Rideshare driving services, including Lyft, offer a convenient, relatively affordable option. Although Lyft and other rideshare companies claimed streets would be safer, rideshare drivers are just as prone to causing car accidents as the rest of the populace. New York rideshare accidents can cause devastating and even fatal injuries every year.
You may be entitled to compensation if you or your loved ones have been injured in a rideshare accident involving a negligent Lyft driver. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may have the right to pursue a claim through Lyft’s insurance coverage. Recovering compensation after being injured in a Lyft accident can be complex and challenging. Our Lyft accident attorneys are prepared to pursue the total compensation you need and deserve.
The Benefits of Hiring a Rideshare Accident Attorney to Handle My Lyft Accident Claim
Rideshare companies like Lyft often try to dodge responsibility when their drivers cause accidents that result in injuries. Although Lyft’s commercial insurance policy includes $1 million in liability coverage for car accidents, it’s common for insurance adjusters to deny victims’ claims outright or offer a compensation amount that is far too low.
Lyft and its insurance provider have teams of attorneys working to deny and limit victims’ claims for compensation. If you’ve been injured as a passenger in a Lyft driver’s vehicle, you may have difficulty contacting Lyft to report the loss. The at-fault driver or drivers and their insurance company frequently try to evade responsibility for accidents. They may shift blame to other drivers or to you, the victim.
Our Attorneys Level the Playing Field
Hiring an attorney allows victims to level the playing field and hold the at-fault party or parties responsible for their financial losses. The attorneys at Dell & Dean, PLLC have extensive experience negotiating aggressively with insurance adjusters. We know the tactics insurance companies use to deny paying victims the compensation they deserve. We also stay on top of New York laws regarding rideshare accidents that constantly shift with new regulations and technology.
New York’s Rideshare Insurance Laws
New York laws impose insurance requirements for ridesharing or transportation network companies that operate within the state. Specifically, recent amendments to the Vehicle and Traffic Law (“VTL”) Article 44-B include Uber and Lyft drivers as transportation network companies when logged into the app or when the driver is engaged in a pre-arranged trip. As a result, rideshare drivers are required to have minimum amounts of insurance coverage, including uninsured motorist coverage.
Lyft’s Insurance Coverage
Lyft provides insurance coverage when its drivers are actively involved in rideshare. The policy limits vary based on when the accident occurs. When a driver isn’t logged into the ridesharing app, victims cannot pursue a claim through Lyft’s insurance coverage. Instead, they must pursue a claim through the driver’s personal auto insurance policy. As mentioned above, drivers are required to carry minimum amounts of insurance coverage under New York law.
When a driver is logged into the Lyft application but has not yet accepted a trip, Lyft provides limited insurance coverage for $75,000 per person’s bodily injury or death, $150,000 per accident to cover bodily injury or death, and $25,000 for property damage. Lyft’s policy covers $25,000 for uninsured/underinsured motorists (UM) at this stage.
When the driver has accepted a ride until the driver has dropped the passenger off, Lyft provides higher levels of coverage for drivers and passengers. Lyft provides $1,250,000 for bodily injuries, death, and property damage. The policy also provides $1,250,000 for bodily injuries and death caused by uninsured or underinsured motorists. However, Lyft’s policy only allows $2,500 in coverage if the driver already has comprehensive collision coverage.
Lyft’s insurance companies are secondary to its driver’s personal insurance policy. Victims can only pursue damages from Lyft’s policy if the damages exceed the driver’s insurance company’s willingness to provide. An experienced attorney can help you develop a strategy to obtain the most compensation possible.
Proving Liability
As the victim of a rideshare accident, you must prove liability or fault to recover compensation through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. For example, if you are a passenger injured by your intoxicated Lyft driver, you must prove that your driver’s negligence caused the accident. If a third-party driver’s negligence caused a driver to collide with a Lyft driver’s vehicle, the Lyft driver and passenger can pursue compensation from the third-party driver.
In many cases, no single entity may be liable for an Uber or Lyft accident. According to New York’s comparative negligence rules, victims of rideshare accidents may have a right to hold multiple parties accountable for their injuries.
Our team of attorneys will thoroughly investigate your case and determine which party or parties can be held liable for your injuries. We will develop a strategy for recovering the most compensation possible. Holding multiple parties liable could increase the likelihood of obtaining suitable compensation. Liable parties may include the following:
- Uber or Lyft drivers
- Third-party drivers of other motor vehicles
- Pedestrians
- Bicyclists
- Pedestrians
- Transit companies
- Government companies
- Manufacturers or sellers of defective products that contributed to the accident
Damages Available for Victims of Lyft Accidents
Lyft accidents can cause life-altering injuries and loss of life. Although compensation may never be able to cover a victim’s pain and suffering fully. It can help victims move forward. Dell & Dean, PLLC will help you identify damages for which you can pursue compensation. Damages include, but aren’t limited to, the following:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Physical and mental suffering
- Disability and disfigurement
- Loss of income
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Loss of companionship
- Property damage
- Wrongful death
Discuss Your Case with a Long Island Rideshare Accident Attorney
Recovering compensation after being injured in a rideshare accident can be difficult. There are usually multiple parties and insurance companies involved. If you’ve been injured in a Lyft accident, the attorneys at Dell & Dean, PLLC are prepared to help you navigate the claims process while pursuing the total compensation you deserve. Don’t hesitate to contact Dell & Dean, PLLC to schedule an initial consultation.
Dell & Dean, PLLC handles claims throughout Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island as well as the boroughs of New York City, and the surrounding areas.
