If you were hurt in an Uber in Austin, or hit by an Uber driver near Sixth Street, Rainey Street, the university, or on the way to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the claim depends on what the app showed at impact. With a ride accepted or in progress, Texas requires at least $1 million in liability coverage. Owsley Law Firm handles Austin Uber claims and charges no fee unless it wins.
Where do Uber crashes happen in Austin?
Austin’s rideshare traffic is heaviest downtown at night. Sixth Street and Rainey Street draw crowds, many streets near them are closed or restricted to traffic on busy nights, and drivers stop wherever a rider waves. Near the University of Texas campus, students use rideshare constantly. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport sends a steady stream of rideshare cars onto SH-71 and US-183.
Then there is I-35, one of the most congested highway segments in Texas, where rideshare cars weave through stop-and-go traffic beside freight. TxDOT’s ongoing reconstruction of I-35 through central Austin adds lane shifts and narrowed lanes.
- Pickup and drop-off crashes around Sixth Street, Rainey Street, and Red River
- Campus-area crashes near the University of Texas
- Airport crashes on SH-71 and US-183 near Austin-Bergstrom
- Lane-shift and rear-end crashes in I-35 construction zones
Does Uber’s insurance cover an Austin passenger?
When the Uber driver caused the crash and a ride was accepted or underway, the $1 million liability coverage required by Texas Insurance Code Chapter 1954 usually pays. If another driver caused it, the claim starts with that driver’s insurance, and the rideshare policy’s uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can apply when that driver’s coverage runs out.
Many Austin passengers are students or visitors without their own auto policy. In that case the coverage on the rideshare policy and the at-fault driver’s policy are the main sources of recovery, which makes identifying them early more important.
What if an Uber driver hit my car or me on a scooter in Austin?
Coverage depends on the app status: a personal policy only when the app is off; at least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per crash, and $25,000 for property damage when the driver is logged in and waiting; and the $1 million layer once a ride is accepted. Austin also has heavy scooter and bicycle traffic downtown, and a rider hit by a rideshare driver is covered by the same rules.
Uber has the app-status data. The firm requests it in writing so the right policy is identified from records.
Who investigates an Uber crash in Austin?
Austin Police Department officers work most crashes inside the city, and crashes involving a death are investigated by the department’s Vehicular Homicide Unit. Crashes in unincorporated Travis County may be handled by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office or the Texas Department of Public Safety. The report reaches TxDOT within 10 days.
Seriously injured people in Austin are often taken to Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas, the city’s Level I trauma center.
What should you do after an Uber crash in Austin?
Get checked the same day, then protect the evidence that is easiest to lose.
- Screenshot the trip, route, and driver profile in your Uber app
- Photograph the vehicles, the street, any scooter or bike involved, and your injuries
- Ask downtown bars and businesses about video before it is overwritten
- Avoid recorded statements to insurers until you have advice
Where is an Austin Uber case filed?
Travis County suits are filed in the civil district courts at the Civil and Family Courts Facility downtown. Crashes in Williamson or Hays County, including along I-35 north toward Round Rock or south toward Kyle, may belong in those counties.
The general deadline is two years from the crash under section 16.003. If a CapMetro bus or another government vehicle was involved, the Texas Tort Claims Act imposes shorter notice requirements.
What if I was hurt as an Uber passenger leaving a downtown event?
Big downtown events and busy weekends bring heavy foot traffic, temporary street closures, and long lines of rideshare cars. Drivers make sudden stops and turns to reach riders, and other drivers try to get around them. A passenger can be hurt in a rear-end crash at a curb, in a side impact during a U-turn, or while stepping out into traffic.
The legal rules do not change during events: the app status sets the rideshare coverage, and the other driver’s policy applies if that driver caused the crash. What changes is the evidence. Event security cameras, business video, and police staffing records can show what happened, and they are often kept only for a short time. The firm requests them early.
How does the firm handle Austin Uber claims?
Owsley Law Firm handles Travis County cases from its Houston offices and meets Austin clients by appointment at 301 Congress Avenue, 12th Floor, or comes to you. The team requests Uber’s records, identifies every policy, and deals with the insurers. There is no fee unless the firm recovers money for you.
Go deeper
More on uber accidents in Austin and Texas.
Common questions
Austin uber accidents questions
I am a UT student without car insurance. Am I covered?
As a passenger, you can claim under the at-fault driver’s policy and, when the rideshare driver was on a ride, under the rideshare coverage. Not having your own policy does not prevent a claim.
What if my Uber crashed during a big event weekend downtown?
Event crowds make crashes more common but do not change the coverage rules. Street closures and police detours may affect who had the right of way, which the evidence will show.
Can I claim if I was hurt opening the door into a scooter rider?
If you were hurt, and the driver stopped somewhere unsafe, there may be a claim. If you injured someone else, the policies that apply depend on the facts. The firm can review either situation.
What if the crash was on the SH-130 toll road?
Texas rideshare coverage applies on toll roads like any other road. The report may come from DPS or a county agency rather than Austin Police.
How long do I have to file an Austin Uber claim?
Generally two years from the crash. Shorter notice deadlines apply if a government vehicle was involved.