Lyft Rideshare Accident
You may be eligible for compensation if you have been injured as the result of negligence on the part of another person or institution, including a lyft rideshare accident. Call us for a free case evaluation today.
Our Lyft Rideshare Accident Lawyer Will Fight For You
Having the ability to hire a driver from a phone app – and letting go of the need to navigate through heavy traffic and find a parking spot – is an immense convenience. Lyft car accidents, however, are far too common, and they tend to be quite dangerous. If you find yourself the victim of a Lyft driver’s negligence, don’t wait to consult with an experienced California Lyft rideshare accident attorney.
Lyft Drivers
It is important to understand that Lyft drivers are independent contractors, which means that they’re not actually employed by the Lyft company. Using independent contractors helps Lyft mitigate its own liability but makes Lyft accident claims much more complicated. Further, although Lyft drivers do carry passengers in exchange for pay, they are not commercial drivers in the legal sense of the term, and they are not required to have any special experience or any special driver’s license.
The Job Itself
Driving for Lyft and other rideshare companies comes with its own set of risk factors that include:
- Lyft drivers must interact with their apps while they navigate traffic, search for passengers, and do everything else that Lyft drivers must do, which can be a recipe for dangerously distracted driving.
- Lyft drivers are required to make frequent stops, which leaves them more vulnerable to accidents.
- Lyft drivers must enter and exit traffic frequently, which opens them up to greater risk.
- Lyft drivers are required to drive in unfamiliar areas of the city and to locate random passengers in their midst for pick-ups.
- Lyft drivers are only earning when they have active fares, which can push many of them to work outside of safe hours-of-service parameters.
- The kind of driving in which Lyft drivers engage is harder on their vehicles than normal driving is, and there is no guarantee that their cars are always safely maintained.
Lyft drivers take on a lot of risks, and by association, so do their passengers and everyone who shares the road with them.
Insurance Coverage
If you’ve been injured by a Lyft driver’s negligence, your injuries will likely be addressed by the insurance company involved, which can be a complicated matter in and of itself.
Active Passenger
If the negligent Lyft driver who leaves you injured has an active passenger or is on the way to pick up a passenger at the time of the accident, Lyft’s robust insurance coverage will be responsible for covering your damages. Lyft has less wiggle room regarding liability in this situation.
No Passenger
If the Lyft driver who leaves you injured is on the Lyft app but has no passenger and no one is waiting to be picked up, Lyft’s insurance coverage will begin where the driver’s own coverage ends. If the personal insurance that the driver carries (and that he or she is required to carry by Lyft) does not cover your damages in their entirety, Lyft’s own coverage will be tripped.
Off the App
If the Lyft driver who leaves you injured is not on the Lyft app at the time, your claim will proceed in the same way that any other car accident claim would. It’s important to note that rideshare drivers – because they are part of the gig economy and must hustle to make a living – often toggle back and forth between rideshare apps (hoping to tally more active fares in any given shift of driving), which can let rideshare companies like Lyft off the hook a good deal of the time.
The Insurance Provider
Regardless of which insurance provider covers your claim, you can expect the company to do everything within its power to minimize the value of your claim. Insurance companies are for-profit enterprises that are very invested in keeping their settlements as low as possible, and toward this end, they have myriad tools at the ready, including:
- Denying your claim outright – in the hope you will simply give up and go away
- Complicating the claims process – in the hope you will give up in frustration
- Prolonging the claims process – in the hope you will forget about it
- Offering an early settlement before you are fully aware of your damages in their entirety (never sign off on a settlement offer before consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney)
- Attempting to shift the blame away from the at-fault Lyft driver and toward you
- Denying the extent of your damages
Whatever tactics the insurance company throws your way, rely on your dedicated personal injury lawyer to deal with the matter on your behalf.
Protecting Your Claim
While your Lyft claim is unique, there are several basic helpful steps you can take that apply to every Lyft accident claim, including:
- Seek the medical attention that you need as soon after the accident as possible and follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.
- Consult with an experienced Lyft accident attorney who will help effectively and efficiently guide your claim from the outset.
- Don’t provide the insurance company with a statement about the accident, and refrain from speaking about it in general. Insurance companies are on the prowl for information that they can manipulate for their own purposes, whether it’s a statement you make to them or a post on social media.
After being injured in a Lyft accident, it’s in your best interest to concentrate on your recovery and to look to your experienced Lyft accident lawyer for the legal guidance you need.
Don’t Delay Consulting with an Experienced California Lyft Accident Lawyer
If a Lyft driver leaves you injured in a car accident, the resourceful Lyft accident lawyers at Los Angeles City Law, however, have a long and impressive track record of helping clients like you recover their damages in their entirety, and we’re here for you, too. If you’re at a loss after being injured by someone else’s negligence, which is exceptionally common, we offer a free case evaluation, so you won’t be left wondering if you have a claim or how best to proceed. Our legal team is standing by to help, so please don’t wait to contact or call us at 866-522-4895 for more information about what we can do to help you today.
