Atwater residents can be pulled in many different directions when they wake up each morning. They may need to head into Turlock or Merced for a meeting. Their stomachs may pull them towards the Applegate Ranch Shopping area for some retail therapy or an early lunch.
There are a lot of destinations and a lot of choices for how to get there. Some people keep their Lyft apps open in case they need a ride. Those Lyft drivers can show up just when you need them, but the rideshare craze has also put a lot of extra traffic on the roads. It’s handy when you need a lift, but not ideal when you meet a distracted Lyft driver in the lanes, threatening to land you in a collision.
Assistance for Atwater Victims In Lyft Accidents
You probably haven’t considered what happens if you are struck by a Lyft driver in another vehicle, on a motorcycle, as a pedestrian or bicyclist. You might even be a passenger when a collision occurs. It’s a vehicle accident, but that driver works for a billion-dollar company. So how does that affect you getting the help you need after a serious accident and injury?
With a rideshare giant involved these cases can be anything but clearcut. That’s why it’s important to seek the help of a rideshare accident lawyer serving Merced County. Your accident case may force you to file an injury claim with several different insurance firms. The one thing for sure is that any insurance company you deal with will be trying to avoid blame and be working furiously to get out of paying you compensation. Contact our attorneys for a free evaluation of your Lyft accident case and find out what your best move will be.
Lyft Dangerous Drivers Around Atwater
You could be late for a shift over in the International Trade District or be on the way to an outdoor event at the Bloss Mansion or taking the kids over to the Castle Air Museum when you see a driver moving about recklessly or carelessly. Atwater roads can get busy during the major rushes of the day, but those traffic obstacles only increase with the fleet of rideshare drivers who frequent the busiest routes through Atwater day and night.
Lyft drivers do almost everything from behind the wheel and their decisions can be more about securing and pleasing a customer than operating a vehicle safely. You might have seen a rideshare or delivery car proceeding recklessly or workers driving on the line as they take a peek at their phones.
The cellphone can be the biggest distraction temptation for any driver, but for Lyft employees it’s their lifeline to getting, finding, and charging passengers.
These are just a few of the traffic dangers that arise when rideshare workers are tied to their phones:
- Notification Tones: Lyft drivers get that audio notification of a customer requesting a ride nearby. It probably guarantees at least two or three long looks at a screen. With each glance, the car they are operating can be travel dozens of feet without an eye on the road.
- Locating the Rider: GPS location assistance is a lifesaver, but we all know that you can still end up squinting at street signs trying to figure out where your phone is telling you to turn. A Lyft vehicle may be slowing down as drivers try to figure out what parking lot a rider is waiting in. They may also miss a light changing ahead. They could rear-end you as you bring your car or motorcycle to a stop. They may not see a pedestrian entering a crosswalk.
- Passenger Cellphone Distraction: Customers can change their pick-up location, cancel their ride, or message a driver for some other reason. It’s all extra incentive to lose focus on the roads.
- Other Rideshare Apps – If working from a Lyft app wasn’t enough, some drivers also drive for Uber at the same time to maximize their earning potential. This can add another app, with more notifications and more glances at a phone, and fewer glances at the lanes ahead.
Does Lyft pay compensation to victims?
Lyft does have insurance coverage to protect the company when drivers make mistakes on the road, but if you’re in a collision you won’t get to seek help from Lyft first.
Since Lyft employees are designated as contract workers they must carry their own car insurance policy. That policy is called upon first and whatever doesn’t get covered by the driver’s provider (if they cover anything) Lyft can then be called upon to supplement the help you receive.
If the driver’s car insurance agent refuses to cover any of your hospital costs and missed time at work or only pays part of the damages, then Lyft can step forward. They have up to one million dollars in coverage for accidents caused by their drivers, but it can only be called upon in certain circumstances.
If an accident happened while a Lyft employee had a passenger or was on the way to pick-up a driver at the time of a crash then that million-dollar policy can apply. If the driver was in a phase of a shift where he or she was just waiting to get a ride request the maximum accident coverage can be considerably less.
Contact a Lyft Accident Lawyer in Atwater
In accidents involving Lyft, it’s a possibility that neither the driver’s nor Lyft’s insurance will offer support. In these cases, you might have to file against your own insurance policy’s uninsured/underinsured coverage to get compensation.
No matter how many insurance companies are involved, it’s important to protect yourself and your family by having an attorney watching over every communication you receive from insurance agents. Insurance companies can be purposely confusing or even deceitful all to try to get you to accept lowball settlement offers for your injury.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury caused by a Lyft employee don’t hesitate to contact a rideshare accident attorney for a free consultation on the facts of your case. If you were struck by a rideshare driver or were a passenger in a Lyft car and were injured, we can help you.
