available to you. The table below shows the Uber accident insurance Texas law requires at each stage, from the app being off to a rider in the back seat.
| App status | Whose policy pays | Minimum liability coverage |
| App off | The driver’s personal auto policy | The driver’s own policy limits |
| Logged in, waiting for a request | Uber’s or Lyft’s policy | $50,000 per person, $100,000 per crash, $25,000 property damage (§ 1954.052) |
| Ride accepted or rider aboard | Uber’s or Lyft’s policy | $1,000,000 combined (§ 1954.053) |
The $1 million tier starts when the driver accepts your request. Under Texas Insurance Code § 1954.001, that acceptance begins a prearranged ride, the legal term for an Uber or Lyft trip. The higher limit covers the driver’s trip to pick you up, too.
The app logs the minute a ride was accepted. We ask for that trip data early, because it shows which tier applied when the crash happened.
What If You Were the Passenger?
Uber and Lyft passengers are rarely at fault for a crash, and the $1,000,000 ride coverage under Texas Insurance Code § 1954.053 applies when your rideshare driver causes your injuries.
When a different driver causes the crash, that driver’s insurer pays before anyone else. A claim against the rideshare policy then depends on whether your Uber or Lyft driver shared the blame.
We understand how frightening it is to be hurt in a car you trusted to get you home safely. If you were injured as a passenger, you do not have to deal with the insurers alone.
What If Another Driver Hit Your Uber or Lyft?
The other driver’s insurer pays when another driver hits your Uber or Lyft, because that driver caused the crash. The rule is the same for any Texas collision, and an Austin car accident lawyer at The Sharp Firm can take the claim from there. Remember, neither Uber or Lfyt are required in Texas to carry Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage. That means they often don’t.
Who Is Liable When a Self-Driving Rideshare Crashes?
“With automated vehicles like Teslas, responsibility falls on the corporation.”
Lance Sharp
Texas Transportation Code § 545.453 treats the owner of an engaged automated driving system as the vehicle’s operator under Texas traffic laws. In Austin, Waymo robotaxi rides are booked through the Uber app. If one crashed with you aboard, The Sharp Firm handles self-driving car accidents too.
What Should You Do After an Uber or Lyft Crash?
“After an accident, document the scene, get witness information, see a doctor, and talk to a lawyer before you talk to an insurance adjuster.”
Lance Sharp
You may feel unsure where to start while you are still hurting. These rideshare steps protect your claim while you put your energy into recovering.
- Screenshot the trip details in the app, including the pickup time and the receipt.
- Screenshot the driver’s profile and photograph the license plate.
- Report the crash through the Uber or Lyft app, which creates a dated record of what happened.
The Sharp Firm is led by Lance and Laura Sharp, two senior trial lawyers who each have more than 40 years of experience. Both are Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
We offer a free consultation to review your Austin rideshare claim, and you pay no fee unless we win your case. Call 512-407-8800 or contact us online to set up a time to talk with them.
Reviewed by Lance Sharp, The Sharp Firm · Last updated October 2026
