Austell Lyft Accident Lawyer

A Lyft-involved car accident brings the same physical and emotional pain as a non-Lyft accident, along with the added complication of dealing with multiple insurance companies. If you or a loved one has been injured in a Lyft accident, protect your interests with the help of an Austell rideshare accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates.

How Lyft Ridesharing Works

Lyft rideshare vehicles are a convenience for commuters, tourists, or anyone who needs a ride from one place to another. Through an app, customers request a ride, a Lyft driver accepts the request, picking up and dropping the passengers at an agreed-upon location, and passengers pay for the service.  

According to recent data, most Austell commuters drive to work and, among U.S. residents, have a longer-than-average travel time. Lyft vehicles are bringing more cars to already crowded roads, and there is evidence that their presence has contributed to a rise in some types of traffic-related accidents. 

Though ordering and paying for a Lyft ride is simple, the aftermath of a Lyft-involved accident is not. Be sure to contact an Austell Lyft accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates if you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Lyft accident. Your lawyer will help you secure a fair settlement.

Consequences of a Lyft Accident

Car accident injuries can include, burns, spinal cord damage, nerve damage, scarring, amputations, broken bones, and head or brain trauma, among others.

Physical injuries bring emotional fallout as you may be hospitalized and cut off from friends and family for a time. You may experience anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You may even feel grief if the accident caused life-changing injuries leaving you with limited mobility and the inability to engage in the same activities you once did.

The accident may also bring property losses if your car, devices, luggage, or other belongings were damaged or wrecked. 

Damages You May Be Entitled to

A skilled lawyer from John Foy & Associates will fight to recover damages for what you have lost in the accident through a financial settlement. The settlement may include recovery of:

Costs of Medical Intervention

Seek medical attention for your injuries even if you do not think they are serious. The effects of some injuries, including brain trauma, show gradually. In delaying diagnosis and treatment, you could cause further harm. It is also more difficult to hold at-fault parties responsible for injuries that worsened because of delayed treatment.

Your lawyer will collect all medical bills and reports, your prognosis, and required future interventions, and pursue a financial award to cover all related expenses.

Property Loss

Property damaged or destroyed in the accident requires replacement or repair. Your Austell Lyft accident lawyer will evaluate these costs and seek compensation.

Financial Loss

Injuries that change your employment status change your financial status. You may be out of work for the short- or long-term but will still need to pay your bills and keep your household financially secure. 

If you have to hire caregivers for you or your loved one or for children you can no longer care for independently, your settlement may cover these additional expenses.

Diminished Quality of Life

Your lawyer will consider the intangible losses to your quality of life, including changes to your relationships, loss of companionship or affection, or other emotional sufferings, and seek a fair financial acknowledgment of those losses.

How a Lyft Accident Lawyer in Austell Will Help Secure Your Settlement

If you make an error in filing your claim or miss the statute of limitations, the court may dismiss your case. Your lawyer from John Foy & Associates will not make errors or miss deadlines and will collect the evidence necessary to build the strongest case possible. Should it be necessary to take your case to trial, your Lyft accident attorney in Austell will provide experienced representation in all proceedings.

Determining Negligence

To prove negligence, the plaintiff (the one filing the claim) must first prove the defendant owed them a duty of care. On the road, drivers are obligated to observe traffic laws and practice driving behaviors, preserving the safety of all who share the roadway. 

Then, the plaintiff has to prove the defendant breached that duty, and that the breach caused subsequent injury and loss to the plaintiff. If the plaintiff succeeds, the defendant, usually through their insurance, must offer compensation.

Proving negligence is not always easy. No party and no insurance company wants to admit negligence and have to pay out. When a Lyft vehicle and multiple insurances are involved, the process becomes more challenging.

Georgia’s Modified Comparative Fault Laws

Georgia is a fault state, which means those at fault for an accident are responsible for compensating victims. However, Georgia’s laws follow a modified comparative system, through which even injured parties can be found to hold some responsibility for the accident.

If injured parties bear more than 49% of the fault, they receive no settlement. If they are less than 49% at fault, their total settlement is reduced by the percentage of their fault. If they bear 10% responsibility, they receive 90% of the total settlement.

Those responsible for your injuries will attempt to elevate your degree of responsibility while lessening theirs, and insurance companies will work to convince you that a low settlement is the best you can expect. The most effective way to protect your interests is to have them represented by the Strong Arm of Georgia, who will not be intimidated or convinced by such dishonesty.

Lyft Insurance 

While Lyft drivers have the Lyft app activated, they are covered in some way by Lyft insurance:

• For drivers awaiting dispatch, Lyft provides coverage for third-party injuries or property damage but does not cover the Lyft driver or car.
• For drivers heading to a pickup or transporting passengers, Lyft offers third-party coverage as well as first-party coverage.

When they do not have the app activated, off-the-clock Lyft drivers are covered by their personal car insurance. Accidents often fall into gray areas, and it is not uncommon for insurance companies to seize upon those areas to deflect blame or start prolonged battles claiming the “other” company should pay, all while you suffer without financial resources. To ensure you are treated fairly, leave the negotiations to your lawyer from John Foy & Associates. 

Scheduling a Consultation Is Easy

To schedule your free consultation with an Austell Lyft accident attorney, visit John Foy & Associates’ contact page. We will give your case the attention it deserves. Do not worry about costs. You will not pay for our services until you receive a settlement.