Lyft doesn’t protect its drivers. As bold as this statement may sound, it’s likely not the first time you’ve heard of a ten-ton gorilla not looking out for its employees.
If you’re a Lyft driver or passenger, you might want to learn about your legal rights before you take a ride next time.
While any motorist can get into an accident, Lyft drivers are more vulnerable – they have to get you from point A to B quickly, which can impair their driving. Plus, Lyft doesn’t cover them for damages, so they are liable for accidents.
Besides customer satisfaction, additional pressures on Lyft drivers create hazardous driving conditions. This is based on facts as per research conducted by the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft have increased the number of serious and fatal road accidents by 2 to 3%.
Now that we have your attention, have you ever been involved in an accident during a ride? If yes, get a Florida Lyft accident lawyer from Madalon Law in your corner.
Created in 2007, Zimride is a ride-sharing service that focused on lengthy rides. It used the Facebook Connect application to connect passengers and drivers. Zimride continued to grow until it became the largest ride-sharing service in the nation.
Created by John Zimmer and Logan Green, the founders of Zimride, Lyft was introduced in 2012. Lyft began as an on-demand ride-sharing service for shorter trips. Like Zimride, the app connects drivers with people needing rides. Drivers and passengers are both able to rate each other with a five-star scale rating system.
You deserve compensation if any of the following reasons caused your accident and injuries:
Speeding
Ridesharing apps charge passengers a specific amount per trip, time, and mileage. But if your journey is short, that means less money for the driver. The more trips they complete, the more money they make. The higher the speed, the more chances they have of getting into accidents.
Add surge times and the pressure to complete as many rides as possible to earn more increases. Uber gives drivers bonuses for completing a specific number of trips per day. It’s no wonder drivers speed to get to their next passenger!
Tired Drivers
Ride-hailing services don’t pay well. Even if you add surge times and tips from generous passengers, most drivers do Lyft part-time and make ends meet with other jobs. Remember, Lyft doesn’t give them health insurance, so they have to pay for it themselves. Naturally, they can cover those costs by grabbing as many fares as possible. In other words, the Lyft driver who picks you up was probably on the road for 11 straight hours.
The result? Exhausted drivers who can veer into other motorists, pedestrians, or worse with you in the back seat!
Unfamiliar Destinations
If your driver is unfamiliar with the drop-off area or it is miles away from their usual haunts, they can get into accidents. If they take up a ride with a fare long enough to cover their daily target fare, unfamiliar roads can throw them for a loop. Accident chances increase if they try to get you to your destination quickly.
Distracted Driving
Unfamiliar roads can also distract Lyft drivers as they spend more time squinting at Google Maps than on the road and traffic. Besides this, they may also be distracted by new ride messages on the app. In their eagerness to accept as many rides as possible, your safety is the last thing on their minds. They can run red lights, fail to yield, or face other traffic violations that can cause accidents.
Intoxicated Drivers
Like all ride-hailing apps, Lyft has a zero-tolerance policy for drunk or impaired drivers. But that doesn’t mean drivers don’t indulge in drugs or alcohol at all. Florida has the 16th highest number of drunk driving fatalities in the US, and inebriated Lyft and Uber drivers are part of that statistic.
The scary thing is that you may not even realize your Lyft driver is drunk or high on drugs till it is too late.
Unsafe Parking or Pickup Locations
It can happen to the best of us. You are running late for a meeting, and your Lyft is on the other side of the street. Drivers often don’t park in safe spots since they expect easy pickups and quick drop-offs.
However, this means they either partially or entirely block the road or an intersection. Anyone can ram into the car from behind, or you may get hit while entering or exiting the vehicle.
Improper Vehicle Maintenance
Ridesharing services have initial vehicle maintenance policies. But drivers still need to catch up with maintenance. Remember, this is not their only job. Many have several jobs to cover basic needs such as bills, food, mortgages, college debts, etc. Car maintenance is usually at the bottom of their priority list.
The result? Faulty brakes, neglected engines, cracked mirrors, and other issues can increase their chances of serious accidents.
