When a Lyft driver is paying more attention to their phone, their passenger, or the radio, they can cause a major accident on Visalia streets. If you have been injured in an accident involving a Lyft driver, contact us today.

Lyft Accidents in Visalia

People travel through and across Visalia at all hours. The one thing Central Valley residents would likely not request is more traffic. Yet, that’s what happens every time someone taps a rideshare or delivery app. They add another car, truck, or van to the gridlock that appears every morning on local roads.

If you are someone who still drives your own vehicle, it may be impossible for you to miss all of the people alongside you that seem to be worrying about a pick-up or delivery more than the road ahead. Drivers for companies like Lyft, make many lives easier, but that convenience can come at the cost of safety in the lanes for every other motorist.

Lyft Driver Accident Hazards on Visalia Roads

Imagine being a rideshare worker and getting a request for a ride in a part of town you’re unfamiliar with. You might have to look over the details of the request before you accept it. You’d have to start your mapping app. You’d check each street sign to make sure you were on the right path. You might even have to check an alert when the rider changes his or her mind. Now imagine doing all this from behind the wheel.

Now imagine you are a normal driver on the way to work and a distracted Lyft driver is suddenly pulling over on you, or perhaps failing to stop at a stop sign. You may be unable to avoid a collision and you could end up with some serious injuries.

Once your injuries are stabilized, the question now becomes how will you pay for the stack of hospital bills that have piled up. What’s more, you have your other costs of living to cover, all while you may be losing paychecks at work because you can’t make it in. All of this worry is over an accident that wasn’t your fault.

Will the driver who caused the accident help you or will Lyft step forward and take responsibility for their employee? A local attorney can assist you in sorting through the possibilities to find the best path for getting fair compensation for your injuries.

What to do after a Lyft Accident in Visalia

If you are injured in an accident with a rideshare driver you can probably guess how much responsibility a giant company like Lyft wants to accept. Zero.

They will do their best to keep the blame squarely on the driver and try to shed all liability. For this reason, it’s important to collect as much evidence at the accident scene as possible. You’ll need to prove the driver’s and Lyft’s negligence.

If you determine you are safe and are able, attempt to document these details:

• Call 911. Give a full account to investigators so that the police report can be used as key evidence later. Mention the fact that the responsible driver works for Lyft.
• Get information from any witnesses on the scene including any passengers that may be in the Lyft car. Make sure you know where to locate them later.
• Take photos. Get images of the vehicles involved, any of your visible injuries, and street signs. Tell the story of the accident in photos. Mark any signage that identifies the vehicle and employee as being a part of Lyft.
• Grab your dashcam. If you happen to have a dashcam that recorded what happened, make sure you take it before your car is towed away. You may not see your car again for weeks.
• Trade information with the Lyft driver, but don’t make any statements about the accident to the driver or anyone representing Lyft.
• Make an appointment with your doctor. Get full documentation on all injuries.

Lyft Insurance Coverage in Accidents

Lyft does carry accident insurance coverage for collisions, but their coverage only applies during certain work phases.

Also, your claim for damages will first be directed at the Lyft driver’s own car insurance policy. The claim may be denied because some insurance companies won’t cover motorists if they find out their policyholders drive for a rideshare.

If a claim is denied or the insurance company doesn’t provide enough compensation for injuries, then Lyft can be targeted in a civil lawsuit. Lyft covers drivers and victims with up to one million dollars in liability coverage so long as at the time of the crash the driver was on the way to pick up a passenger or had the passenger in the vehicle. They provide less coverage if the driver is logged into the app but doesn’t have a ride request at the time of the accident.

Compensation for Visalia Victims in Accidents with Lyft Drivers

A victim in an accident in California is allowed up to two years to file a claim for damages. In cases involving Lyft, waiting years to file this civil lawsuit isn’t recommended. Important evidence can be lost the longer you wait. Also, a big company like Lyft may take a long time to respond to a claim.

If your lawsuit is successful, you can expect help with many of the hardships you’ve faced since the accident and any expenses you’re expecting in the future. Ambulance fees and medical bills can be reimbursed as well as missed time from work. Extreme physical and emotional pain can also be compensated.