If you’ve been injured while riding as a passenger in a Lyft vehicle, you might be confused as to whose insurance coverage applies. The Lyft drivers’ automobile insurance policy? Lyft’s policy? Your policy?
Car accident cases involving Lyft vehicles and other ride-sharing vehicles can be complicated.
That’s why you need the Lyft accident lawyer at the Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers on your side. Our experienced and skilled attorneys will identify all parties who could be potentially liable for your injuries and negotiate a fair settlement that includes medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more.
We’ll make sure all involved insurance companies treat you fairly and don’t pay you less than you’re owed. One of the biggest mistakes that an injured Lyft passenger can make is to enter an early settlement with an insurance company. If you settle too soon, you might not know the full extent of your injuries. Plus, a signed settlement means that you’ve closed the door on any future claims against the insurance company.
Our Lyft attorneys will prevent this from happening and work to maximize your monetary recovery. We handle cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no upfront fees. You don’t pay a dime unless we recover money for you.
Depending on the facts, even traditional car accident cases can be complicated and require the services of a car accident attorney to perform a thorough investigation, identify who’s at fault and make sure that the responsible parties pay their fair share. Accidents involving Lyft and other rideshare vehicles are even more complex.
Our Lyft lawyers pride themselves on being knowledgeable when it comes to this rapidly evolving area of the law. We will use our legal expertise to fight for you and the compensation that you deserve.
I’ve Been Injured as a Passenger in a Lyft Accident. What Do I Do Now?You were a passenger in a Lyft vehicle that was involved in an accident. After the brakes have stopped squealing and the vehicles have stopped moving, what should you do?
Call 911 if the police aren’t already on the way. You can access emergency help from the Lyft app. The app will show your current location and vehicle information, and you can share that data with emergency dispatchers.
Get medical attention as soon as possible. Even if your injuries seem minor, they could turn out to be more serious than you initially thought. Plus, medical documentation is crucial in any personal injury case.
If it is safe to do so, collect contact information from the Lyft driver and any other drivers or witnesses at the accident scene. Take a screenshot of the Lyft app to prove that you were a Lyft passenger when the accident occurred. Use your cellphone to take pictures of your injuries, the vehicles, and anything else that could be important to your claim.
You can report your accident through the Lyft app.
Contact tus at Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers to investigate your accident and negotiate with any involved insurance companies.
How Can Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers Help Me with My Lyft Accident Claim?If you’re injured while riding as a passenger in a Lyft vehicle, which insurer is responsible for covering your injuries? Lyft’s insurer? The Lyft driver’s insurer? Another motorist’s insurer? Your insurer?
We can help sort through the facts of your Lyft accident case and identify all potentially liable parties.
While Lyft has a $1 million policy covering injuries to passengers, that coverage could be second to the Lyft driver’s personal insurance coverage.
Lyft requires its drivers to maintain a personal auto insurance policy that meets minimum state coverage requirements. However, that personal auto insurance policy might not provide coverage while the driver is driving for Lyft.
Again, an attorney can shed light on which insurers are responsible for paying for your claim.
Let’s take a look at Lyft’s insurance coverage:
Coverage when driver mode is off: The Lyft driver’s personal insurance provides coverage.
Coverage when driver mode is on, but no ride has been accepted: Lyft’s primary liability coverage provides coverage when the app is in driver mode but before the Lyft driver has received a ride request if the Lyft driver’s personal insurance does not provide coverage. The policy has a $50,000 maximum limit per person, a $100,000 maximum limit per accident, and a $25,000 maximum limit for property damage.
Coverage when a ride has been accepted through the end of the ride: Lyft’s primary liability insurance is designed to act as the primary coverage from when the Lyft driver accepts a ride request until the time the ride has ended in the app. There is $1 million of coverage per accident. If the Lyft driver carries commercial insurance (or personal coverage providing specific coverage for ride-sharing), Lyft’s policy will continue to be excess to the Lyft driver’s insurance coverage.
Third-party liability insurance is insurance coverage for bodily injury and property damage caused to a third party and stemming from a covered accident. A third party is someone or something other than the Lyft driver or the Lyft vehicle.
Lyft also has uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage that is triggered if the Lyft driver is uninsured or underinsured and is at fault for bodily injury caused to passengers.
Lyft says its coverages begin when a Lyft driver has accepted a passenger ride request and is on the way to pick up the passenger. The coverages continue during the ride until the time the Lyft driver ends the ride in the app.
Even though Lyft has $1 million in coverage and Lyft drivers are required to have insurance, don’t assume that the insurance company will accept your claim and pay the amount you’re seeking for your Lyft accident injuries. Lyft’s insurer, the Lyft driver’s insurer, or an at-fault motorist’s insurer might dispute your injuries or deny liability. Insurers are focused on their own financial health and often employ tactics to delay, dodge, or reduce payment.
A Lyft accident attorney will negotiate with the insurance companies for you and make sure that they pay their fair share of your damages. Claimants who are not represented by legal counsel tend to recover less than claimants who are.
Types of Lyft Accidents Handled by Jeffrey Glassman Injury LawyersLyft comprised approximately one-third of the rideshare marketplace in 2019, according to information from BusinessofApps. The website said there were 23 million Lyft users as of January 2018 and 1.4 million Lyft drivers as of December 2017.
Lyft says on its website that it operates in 11 cities in Massachusetts: Amherst, Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Holyoke, Leominster, Lowell, Newton, Pittsfield, Springfield, and Worcester.
A 2018 study from University of Chicago and Rice University researchers showed an increase in fatal car crashes after ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft launched in a city. The researchers said ride-sharing had caused a 2-3% jump in the number of motor vehicle fatalities and fatal accidents. Both Uber and Lyft have disputed the findings.
Lyft says its drivers have passed a background check and a DMV check verifying that all drivers have a clean driving record and a valid driver’s license. Regardless, with so many Lyft drivers on the roads in Massachusetts and other parts of the country, car accidents involving Lyft vehicles are bound to happen.
Lyft drivers are at risk for certain types of accidents. A Lyft driver who is focused on a cellphone or other GPS device or is conversing with passengers in the backseat of the vehicle is engaged in distracted driving, a driving habit that often results in car crashes. A Lyft driver who works a regular job and then drives for Lyft after work hours might be guilty of drowsy driving, another driving behavior that can lead to serious and even deadly car accidents.
As more ride-sharing takes place in cities such as Boston than in rural areas, most Lyft accidents occur in urban areas. Pedestrians are likely to be involved in these types of accidents.
At Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers, our attorneys have the skills and experience to handle every type of Lyft accident case, even the most complicated ones. Our versatile Lyft lawyers handle Lyft accident cases involving:
If you’ve filed a claim with Lyft’s insurer or the Lyft driver’s personal auto insurer and your claim has been unfairly denied or lowballed, we can help you pursue a lawsuit against the insurance company.
To learn more about how our Lyft accident attorneys can help you with your Lyft accident claim or other ride-sharing claims, contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers today at (617) 367-2900 or using our online form.