Poor Weather Conditions
Conditions that aren’t in your control can also increase the chances of Lyft accidents. But that doesn’t mean drivers cannot be held liable. Some include:
Rain and Snow/Ice
Slick roads can make speeding cars hydroplane out of control. This happens when a thin layer of water or ice underneath the tires eliminates traction. If your Lyft driver is speeding, they can skid out of control and into other vehicles. The car can also roll over in worse-case scenarios, leading to catastrophic injuries.
However, heavy rain or snowfall can limit visibility and cause other hazards. A careful driver with a well-maintained vehicle can avoid such risks. But an accident is imminent if the vehicle’s wipers don’t work or get stuck or the windshield is damaged. Since ridesharing services don’t cover complete car maintenance, the chances of this happening increase.
High Winds
Strong winds can push a Lyft vehicle off the road, making control difficult. An inexperienced driver can panic and swerve wildly, making the vehicle rollover or crash. A strong wind gust can tip over large SUVs or other Lyft vehicles with a high center of gravity.
If you or a loved one sustained injuries in a Lyft accident, contact a Madalon Law Lyft accident lawyer today. We can help you hold the driver accountable and recover damages.
Rideshare passengers usually suffer from polytrauma, i.e., multiple trauma and injuries. This can include:
Blunt Force Trauma
If your Lyft driver slams on the brakes while speeding to avoid collisions, you can slam into the seat in front of you, the dashboard, or even the windshield. The result is blunt force trauma, i.e., serious impact from a blunt object that doesn’t penetrate the skin. Even the airbag can cause blunt force trauma.
Penetration Trauma
Splintered windshield glass and metal from a rideshare accident can penetrate the skin, causing this trauma. In fact, anything in the car is a potential projectile. If the Lyft driver slams into another vehicle or obstacle at full speed, you can get stabbed by flying objects.
Internal Trauma
Remember that only bones, muscle, and flesh protect our organs. So they can get injured in a serious accident. For example, if the Lyft car decelerates rapidly, the seat belt can dig into you with enough force to cause internal injuries. The scary part is that you may not even realize you are injured! So ensure you get a complete checkup right after the accident, even if you think it’s minor.
Common Injuries in Lyft Accidents
Lyft accident victims can get severe or minor injuries depending on the accident type. Some of the main ones include:
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
This can range from a mild concussion to severe brain damage, which can prove fatal or cause paralysis. Even moderate TBIs can impair speech, physical abilities, and emotional health. In fact, the symptoms can remain for a long time, reducing your quality of life. During this time, you may need work accommodations, which may reduce your salary.
Common Symptoms
Whiplash
A sideways or even a frontal collision can snap your head back and forth violently. When this happens, the neck’s sensitive and complex ligament, nerve, and muscle structure hyperextends. The result is tears or sprain, which causes pain and stiffness. These are whiplash injuries.
Common Symptoms
Bone Fractures
Your arms, legs, feet, and head can get fractured in a high-speed collision. For example, if you throw up your arms to shield against the impact, the bones may still break from the impact. The severity of the fracture depends on location and injury type.
Common Symptoms
Lacerations
Rideshare accidents often leave people with cuts, called lacerations. These cuts can be caused by broken glass, debris flying around during the crash, or the impact. How bad the cut is depends on how deep, how big it is, and its location. Minor cuts might bleed a little, sting, and make the area around it red. But deeper cuts can bleed a lot, expose the tissues underneath, and hurt.
Common Symptoms
These are just a few of the injuries a Lyft accident can cause. Ensure you have a medical record of each one sustained for maximum compensation. That is precisely what your Florida Lyft accident attorney will advise. Your symptoms, diagnoses, and even medical treatments can strengthen your case.
Getting the compensation you deserve after a Lyft or Uber accident in can be confusing. Here’s a breakdown of who might be responsible for damages:
When the App is Off: If the driver wasn’t logged into the Lyft app when the crash, their car insurance will handle any damages.
When the App is On – No Passenger: While the driver is logged into the app but doesn’t have a passenger yet, some insurance coverage may be available for other drivers involved.
When the App is On – With a Passenger: The most comprehensive coverage applies when the driver is transporting a passenger. This covers both passenger injuries and damage caused to other vehicles.
Beyond Insurance: In most cases, the Lyft driver is responsible for the accident. However, their liability can extend to the rideshare company in certain situations.
