Hanford residents never hesitate to open up a rideshare app when they need to get across town. They can hail a Lyft for a ride over to Centennial Park or over to the College of the Sequoias’ Campus.
You may not be doing the driving, but you still have to be concerned about your safety. Are Lyft drivers being cautious or are they constantly looking down and checking their phone? Are they obeying traffic laws, or rushing around so they can move on to their next customer?
Those distracted moments for rideshare drivers are when collisions can occur. You may be hit by one of Lyft’s drivers or you may be inside the Lyft car when you are knocked around by an impact. Your injuries will be your first worry, but later you may worry over just who is liable for your injuries? The driver? The rideshare they drive for?
If you’ve been hurt, don’t hesitate to ask a Rideshare Law Accident Attorney for help. Contact us for a free, no-obligation evaluation of your case.
Hanford Lyft Drivers and Insurance Issues in an Accident
Lyft does carry accident insurance for its drivers and their victims, but it only comes into play in certain cases and you’ll first have to jump through some hoops to access it.
Lyft will first direct you to their drivers after an accident. You’ll have to file a claim on the Lyft driver’s personal insurance policy. It’s anyone’s guess if this will earn you compensation because insurance companies don’t always agree to cover their policyholders when they are driving for a rideshare service.
If that claim is dismissed, Lyft may provide coverage if the accident happened while the Lyft driver was logged into the app (on-the-job). If a driver is logged in but doesn’t have a customer request when the crash occurs, Lyft offers $100,000 total injury liability per accident, and $25,000 property damage liability is provided.
For accidents that happen after the driver has accepted a ride request or had the passenger in the car, Lyft could dole out up to one million dollars in liability insurance and one million dollars in uninsured/ under-insured motorist coverage. The million-dollar coverage ends when the passenger has left the car.
In some instances, Lyft may deny liability but an experienced attorney can try a few more strategies to force them to take responsibility for their driver’s mistake. An investigation into things like the driver’s past record, Lyft’s background checks, and safety training can all discredit Lyft and its policies. Otherwise, you may be left to depend on your own insurance policy’s uninsured motorist coverage.
Common Injuries in Hanford Lyft Accidents
The question of who can be held liable in a rideshare collision can be of great importance because your injuries can be so devastating. The damage can affect your quality of life in the decades to come.
Whether you’re in your truck when a Lyft driver hits you, you’re a passenger in a Lyft car at the time, or you are a pedestrian hit by a Lyft car, your injuries may affect you long after your insurance claim is settled. You and your attorney will need to anticipate your needs now and any medical care that could be needed down the road.
Here are some of the most common injuries documented by doctors after a car accident:
- Brain Injuries: Head injuries can lead to life-threatening concussions or even claim your short or long-term memories.
- Broken Bones: Fractures commonly occur in the force of a collision with a steering wheel or a door. Healing these breaks can require surgery and a lengthy schedule of physical therapy.
- Neck injuries: Thoracic Spine Injury (whiplash) can have long-lasting effects on a victim’s life. Nerve damage can also result.
- Soft tissue injuries: Impacts can bruise and tear muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The tissue that keeps organs in place can also be torn.
- Airbag and Seatbelt Injuries: These safety devices can protect you in a crash, but sometimes the forces are so great the impact with a bag or belt can do damage. These devices can also malfunction in a crash, opening up the manufacturer to liability in your accident.
Contact a Hanford Lyft Accident Attorney
A collision can permanently change the entire way you go about life. You and your family could have to learn new ways of doing things around the house to adjust to a disability. A serious injury can flare back up years after the incident and require a new surgery.
That’s why it’s important to get everything you’ll need in compensation right from the start. You may not get another chance. A rideshare attorney can help you build your case and file a claim for damages against a rideshare driver and if necessary the company they work for.
If our Hanford Rideshare Accident Lawyers represent you for your accident case against Lyft, we will use every resource available to win. Contact us for a free, confidential consultation and case evaluation.
