Complicated issues of third-party liability & insurance laws, rules, and procedures are best left to experienced attorneys.
Lyft advertises $1 million of liability insurance and a Trust and Safety Team available to its passengers 24 hours each day. All their drivers must pass stringent background checks, and all their vehicles must meet high safety standards because safety is Lyft’s highest priority. Lyft does not own and maintain their own vehicles.
Lyft Passenger
If you were injured while you were a passenger in a Lyft vehicle, you should not try to negotiate with Lyft or their insurance company without a personal injury lawyer. Lyft does not publicize the fact that they have been able to escape direct liability for many Lyft automobile accidents because they don’t directly employ their drivers.
Lyft Settlements
Typical Lyft personal injury settlements pay between $300,000 and $1 million. Your settlement should be proportional to the severity of your injuries. If you suffered a broken bone which will heal without impacting the rest of your life, your settlement will not be as much as it would be for someone who suffered severe disabling or disfiguring injuries and requires major surgery and rehabilitation.Lyft accidents are more complicated than most automobile personal injury cases, with a number of confounding factors. You must notify Lyft immediately after your accident to file for compensation for your losses. The 24-hour Lyft emergency number available for your peace of mind represents a Lyft claims adjuster. Your statements may be recorded as the customer service representative works to limit their liability or decrease the amount of money you can receive from your personal injury claim. You need an experienced personal injury attorney to represent you.
Mike D.
Rideshare Accident Client
Last year I was in a serious Motorcycle accident that was not my fault. Beyond the initial emergency room visit, I required surgery and months of rehab. All in all, my left leg will probably never reach 100%. It has been a stressful and scary year. But one of the comforts through it all has been the services that Sally Morin provided. While I was focused on my health, she was taking care of everything else.
And in the end she got the other driver’s insurance company to settle at an amount that was substantial enough to cover the pain and suffering I had incurred, as well ease my worries about paying for any future care related to the accident. She even got the medical collections to decrease my balance due by thousands. I was skeptical to hire a lawyer off of YELP, but in the end it was the best thing I could have done.
Liability for Lyft Accidents
Lyft Transportation Network Company (TNC) is permitted by the California Public Utility Commission to use smart phone technology to schedule rides in their drivers’ privately owned vehicles. The number of fatal motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. increased by 2 to 3 percent with the creation of ridesharing services, according to researchers from the University of Chicago and Rice University.
It may not be possible to recover personal injury compensation from Lyft if their independently contracted driver did not cause the accident, but liability for a Lyft traffic accident depends not only on who caused the accident, but also on the driver’s status in the online Lyft application.
Has your driver legally accepted your trip? Is your Lyft driver in “driver mode” with a passenger in his or her vehicle, or is the driver still between trips in the online Lyft system? The driver’s status also determines whose insurance company must pay for the accident.
Lyft Driver’s Auto Insurance
Lyft requires that their drivers’ personal car insurance meet or exceed state minimum requirements for liability coverage, but their drivers are not required to purchase commercial motor vehicle insurance. Car insurance policies have exclusions from coverage, and driving for hire or while getting paid for driving is excluded from most individual car insurance policies. Even drivers simply delivering packages for their employer are excluded from motor vehicle insurance coverage if they have an accident while working for their employer.
Imputed Liability
In some cases, you and your driver may be assigned shared responsibility under the laws governing “vicarious liability,” or “imputed negligence.” Lyft’s million dollar claims adjuster may not let you win. You can be held responsible if you allow someone who is obviously not competent to drive take you to your destination.
If your driver is intoxicated, inexperienced, ill, or reckless, you should cancel your ride and get out of the car immediately. You may be held responsible for a driver’s behavior if you insisted that he drive you at a specific time to a specific location. Contributory negligence could reduce your chances of receiving a the full accident settlement you deserve from Lyft.
Lyft Liability Insurance
If your driver is active in the Lyft application but has not yet accepted a ride request, Lyft insurance coverage covers accidents caused by the driver, but Lyft’s insurance only covers third-parties to $50,000 for personal injuries. This insurance doesn’t cover damage to the driver’s vehicle or the driver’s injuries. The coverage pays a maximum of $100,000 total per accident regardless of the number of people injured or the severity of their injuries. It pays a maximum of $50,000 for damaged property per accident.
When a driver who has accepted a trip gives a passenger a ride, the passenger is covered by Lyft’s $1 million liability insurance. Lyft’s liability insurance pays for passengers’ injuries and damage to vehicles struck by their independent driver. When you trip is over, the million-dollar policy no longer applies to you. If your driver carries commercial liability insurance, Lyft’s coverage is supplemental to the driver’s car insurance. Lyft’s insurance policy pays the difference between the value of the injured passenger’s claim and the limit of the driver’s liability insurance. Lyft’s additional insurance coverage pays more than the average Lyft accident settlement.
Lyft Accident Settlements
Phone calls from an adversarial attorney can leave you physically and emotionally drained. Lyft’s million dollar insurance protection covers only accidents that occur while their driver is in trip mode and is carrying a customer. If your driver is not active in the Lyft online application, the driver’s personal car insurance is expected to pay for injuries related to the accident, and Lyft is held harmless for the accident.
What is your Lyft accident case worth? Sally Morin’s legal team is passionate about their clients. Her all-woman legal team won a million dollar personal injury case against Yellow Cab in San Francisco, and a $250,000 personal injury case against a Bay Area transportation company. Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers’ legal team negotiates million dollar wrongful death cases, $700,000 pedestrian personal injury cases and $500,000 motorcycle accident cases. Sally Morin’s personal injury legal team negotiates settlements as soon as possible after the accident, prior to most of your treatment when possible, to give you the financial security you need to rest and recuperate when you need it.
Lyft Accident Attorneys
Our Lyft accident lawyers can look for instances of negligence and mistakes made by your driver which contributed to your accident. Our personal injury attorneys will endeavor to find all possible acts, negligence, and contributory negligence which prove liability for your injuries.
You will need an attorney to find out if the driver’s car was not inspected on schedule or does not meet the safety standards set by Lyft for it’s drivers. Our accident attorney will require the inspection and maintenance receipts for the Lyft vehicle involved in your accident. If it was not inspected on time, faulty or improperly maintained equipment contributed to your accident, strengthening the Lyft driver’s liability for your accident. Our Lyft injury lawyers can:
- Investigate your case.
- Find additional evidence.
- Interview additional witnesses.
- Prepare your case.
- Negotiate with Lyft.
- Negotiate with insurance companies.
Personal Injury Law Firm
Our personal injury law firm is unique. Our personal injury lawyers limit their caseloads to work honestly and fairly with each client. Our philosophy prioritizes swift, low-stress settlements to get you back to your family, work, and activities as quickly as possible.
Our traffic accident attorneys settle 93% of all our cases. We enjoy liberating our clients from stress and worry, and getting them the compensation they deserve. Our lawyers will handle compensation claims for your:
- Medical bills.
- Rehabilitative care.
- Lost wages.
- Property damage.
- Pain and suffering.
Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers
Call us or complete our case evaluation form for a free initial consultation in our San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, or Oakland office. One of our personal injury attorneys will respond to you within 24 hours. If you prefer, our lawyer will visit you at home or in the hospital to discuss your Lyft accident settlement.
Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers is a top ranked San Francisco and Los Angeles personal injury law firm for Lyft accident settlements. Sally Morin’s legal team are members of the California and Hawaii State Bar Associations, the San Francisco Bar Association, and the American Association for Justice.
