Austin Injury Lawyers Can Help in Uber / Lyft Accidents

Tragically, none of the family made it to the rehearsal dinner that night. Mother and daughter Irene and Kate Edwards died from injuries in a horrific car crash when the driver took his eyes off the road to set up a ride with a Lyft customer.

Driver Kevin Eldredge’s Nissan Altima struck a Chrysler minivan on Palm Valley Boulevard when he made a left turn.

McMinn Law Firm has filed a lawsuit against Lyft on behalf of the surviving members in the crash, David Foy and Rick Edwards.The family seeks a settlement with Lyft, citing that the company failed to design a safe app.

The rideshare company allowed drivers to use another app while operating their vehicle with passengers – a function engineers say is now disabled. A safer app could have saved lives the night of Clayton Edwards’ wedding reception.

“There would have never been a collision and these people would be alive today.” – Personal Injury Attorney, Jason McMinn.

The two surviving victims of the Round Rock crash were hospitalized, including Rick Edwards, the husband of Irene Edwards and father of Kate Edwards. David Foy, the fiancé of Kate Edwards was also hospitalized following the fatal crash.

Lyft Distracted Driving Lawsuit Coverage:

• KXAN News | Family of mother, daughter killed in crash sue Lyft.
• KVUE News | Family sues Lyft, saying distracted driver crashed, killing mother and daughter
• Austin American Statesman | Lawsuit claims Lyft driver in fatal wreck was distracted by app | By Courts Reporter Ryan Autullo

Is Ridesharing really a safer alternative?

During the Uber ride, driver Kevin Eldredge acted on an allowable function of the app. Distracted driving cost a mother and daughter their lives, and their loved ones robbed a future with them.

Their ride took place before a rule that was put in place in May 2016. At that time both Uber and Lyft held the bulk of the market for rideshares in Austin. Since then, both Uber and Lyft stopped operations inside the city of Austin after a hotly contested debate in the city over compliance with fingerprint background checks. The city voted in a landslide to require fingerprint background checks and greater regulation of TNCs. It was clear that the city of Austin feels that they value safety when entering the vehicle of a transportation-networking app driver.

Since the May 2016 decision, both competitors pulled out of Austin. However they still operate in the Austin-metro area where this crash took place.

Now that both Uber and Lyft have returned to Austin – personal injury attorneys Jason McMinn and Justin McMinn want to ensure public safety is not jeopardized by dangerous functions within the ridesharing apps.

Passenger or Driver: Filing a Rideshare Claim in Austin, Texas

We have answers to your Uber and Lyft accident questions. Don’t see the information you’re looking for? Reach out to us over the chat or the free case evaluation form.

Can a rideshare passenger file a personal injury claim?

The short answer is yes. Many take rides in Uber, Lyft, Taxi, Fasten and other rideshares to avoid driving drunk or over the legal limit. It’s expected that when you get in the back seat of one of these vehicles that you’re in for a safe ride home. But crashes do happen. Whether it is the fault of the rideshare driver or of another party, a passenger can be confident that there will be avenues for a legal advocate to secure the recovery needed for medical care and other expenses.

A passenger is almost never the at-fault in a crash. An attorney could have multiple ways of securing justice for the passenger injured during a ride. Ask a local attorney about options you have for recovery.

Can an Uber, Lyft, RideAustin, or other Rideshare driver file a claim with the transportation networking company?

This is a little more nuanced. Because coverage from the TNC often starts and ends with the app, and policies among different companies are not the same – it’s good to ask a local lawyer directly to take a look at your case specifically.

Some rideshare drivers choose to buy additional coverage to fill any gaps between driving a passenger, and picking the next one up. The many differences in coverage make these cases unique.

Dangers of Distracted Driving

In this session of Texas legislature the House has an opportunity to pass a bill that could prohibit cell phone use in the vehicle across the state. Proponents show how many lives could be saved by deterring drivers from engaging in risky driving behaviors. Some opponents of the bill say that it would limit Texan’s freedoms.

We’ve seen the consequences of distracted driving and know that no text or social media post is worth the cost of a life. Measures like House Bill 62 can help save lives in Texas.

Serious consequences of distracted driving

Many riders opt to use rideshare services because they have been marketed as safe. Calling a hired driver is one way of planning ahead, reducing DWI, and having a “designated driver.” Lyft has partnered with Anheuser-Busch to market against drinking and driving. Uber even has a campaign with MADD to end drunk driving. But while operating in the Austin area, neither app was designed to protect against the dangerous practice of distracted driving.

This case with Lyft can act as an important reminder to companies that safety is important to the communities in and around Austin, TX. Distracted driving isn’t just a statistic. The sudden loss of a loved one due to distracted driving is devastating for the family and communities it impacts.