You may be eligible to sue Lyft after an injury accident. Rideshare companies like Lyft have robust insurance policies, and you may be able to secure fair compensation through that insurance. You may instead decide to sue the party directly responsible for the accident. In some cases, Lyft may have had to be negligent in order for you to successfully sue the rideshare organization.
Deciding how to seek compensation after a Lyft injury accident can be confusing. Allow a rideshare accident lawyer to make sense of many variables, identifying the personalized case plan that best suits you.
Potential Ways to Secure Fair Compensation After a Lyft Accident Resulting in Injury
A lawyer will narrow down the specific strategies available to you after a Lyft accident. Some of the considerations that may determine how you seek compensation include:
- Who caused your accident
- Whose insurance policies cover your losses (possibly including Lyft’s insurance)
- The coverage limits on insurance policies you are eligible to access
- The severity of your injuries
- The total cost of your accident-related damages
The cost of each Lyft accident victim’s damages varies. This variance is why it’s important to have a lawyer with a trained eye for recognizing damages (and calculating their financial value).
Once your attorney has obtained all the information they need, they may explain their proposed strategy for seeking compensation. Their strategy can include:
Filing a Claim with Lyft’s Insurance Provider
Because Lyft provides insurance coverage for drivers, it’s possible you will file a claim through Lyft’s insurance company. However, your eligibility to file a claim through Lyft’s insurer, and the amount of insurance Lyft’s insurer may provide, likely depends on:
- Whether the Lyft driver had a valid license and insurance at the time of the accident
- Whether the driver had their Lyft app on at the time of the accident
- Whether the driver was picking up a passenger, dropping off a passenger, waiting for a ride, or not actively engaged in Lyft activities at the time of the collision
Rideshare services like Lyft and Uber typically provide the most insurance coverage when a driver is actively picking up or dropping off a rider.
Filing a Claim with an At-Fault Motorist’s Insurance Provider
Those who drive for rideshare services must have valid insurance. However, a driver’s insurance may provide less coverage than the insurance Lyft provides for its drivers.
Yet, insurance rules may require that you file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider before you can seek compensation from Lyft’s insurance company. Your attorney will evaluate all available insurance coverage and explain who you should file claims with.
Filing a Claim with Your Insurance Provider
In no-fault states, a driver’s own insurance provider typically pays some amount of compensation regardless of who is at fault for the accident. You may also need to file a claim with your own auto insurance provider if:
- The person driving for Lyft was not the person who the Lyft account was registered to (this may cause Lyft to refuse insurance coverage)
- The at-fault driver lacked valid or adequate insurance
- Any other circumstance makes it necessary for you to seek compensation from your own insurance provider
It’s generally preferable to have someone else’s insurance provider cover accident-related losses. Sometimes, accessing your own coverage can lead to a premium increase. That said, sometimes filing a claim with your insurance provider is necessary.
Suing One or More Liable Parties (Possibly Including Lyft)
Filing a lawsuit becomes a viable option as soon as you hire a Lyft accident lawyer. Because Lyft’s insurance policies typically provide high coverage limits, suing may not be necessary. However, if you and your lawyer determine that a lawsuit is the proper course of action, your attorney will waste no time in filing the suit.
If you sue, it’s fairly unlikely that your case will go to trial. Once again, though, hiring a lawyer means that trial is a viable strategy, if you and your lawyer determine it’s the right path.
What Circumstances Would Warrant Filing a Lawsuit Against Lyft?
Lyft’s executives understand the high-risk industry the company occupies. It is inevitable that Lyft contractors will cause accidents, which is why the company provides robust driver insurance (in addition to requiring the drivers themselves to have valid insurance with certain minimum coverages).
There may be exceptional circumstances where suing Lyft makes sense, though. These circumstances can include:
- Damages whose value exceeds insurance coverage limits: Though Lyft covers its drivers with substantial insurance, the cost of some accidents exceed coverage limits. If this is true in your case, Lyft can be financially responsible for your accident-related damages.
- Egregious negligence by Lyft: Lyft may become the defendant in your lawsuit if the company’s actions placed you in danger. For example, if Lyft hired a contractor with a history of reckless driving, this can qualify as negligence that exposes Lyft to a lawsuit.
A Lyft accident attorney will provide personalized advice, which, is the best kind of advice you can receive. After they have investigated your accident and evaluated all relevant information, your attorney will explain whether suing Lyft, or another party, makes sense for you.
Who Should Seek Compensation (and Hire a Lawyer) After a Lyft Accident?
Anyone who suffers harm as a consequence of a Lyft accident should hire a lawyer to seek compensation for them. This includes:
- Lyft passengers injured when the Lyft driver causes an accident
- Lyft passengers injured when another vehicle strikes the Lyft vehicle
- Pedestrians hit by Lyft drivers
- A motorist or passenger in a vehicle hit by a Lyft driver
- Anyone whose loved one dies because of a Lyft accident
Liability for your accident-related damages will be based primarily on who is at fault for the accident. If a Lyft driver caused the collision, then both the driver and Lyft can have financial liability for your damages.
Others who may be liable for a Lyft accident include:
- Municipalities who expose drivers to dangerous road conditions
- Manufacturers of defective vehicles
- Pedestrians whose negligence causes a Lyft accident
Establishing fault is one of a Lyft accident lawyer’s most critical responsibilities, as this will determine who you seek compensation from.
