California Lyft Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car crash with a Lyft or any other rideshare vehicle, the experienced California car accident lawyers at Bisnar Chase can help you better understand your legal rights and options. It can be quite challenging for those involved in a crash with a Lyft vehicle to grasp the complexity of liability and accountability issues involved.
Our experienced Lyft accident lawyers have more than 35 years of experience representing the rights of seriously injured accident victims and their families. Contact us to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights. Call 1-800-561-4887 for a free consultation.
What is Lyft and How Does It Work?
Lyft is a rideshare application. Ridesharing is gaining in popularity with increase in fuel prices and the cost of auto insurance. Lyft is an application that you can use for finding rides. A user gets on the application and requests the ride. The Lyft driver picks him or her up. The passenger pays the Lyft driver after arriving the destination.
While the service is a good way for drivers who have some extra time or are headed in the same direction as another person who is in need of a ride to make some quick cash, there is always the danger of a car crash and the question of who is liable.
While Lyft has insisted on many occasions that they have extensive coverage in the event that one of the drivers gets into an accident, it is critical to make sure that the coverage actually applies to your specific situation.
It is important to remember that the average personal car insurance policy will not cover damages that occur during commercial use. And auto insurance companies often view ridesharing as "commercial use."
Will Lyft's Policy Cover Damages?
When you look at a typical auto insurance policy, it will cover carpooling, which is defined as several passengers in the same car, going to a common location and sharing the cost.
However, when an individual begins to make a profit from driving people around, it becomes a commercial venture and therefore necessary to get commercial auto insurance, similar to an insurance policy cab drivers have.
If you are injured in an accident while riding a Lyft car, the insurance company might deny your claim because they will not cover damages for an accident that occurred when the vehicle was being used for commercial purposes.
There is also the question of whether Lyft's policy will pay for any damages. The terms of the policy state that coverage is "limited to liability and does not pay for any collision, comprehensive or other types of damage."
What this essentially means is that that Lyft driver could be held personally responsible for any injuries and damages that occur as he or she is transporting passengers.
When a Lyft driver is in "Driver Mode," but has not picked up a passenger, then Lyft provides what it calls contingent liability insurance. This insurance applies when the Lyft driver's insurance is not available. This contingent liability coverage is $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for personal injury, and $25,000 per accident for property damage.
If you or someone you love has been involved in a Lyft vehicle, it is important to file a police report and get a copy for your records. You also report the accident to Lyft. The claims phone number for Lyft is 855-865-9553.
It is very important to exercise caution when it comes to what you tell claims adjusters, regardless of whether they are with Lyft or work for an insurance company. Remember, anything you say could and probably will be used against you during the claims process.
In addition to reporting the incident to Lyft, you should also report it to your own insurance company. In some case, particularly if the driver does not have proper insurance coverage, you may be able to seek damages through the uninsured motorist clause of your own auto insurance policy. But, you may not be able to do that if you don't report the incident to your insurance company right away.
Protecting Your Rights
If you have been injured in a crash involving a Lyft vehicle, be sure to get prompt medical attention and treatment. Save all receipts, invoices and paperwork relating to expenses you have incurred as a result of the accident and your injuries.
Contact an experienced Lyft car accident lawyer who will help protect your rights every step of the way and secure maximum compensation for your losses.
Call Bisnar Chase at 800- 561-4887 for a no-cost consultation and case assessment.
Other Service Locations for Car Accidents
Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys 1301 Dove St. #120 Newport Beach, CA 92660
