Lyft rideshare providers are convenient for people who need a cost-effective ride in the city of Los Angeles. However, as with taxis and even taking your personal vehicle, a Lyft driver has the same chances of getting into a car accident that you do. In many cases, the accident is not the Lyft driver’s fault, but in some, it is. Regardless of whose fault it is, you can recover damages through a personal injury claim after a Lyft accident, whether from the driver, Lyft, or a third party. If you sustained injuries in a Lyft accident, contact a Los Angeles Lyft accident lawyer today.
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Injured in a Lyft Accident in Los Angeles?
Since you are a passenger in a Lyft vehicle, you won’t be at fault for an accident. However, the driver, the company, or a third party – or more than one of these could share responsibility for your injuries and other damages should you sustain injuries in a Lyft accident.
You could suffer minor injuries, catastrophic injuries, or even lose your life, depending on the circumstances of the accident. Factors that determine the severity of a Lyft accident include:
- The size of the vehicles involved in the wreck, including the Lyft vehicle you are riding in.
- The speed at which the vehicles are traveling.
- Weather conditions.
- Road conditions.
- The angle the vehicles hit each other.
- The number of vehicles involved in the Lyft crash.
After a Lyft accident, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you believe your injuries are mild. In some cases, injuries do not manifest for hours or even days after an accident.
When Should I Call a Los Angeles Lyft Accident Lawyer?
Recovering damages after a Lyft accident is more complicated than if you were trying to collect from someone not working with a company. A Los Angeles Lyft accident lawyer can help you determine who shares in the fault for the accident, including the driver, who is an independent contractor; Lyft; or third parties.
If your Lyft driver gets into a wreck with another commercial vehicle, the complexity of the case increases since several people, or entities other than the driver could share responsibility for your damages. For example, a truck driver who crashed into your Lyft driver because the brakes on the truck failed might be less at fault than the person who installed the brakes or the brake pad manufacturer.
No matter how many defendants your case has, it is always best to contact a Los Angeles Lyft accident attorney as soon as possible. You are more apt to remember what happened right after the accident than if you were to wait. Additionally, evidence disappears. The weather can wipe out evidence left at the scene, vehicles do not stay in police impound for long – if they are impounded, and vehicle owners repair their vehicles. In the odd case, someone could purposefully destroy evidence to avoid liability.
Who Is Responsible for a Lyft Accident in Los Angeles?
A passenger can recover damages from the driver, Lyft, and / or one or more third parties. Your Los Angeles Lyft accident lawyer’s investigation into the accident will help determine who might share in the responsibility for your injuries and other damages.
The Lyft Driver
If the Lyft driver is at fault for the accident, it depends on whether the driver has the app on, whether the driver is picking you up, and whether you are in the vehicle. If the app is off and you are the driver, your insurance covers your injuries.
If a driver has their own commercial insurance, passengers injured in a Lyft accident will recover damages from the driver’s commercial coverage. Lyft’s insurance would cover anything the driver’s commercial coverage did not cover.
Lyft and Its Insurance
If the app is on, and you are the driver waiting for a ride request, Lyft has third-party liability insurance in instances where your insurance does not cover the accident. If the app is on, and the driver is picking up passengers or is actively driving a passenger somewhere, Lyft provides up to $1,000,000 for the driver and the passenger if a third party caused the accident. Lyft also has an uninsured/underinsured policy.
Lyft will only cover a passenger’s accident injuries if you are a passenger in a Lyft vehicle. It might cover you if the accident happens when you enter or leave your Lyft driver’s vehicle.
Third Parties
In accidents where a third party is wholly or partially at fault, you can recover damages from the third party. If the accident investigation determines that the Lyft driver was partially at fault, you could recover damages from the Lyft driver and the third party.
For example, if the Lyft driver hasn’t broken any traffic laws, including speeding, and another vehicle pulls out into the door of the Lyft vehicle, the person who pulled out is most likely fully responsible for the wreck, and you would sue that person.
However, if, in the same situation, the Lyft driver has a yield sign and ignores it, and the other driver T-bones the Lyft driver because the other driver did not come to a complete stop and look both ways, the Lyft driver and the person in the other vehicle could share responsibility for your injuries.
Types of Injuries Caused by Lyft Accidents
Depending on accident circumstances, you could suffer traumatic injuries, including:
Broken Bones
You could suffer from crushed or broken bones. In some cases, crushed bones might lead to amputation. Compound fractures, where the bone breaks the skin, usually require surgery. Simple fractures, where the bones do not protrude, sometimes do not need surgery if the bone is cracked. A full break usually requires surgery.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
If you hit your head in a Lyft accident, you could suffer traumatic brain injuries, including mild concussions or penetrating brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries sometimes heal quickly, but they usually take months or years to heal, if they heal at all.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries almost always need surgery, though most will heal well after surgery. If the accident damaged your heart or lungs, the injuries could heal but still have long-lasting effects, such as the inability to breathe without the assistance of oxygen.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Some spinal cord injuries could heal within weeks, but severe injuries might not heal at all, leaving you with partial or full paralysis, or at least the inability to have full use of part of your body. The areas of the body affected are usually below the spinal cord injury.
Finding the Best Los Angeles Lyft Accident Lawyer for You
If you suffered injuries in a Lyft accident, contact us right away for a free consultation and to learn more about your rights and recovering damages.