How Will I Know the Right Way to Seek Compensation After a Lyft Injury Accident?
A lawyer will determine how to seek compensation after your Lyft accident. Insurance claims and lawsuits are the two primary ways to seek money for medical care, lost income, and other damages.
Having a lawyer oversee your case strategy may be wise because:
- Many auto accident victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other conditions that make it difficult to process complex information and think clearly
- Rideshare accident attorneys can exercise all available strategies, meaning they can file a lawsuit if it is in your best interests
- It is always helpful to have an experienced, well-trained professional advise you
Lyft accident lawyers seek compensation for Lyft accident victims—it’s their job. Trust a professional to protect your best interests and develop a personalized strategy aimed at securing all the compensation you deserve.
What Can a Lawyer Do for Someone Injured in a Lyft Accident?
Lyft accident lawyers’ duties are extensive, as they are solely responsible for the outcome of their client’s case. Even the smallest detail related to your case will be your lawyer’s responsibility, and they will complete your case by:
Evaluating All Insurance Policies (Including Lyft’s)
Your rideshare accident attorney will want to resolve your case as soon as possible, so they will quickly:
- Determine whose insurance policies apply to your accident
- Obtain copies of all applicable insurance policies
- Pinpoint important details like coverage limits
- Incorporate this information into your larger case strategy
Insurance is the most common way of securing fair compensation for rideshare accident victims, and your lawyer will work to secure a fair settlement for you.
Filing Insurance Claims for You (and Resolving Those Claims as Soon as Possible)
Your lawyer will manage the claims process for you. This includes filing your claims or ensuring that you’ve filed them properly.
Proving Fault
Lyft accident lawyers can prove fault for the collision in several ways, including:
- Eyewitness testimony (which may come from others in the Lyft, bystanders, or others who saw the collision)
- Video, which may come from traffic cameras, a Lyft dash camera, and other recording devices
- A police report detailing important information about the collision
- Various other types of evidence
Your law firm may have investigators whose primary job is to obtain evidence proving fault for auto accidents. These investigators will immediately seek evidence that supports your case and helps your lawyer secure the money you deserve.
Documenting Harm from the Lyft Accident
Your lawyer will need to show how negligence by a Lyft driver or other party has caused you harm. Medical records, medical bills, expert testimony about your physical and psychological injuries, invoices for vehicle repairs, and several other types of documentation may be pivotal to your case.
Pursuing Fair Settlements
Once your lawyer has proven fault and compiled documentation of your damages, they can demand a proper settlement. Your lawyer may:
- Receive an initial settlement offer from the insurance company (which may likely be a lowball offer)
- Present their counter-demands, which will detail your losses and explain why you deserve the amount of compensation they are demanding
- Engage in direct negotiations with insurance companies, if necessary
Settling is how most Lyft accident victims obtain compensation for medical expenses and other losses. Many of those accident victims have capable attorneys who ensure the settlement offer is fair.
Filing a Lawsuit and, If Need Be, Going to Trial for You
While suing is not typically the first course of action after an auto accident, it may become a necessary step in your case. Your attorney may advise you to file a lawsuit if:
- Any insurance company engages in bad-faith tactics that prevent a fair settlement agreement
- Insurance coverage limits are significantly less than the cost of your losses
- One or more parties responsible for the accident lacked adequate insurance
Nobody can predict exactly how the insurance process will unfold. Your lawyer will build the strongest claim they can, but they will also be ready to sue if it is the right decision for you.
What Damages Might Lyft (or Another Liable Party) Be Responsible For?
Auto accidents remain one of the leading causes of serious injury in America. Those who are fortunate enough to survive a Lyft accident may yet face life-changing harm that includes:
Pain and Suffering
Lyft accidents leave a lasting mark on victims, and many of the scars are not visible. You may suffer several types of pain and suffering that include:
- Physical pain
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Depression
- Fear of being in motor vehicles (and possibly generalized anxiety)
Many other challenges, like sleep disruptions and scarring, can also qualify as pain and suffering.
Medical Costs
Every auto accident victim should seek immediate medical attention. Some common healthcare needs among Lyft accident survivors include:
- Imaging
- Surgery
- Hospitalization
- Medications
- Medical equipment
- Rehabilitation
Every injured person has a unique treatment plan and recovery timeline. Your lawyer will frequently contact your doctor, speak with you regularly, and keep detailed documentation of your medical journey.
Professional Damages (Such as Lost Income)
If you lose income, suffer diminished earning power, miss bonus or promotion opportunities, or face any other professional losses because of your Lyft accident, your lawyer will pursue fair compensation from liable parties.
Vehicle Repairs and Other Property Costs
If your vehicle was damaged during a collision involving a Lyft vehicle, your lawyer will seek compensation covering repairs. If your phone or any other property was damaged, your attorney will account for those expenses, too.
If you have a disabling injury or have lost a loved one, you have damages that demand justice. Your attorney will tailor a case that’s entirely unique to you, and they will use their resources to fight for the you are entitled to.
Hire an Skilled Rideshare Accident Attorney Today
Do not wait to hire your Lyft accident lawyer. There are likely one or more deadlines that your attorney must stay ahead of, so it’s vital that you find your lawyer as soon as possible.