Were you hurt in a crash with a Lyft? Have you been in a Lyft when another vehicle wrecked into it? Whether you were riding in a Lyft, driving a Lyft, or a pedestrian when a Lyft vehicle crashed into you, you very well may be eligible for compensation. Belal Hamideh, an experienced Lyft accident attorney in Los Angeles, can help. Over the years, Belal and the rest of the team here have helped so many to receive the compensation they deserve for Lyft accidents.
Every day, thousands upon thousands use Lyft safely to get to where they need to go. With all those extra vehicles on the road, however, accidents are inevitable, despite the best actions of all involved. An accident involving a Lyft could leave you with severe injuries, rising medical bills, and much worse. We can help through every step of the process, from a free case evaluation through to a successful resolution. Se Habla Espanol.
Can I Sue Lyft for My Lyft Accident?
You are unlikely to be able to sue Lyft for your accident, unfortunately. Just a few years ago, Lyft accident victims were able to directly sue Lyft for all that they’ve been through. The legal reasoning was: Lyft hired drivers. Those drivers were negligent and/or reckless in their driving, thus leading to injuries. However, Lyft can now claim these drivers are not employees, instead, they’re independent contractors, per California Assembly Bill 5.
As such, it is unclear whether a suit can be brought against Lyft itself. These cases can be complex. When we take your case, we’ll conduct a thorough investigation to find all of the parties responsible for your accident. Yes, more likely than not, the other driver(s) are liable. We’ll find the truth and use it to bolster your case. From there, we’ll bring a suit against all involved so that you receive maximum compensation.
How Do You Prove Liability in a Lyft Accident?
In California, the legal standard for negligence is essentially that the defendant (the party liable) must owe the plaintiff (you) a duty of care. To be negligent, they must have breached that duty and that breach was the primary cause of your injuries.
That breach can take many forms. It could be that they drove at excessive speeds. It could also be that they were distracted by their phone (texting, posting, etc), they were under the influence, violating the rules of the road in some other way, or many other behaviors.
We have a track record of success over many years. In fact, we have a 99% success rate for our clients. Now, we can put that to work for you.
I Was in a Lyft Accident, What Should I Do?
Get out of harm’s way. Do so to the extent you are able without further injuring yourself or others.
Check yourself for injuries. As long as you can do so safely, assess if others have been injured as well.
Call 911. This may not seem necessary, but it is. Even if you don’t feel like you were injured, you may have suffered internal injuries, you may be in shock, etc. There’s nothing wrong with asking for an ambulance if injuries seem even remotely serious. Furthermore, the police report will help your case quite a bit.
Document evidence. If you can do so safely, take pictures, videos, and so forth. Focus on damage: to yourself, to others, to vehicles, to the environment, and so forth. This can help your case as well, particularly as much of it may disappear over time.
Get other parties’ information. The other driver’s name, insurance, and license. Be cordial but direct with them. Neither admit fault nor say anything that can be construed that way. If there are any witnesses, get their contact information as well.
Reach out to an attorney. The sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner you can receive the compensation that you deserve.
I’m a Lyft Driver and I Was in an Accident – What Now?
Remember: Lyft is not looking out for you. Lyft will try to make sure that they avoid any financial responsibility whatsoever, leaning on all of their power to make sure that you receive as meager compensation as possible (if any at all).
We have dealt with Lyft before, just as we have with so many insurance companies. We know what they’re going to try and we know how to fight on behalf of our clients. As such, we encourage you to reach out to us for a free case evaluation quickly to see how we can help you.
What Could You Receive for a Lyft Accident?
The compensation you can receive in a Lyft accident depends upon many different factors. Under California law, you can qualify for economic as well as non-economic damages.
Economic damages can include costs that may have accrued as a direct result of your injury. Medical costs, doctor’s visits, therapy, rehab, modifications to your home, medicines, surgeries, operations, and more – those are economic damages.
You can also receive damages for the wages you lost, the money you would have made had you not missed time due to your Lyft accident. Additionally, you can receive compensation for wages you lost that you would have made in the future, in the event that you are unable to work your job in the same capacity moving forward.
Non-economic damages, then, can provide compensation for all that you’ve had to deal with in the wake of the accident. Pain, suffering, emotional distress, trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium – those are just some of the forms of non-economic damages we’ve won for our clients.
When you reach out to us for a free case evaluation, we’ll let you know exactly what your case is worth, based on our experience. Then, we’ll get right to work ensuring that you receive everything that you deserve.
What’s the Best Time to File a Lyft Accident Claim?
The best time to file a Lyft accident claim is as soon as possible. There is no benefit from waiting. In this state, California, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a claim. That number can be shorter, however. For example, should a municipal, state, or federal vehicle be involved with the accident in any capacity whatsoever, you only have six months to file.
Beyond that, remember: the other side is not waiting. They are conducting their investigation, they are marshaling their resources, and they are doing what they can to make sure you receive as little compensation as possible. By reaching out to us sooner, you give yourself the best chance for a successful outcome. Besides, the sooner you reach out to us, the sooner you recan receive your compensation.
How Does the Lyft Insurance Policy Work?
Lyft’s insurance policy for drivers is separated into “Offline,” “Period 1,” “Period 2,” and “Period 3.” The driver is not logged into the app in the first, “Offline.” Remember: Lyft will do everything they can to make sure that victims receive minuscule compensation if any, no matter what “period” the driver was in. By reaching out to us, we can do everything in our power to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Offline
The accident will be covered by your Lyft driver’s personal insurance if they are not logged into the Lyft app at the time of the accident.
Period 1
The Lyft driver is logged into Period 1 but they haven’t accepted a ride as of yet. During this period, the policy limits include $30,000 for property damage liability coverage per accident, $50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person injured in an accident, and $100,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident.
Periods 2 and 3
In Period 2, the Lyft driver accepts a ride from a potential passenger and in Period 3 the driver picks up the passenger. In both periods, the limits are one million in commercial auto insurance and one million in uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. The only difference between Periods 2 and 3: in Period 2, there is $50,000 for bodily injury coverage.
Belal Hamideh: Lyft Accident Attorney in Los Angeles Who Wins
Whether you were hit by a Lyft driver, a Lyft passenger, or a Lyft driver, you didn’t ask to be in an accident. If you were hurt or someone you love was injured due to someone else’s negligence and/or recklessness, you very well may deserve compensation for it.
We have helped so many over the years who were injured in accidents involving Lyft. We know how challenging this time can be for you and yours, which is just one more reason that we work on contingency. That means you don’t have to pay for our services out of pocket. In fact, you don’t have to pay unless we win. Even then, our compensation will come out of your eventual settlement.
Reach out to us today for a free case evaluation to see how we can help you receive the compensation you deserve. You can schedule this free evaluation by messaging us through our site or giving us a call.