Forest Park
Forest Park Lyft Accident Lawyer

Many people love using ridesharing companies like Lyft. They are both inexpensive and very convenient. But what happens when you get into a Lyft car accident?

Accidents involving ridesharing companies can be very complicated, owing to the insurance process involved in Lyft accidents. An experienced personal injury attorney from John Foy & Associates can help you seek restitution for your injuries.

What to Do After a Lyft Accident

If you get involved in a Lyft accident, follow these steps immediately to protect your rights:

1. Call the police right away. They need to come to the accident scene to determine who is at fault and make an official police report.
2. Note the make and model of all vehicles involved in the accident, including, without limitation, the license plate numbers and the personal information of everyone at the accident scene.
3. Take lots of picture evidence. Take pictures of the damage to the vehicle, injuries sustained, and weather or road conditions that may have led to the accident.
4. Write a brief explanation of the condition of the Lyft driver at the time of the accident.

If you have sustained injuries because of a Lyft driver’s negligence, you may be confused about the best way to proceed. While the insurance coverage involving car accidents is usually complicated, another layer of complication is added to Lyft accidents.

Lyft Passenger Rights

Following a Lyft accident, you must first get to the root of what happened to protect your rights and make a viable injury claim. This is why you should hire a Lyft accident attorney in Forest Park immediately after your accident. A Lyft accident lawyer in Forest Park can carry out a thorough investigation of your case.

Lyft Passenger Insurance Coverage

Lyft has a one million dollar insurance policy for when a driver gets into an accident with a passenger on board. However, this coverage only applies if the driver’s app was on during the accident and you had made your request through the app. The insurance coverage will further apply if the Lyft driver caused the accident. 

Your attorney will first need to establish whether the driver’s app was on when the accident happened. This will determine the insurance coverage you may be entitled to as a passenger.

Lyft Driver Rights

As a Lyft driver, you should know your rights to benefit from the company’s insurance coverage. Lyft insurance provides coverage for the driver if another driver is at fault, but they are not insured. This is known as the underinsured motorist coverage. However, it is important to keep in mind that a lot of investigation has to be done before you can be awarded this compensation.

Lyft Driver Insurance Coverage

Like for passengers, Lyft offers one-million-dollar insurance coverage for the driver if they had a passenger at the time of the accident. As mentioned, the insurance coverage will only apply if the driver was operating in the scope of their duties at the time of the accident.

Can I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit Against Lyft?

Most people wonder if they can sue Lyft after getting into an accident. First, it is important to note that it can be very complicated to sue Lyft directly because the drivers are considered independent contractors and not employees. That said, it does not mean that you cannot make a case against Lyft.

While ridesharing companies like Lyft are not strictly regulated, they have some essential driver qualification criteria. Standard pre-qualification criteria include not having a criminal history and having a valid driver’s license.

One way of winning a case against Lyft is to prove that the company failed to abide by its standards by either hiring or retaining an unfit driver, which led to your accident. However, you cannot do this alone. You should hire an experienced personal injury attorney from John Foy & Associates. The lawyer will help you gather documents to prove your claims.

How a Lyft Accident Attorney from John Foy & Associates Can Help You

An experienced John Foy & Associates accident attorney will offer you a number of services to assist you in getting compensation for your injuries. In addition to helping you determine liability, your Forest Park Lyft accident lawyer will help you calculate the value of your claim. Here are other services a John Foy & Associates personal injury attorney can offer you:

Negotiating with the Insurance Provider

Immediately after you hire a personal injury attorney, they will handle all communication with the at-fault party’s insurer to protect you from being bullied by the insurance company into accepting a substandard settlement. The primary goal of your attorney will be to fight for you to get maximum compensation for your injuries.

Collecting Evidence

Your attorney will help you gather the following pieces of evidence:

• Eyewitness reports
• Photos of your injuries and any damage to property
• The police report
• Medical records

Litigation

Most Lyft accident claims are resolved out of court. However, litigation is a viable option when the at-fault party’s insurer fails to pay the claim or does not provide a reasonable offer.

Claiming Damages

Your attorney will help you claim both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages can include lost wages, medical expenses, and property damage. Non-economic damages include compensation for pain and suffering and psychological trauma.

The Statute of Limitations Following a Forest Park Lyft Accident

Lyft accidents fall under personal injury claims, which offer victims a maximum of two years from the time of the accident to file their claim. While there are some exceptions to this law, these are very rare. You should file your claim as soon as possible to lower the risk of having your claim dismissed.

Contact John Foy & Associates Today for a Free Case Consultation 

If you need help with a Forest Park Lyft accident claim, schedule a free appointment with a Forest Park Lyft accident attorney today. Our skilled and experienced attorney can evaluate your options and fight for you to get maximum compensation for your damages.
You should not have to bear the financial burden of an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Contact us to talk to an experienced and dedicated legal representative.