Don’t Let a Lyft Accident Derail Your Life
Have you ever been on a Lyft ride that turned into a nightmare? Accidents involving Lyft vehicles are more common than you might think. When you’re involved in such an incident, you need a Lyft accident attorney.
With the rise of ridesharing services, it’s essential to know your legal rights and have someone on your side who understands the complexities of these cases.
Quick Summary
- Lyft accidents involve collisions with vehicles driven by Lyft drivers, causing injuries or damages.
- Lyft’s insurance covers drivers in different periods, with varying coverage amounts.
- Common causes of Lyft accidents include driver errors, third-party driver errors, vehicle breakdowns, dangerous road conditions, and company negligence.
- Common injuries from Lyft accidents range from back and spinal cord injuries to emotional trauma and wrongful death.
- Actions to take after a Lyft accident include seeking medical help, reporting the incident to the police and Lyft, and consulting a Lyft accident lawyer.
- Passengers can file claims against Lyft’s insurance if the driver is at fault or if another driver causes the accident.
- Victims have two years from the date of the crash to file a claim in California.
- Liability in a Lyft accident is determined under comparative fault rules, considering the actions of all parties involved.
- Lyft accident victims can receive economic damages for medical bills and lost income, as well as non-economic damages for pain and suffering.
What is a Lyft Accident?
A Lyft accident is a traffic collision involving a vehicle operated by a driver working for Lyft, a popular ridesharing service. These accidents can involve other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, or even stationary objects. They can result in injuries or damages to passengers, drivers, or third parties.
What Are the Insurance Requirements of Lyft?
In California, companies like Lyft that offer ridesharing services have special insurance rules. The law divides ridesharing services into three periods.
Period 1
Period 1 starts when the Lyft driver opens the app and waits for a ride request. During this time, Lyft’s insurance must cover at least $50,000 for each person’s injury or death, $100,000 total for all injuries or deaths in an accident, and $30,000 for property damage.
Period 2
Period 2 starts when the driver accepts a passenger and is on the way to pick them up. Insurance during this time is $1 million for primary coverage and for coverage against uninsured or underinsured drivers.
Period 3
Period 3 is when the driver picks up the passenger until they get out of the car. The insurance requirements for Period 3 are the same as for Period 2.
To get compensation from Lyft’s insurance, you need to report the accident to Lyft. Call Lyft’s 24/7 critical response line, and they will ask for more details about your accident. They will then decide whether to offer you money for your damages or deny your claim.
If you need help negotiating with insurance or filing a personal injury claim against Lyft, a driver, or someone else, hire a Lyft accident lawyer.
What Are the Top Causes of Lyft Accidents in California?
Studying the main reasons for rideshare accidents in California can help people understand this danger. By recognizing the primary causes of Lyft crashes, we might stop similar accidents from happening again.
Here are the most common reasons for Lyft accidents in California:
Lyft Driver Error
Lyft drivers don’t get any special training to drive passengers. They’re just regular people who can make the same mistakes as anyone else. This can lead to accidents caused by things like not paying attention, texting while driving, driving after drinking, going too fast, driving recklessly or aggressively, running red lights, breaking traffic laws, and other mistakes that could have been avoided.
Third-Party Driver Error
Even if the rideshare driver doesn’t make any mistakes while driving, the car could still be in an accident caused by another driver. If another driver makes a mistake and crashes into the rideshare car, their car insurance should pay for the damage. If that driver doesn’t have enough insurance, the rideshare company will pay for the rest.
Vehicle Equipment Breakdowns
Human mistakes can happen in different ways besides just driving errors, like not taking good care of the car. Unlike taxi companies, Lyft doesn’t check the cars their drivers use or make sure they’re safe. If the driver hasn’t taken care of the car, it could break down while they’re driving.
Dangerous Road Conditions
Bad road conditions like potholes, no guardrails, badly designed intersections, and broken traffic lights can also cause rideshare accidents in California. The state government is supposed to make sure the roads are safe in California.
If they don’t do a good job and the roads aren’t safe, someone could sue the government if there’s an accident involving a rideshare.
Company Negligence
Lyft avoids being responsible for most rideshare accidents by saying their drivers are independent contractors, not employees. This means they’re not responsible for what drivers do. But if Lyft did something wrong that led to a crash, they can be held responsible.
For instance, if they didn’t do a good background check on a driver, they could be responsible.
What Are the Most Common Rideshare Accident Injuries?
Injuries from a rideshare accident in California can last a lifetime. You might have a serious injury like brain damage or paralysis. You could also be emotionally hurt from being in a scary accident.