Faulty Driver Screening: If Lyft failed to screen the driver properly and missed disqualifying information (e.g., felonies, DUIs), they may be partially liable for the accident. This could include felonies, DUIs, hit-and-run misdemeanors, violent crime convictions, lewdness convictions, or driving with a suspended license.
If you’ve been injured in a Lyft or rideshare in Florida, speaking with a qualified lawyer is crucial. At Madalon Law, we can help you determine who is liable for your damages and ensure you receive fair compensation for injuries.
A Lyft or rideshare accident can cause severe injuries and, in turn, financial stress as you try to cover medical bills. While insurance coverage is there, that doesn’t mean the company isn’t liable for more damages. Some ways a Lyft accident lawyer can help include:
Investigating the Driving Screening Process
Rideshare insurance doesn’t limit your options. A skilled Lyft accident lawyer can explore various liability avenues to maximize compensation. One such avenue is investigating the rideshare company’s driver screening process. If the company fails to uncover disqualifying information about the driver (e.g., DUIs, felonies), they may be partially liable for the accident.
Building Your Case
To establish liability and secure fair compensation, your lawyer will document the following losses:
Determining Additional Losses
Beyond medical bills and car repairs, you may be eligible for compensation for a variety of losses, including:
Additional Considerations: The compensation you may get depends on case specifics. For example, if a loved one dies due to a Lyft or Uber accident, you can pursue a wrongful death claim. The claim can cover final medical expenses, funeral and burial costs, and financial support loss from the deceased.
I don’t have PIP Insurance. What do I do?
You may get compensation even without Personal Injury Protection (PIP). That’s because all registered Florida vehicles must have this insurance so your vehicle may be covered. Incidentally, some rideshare companies offer limited medical expense coverage for passengers without personal auto insurance. However, these amounts are often insufficient to cover the high medical costs of severe injuries.
What do I do right after a Rideshare accident?
The aftermath can be devastating whether you are involved in a Lyft or Uber accident. However, quick and decisive action can ensure maximum compensation. Ensure a smooth claims process with these steps:
Who is responsible for vehicle maintenance in rideshare services?
Drivers are solely responsible for vehicle maintenance. Remember, they are just independent contractors, not Lyft employees. They use personal vehicles for passengers, so they are liable for maintenance issues that cause accidents. While rideshare companies have maintenance standards, car type, and age limit them.
Additionally, the services also have maximum mileage restrictions, but the driver is usually liable for accidents caused by poor maintenance. But don’t worry. In Florida, all drivers must have extra car insurance, and rideshare companies must provide additional coverage to drivers. This means compensation chances are high.
When should I take legal action after a Lyft accident?
Don’t wait to take action after a Lyft or rideshare accident. You have two years from the accident date to file your lawsuit. This applies to both personal injury claims for your injuries and wrongful death claims if you tragically lose a loved one in the accident. Contact a Florida Lyft accident lawyer as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on compensation, as Florida is quite strict with its deadlines.
Do I need to go to court for a Lyft accident claim?
Unlikely. Most Lyft or rideshare accidents can be settled amicably out of court. A Florida Lyft accident attorney will negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurance company on your behalf. They aim to ensure a fair settlement covering medical costs, pain/suffering, and lost wages. However, their opponents won’t back down without a fight.
The insurance company will try to deny your claim or reduce the owed amount. Your attorney can counter their arguments with proof. However, litigation may be necessary if they cannot reach a decision.
Remember, an experienced Florida car accident attorney can increase your chances of a successful outcome without a courtroom battle.
Ther Madalon Law Lyft accident lawyers in Florida have been representing victims for years. We understand the challenges of confronting rideshare companies and can fight for the coverage you deserve.
Don’t back down without a fight! You shouldn’t have to cover medical bills you have no business covering. We can hold negligent parties accountable on your behalf.
Uber and Lyft both provide $1 million of liability insurance, but you should hire an attorney to make sure you are getting the actual compensation you deserve. The Florida Lyft accident attorneys of Madalon Law fight for the rights of the injured in Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and the Entire State of Florida.
Most people are not aware of how the law works, the rights they have and the amount of compensation they can be entitled to after they have been injured in an accident that was the result of another party’s negligence. The obstacles and confusion that follow an accident and an injury can seem overwhelming.