A personal injury lawyer can help you get the right medical care, record your injuries, and get the money you need to get better. Some common injuries from rideshare accidents include:
- Injuries to the back and spinal cord
- Injuries to the chest and broken ribs
- Emotional injuries like PTSD
- Injuries to the legs and knees
- Internal injuries
- Neck injuries, including whiplash
- Scrapes, cuts, and more serious cuts
- Bad bruising
- Lost limbs
- Fractured skull and brain injuries
- Injuries to soft tissues
- Wrongful death
What to Do Following a Lyft Accident in California?
If you get hurt in a Lyft accident in California, there are some important things you should do to protect yourself.
Get Medical Help
Even if you feel okay after a Lyft accident, getting a thorough medical check-up is crucial to detect any hidden injuries that could worsen over time and provide evidence for potential compensation claims.
Tell the Police What Happened
A police report will have details about the date, time, conditions, and reasons for the accident, which can be useful for your claim for damages.
Tell Lyft About the Accident in the App
Ridesharing companies may try to avoid responsibility and make the driver or someone else pay for damages. Reporting the accident right away creates a record and shows the accident happened while the driver was working. Just report the accident and don’t talk to the ridesharing company’s representatives until you’ve spoken to a lawyer.
Talk to a Lawyer
Talk to a Lyft accident attorney before you talk to the ridesharing company about getting money for your injuries. The insurance companies for Lyft and other ridesharing companies will try to pay as little as possible after an accident.
Can I File a Legal Action Against Lyft After an Accident in California?
It depends. If you were in a Lyft car as a passenger, you’re covered by the company’s insurance. The good news is their drivers have over $1 million in insurance, as mentioned earlier. The bad news is their insurance might try to offer you less money than you deserve.
If that happens, you’ll need a Lyft accident lawyer to get you a fair amount of compensation. If another driver caused your accident while you were a passenger in a Lyft car, you can file a claim against that driver. If that driver doesn’t have insurance, Lyft will cover damages up to $1 million under their uninsured motorist coverage.
What is California’s Statute of Limitations for Lyft Accident Injury Claims?
A statute of limitations is a law that sets a time limit for filing an injury claim. In California, for all auto accident cases, including rideshare accidents, you have two years from the date of the crash to file. If you only realize you’re injured a few days after the crash, like with whiplash, you have two years from the date you find out about the injury to file.
If you wait too long and file after the deadline, the California courts won’t hear your case. This means you won’t be able to get money for your injuries and losses. Talk to a Lyft accident lawyer as soon as you can to make sure you don’t miss the deadline.
How is Liability Determined in a Lyft Accident?
Liability in a Lyft accident is determined like in any other car accident. California follows a rule called comparative fault. This means that even if you’re partly at fault for the accident, you can still make a claim if you’re hurt in an accident with a Lyft car.
Lyft accident claims can be more complicated because the Lyft driver is using their car to carry passengers. This can involve multiple parties, including more than one insurance company. Also, Lyft has been criticized for providing poor customer service to its customers after an accident, even if there are injuries.
What Compensation Can I Receive From My Lyft Accident Injury Claim?
In California, if you’re in an accident, you can get money for your injuries and costs. If the person who caused the accident was very careless or reckless, you might also get extra money called punitive damages, but this doesn’t happen often. There are two kinds of damages:
Economic
Calculating economic damages is straightforward. You add up all the expenses related to the accident to get a total. Economic damages can include things like:
- Medical bills
- Property damage
- Lost income
- Loss of earning capacity
Non-Economic
Non-economic damages don’t have a fixed calculation method. Some examples of these damages are:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Losses related to disability or physical impairment
- Losses related to permanent disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
In California, there’s no limit to how much money a personal injury victim can get. If a case goes to trial, the jury can decide to give the victim any amount they think is fair, based on the evidence and how much the victim has lost.
Trusted Legal Representation in Lyft Accidents in California
Dealing with a Lyft accident in California can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to handle it alone. Haffner Law stands out as your go-to team for these challenging times. Our trusted Lyft accident attorney knows exactly how to navigate complex laws and insurance policies to defend your rights.
We’re not just legal professionals. We’re fighters dedicated to securing the best outcome for you, whether it’s getting your medical bills covered, ensuring you’re compensated for lost wages, or helping you recover from the emotional toll of the accident. Why choose Haffner Law? Simply put, we’ve got the track record and the dedication to take on big insurance companies and win.
Our law firm can also represent you in Long Term Disability, Cancer Disability Benefits, and Disability Claims. Reach out today for a free case review and see how we can turn your case around.
