Lyft Accident Attorney in Pompano Beach, FL

If Your Lyft Ride Ended in a Crash, Start Here

After suffering physical or emotional trauma in a Lyft rideshare accident, it’s important to understand your rights. Failing to act immediately could result in fewer options available to you. The first thing you should do is contact a Lyft crash lawyer. At Long & Jean, we’re on standby and ready to assist.

One of the primary reasons people do not seek legal help is financial constraints. Our law firm believes accident victims shouldn’t have to worry about such things when facing stress, trauma, and confusion after a collision. That’s why we offer free consultations and work on a contingency-fee basis.

Because a person’s income should never prevent them from seeking justice.

Quick Claim Checks and Immediate Next Steps

At Long & Jean, we’ll review your case, free of charge. We’ll help you understand whether you have a valid claim that’s worth pursuing. You won’t pay a dime to learn whether you’re entitled to significant compensation.

Our Lyft accident lawyers in Pompano Beach will help you understand what you should do next. Every action you take following a rideshare accident can affect the outcome of your claim. And if you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid.

We’ll discuss what you can expect from the process and how you should move forward.

Who May Be Liable in a Lyft Collision

In most automobile accidents, only two parties can be held liable. This would be the driver of each vehicle involved. However, this changes when a collision involves a rideshare driver. Things get even more complicated if other third parties (e.g., pedestrians, cyclists) are involved. However, liability rules are consistent for everyone.

For someone to be liable for a collision, the following four elements must exist:

• Duty of care: This means someone has a responsibility to avoid actions that could harm others
• Breach of duty: A violation of duty occurs when someone acts (or fails to act) in a way that could harm others
• Causation: Liability typically exists when a breach of duty directly causes an accident
• Damages: A liable party is only financially liable if actual damages occurred linked to their breach of duty

Whether you were injured as a Lyft passenger or a pedestrian just crossing the street, you may be entitled to compensation. Unfortunately, dealing with insurance companies and legal requirements can make a difficult time even worse. That’s why the Pompano Beach Lyft accident lawyers at Long & Jean are here to help.

Let us take on this burden so you can focus on recovery.

Passenger Claims, Other Drivers, Pedestrians, and Shared Fault

Assigning liability to a Lyft collision requires looking at what all parties were doing at the time of the incident. Passenger claims are the most typical outcome in these cases. Unless a passenger engaged in reckless behavior that caused a collision (e.g., harassing the driver), they’re very unlikely to be at fault.

Oftentimes, it’s Lyft that will be financially responsible when its drivers cause an accident. However, liability shifts if another motorist is the cause of a collision. Pedestrians may also find themselves at fault if they’re jaywalking, but a pedestrian injured by a Lyft driver will often be able to recover compensation from Lyft.

There are also situations where multiple parties share some degree of fault. Perhaps a pedestrian was jaywalking, and a Lyft driver was texting behind the wheel. Perhaps another motorist was speeding, but the rideshare driver failed to yield the right of way. Clearly, these cases can be complex. That’s why you need a Lyft accident lawyer in Pompano Beach, FL on your side.

Insurance Coverage: What Applies When

Dealing with insurance issues after a car accident is already a challenging task. Unfortunately, this is even more true in Florida, which is a no-fault Insurance state. A Lyft driver’s app status can also play a complicating role in determining insurance coverage. Here’s what you need to know.

“App Off” vs “App On” vs “On Trip”

Many clients come to our offices and ask us, “A Lyft driver hit my car, am I entitled to compensation?” Assuming the driver was at fault, the answer is typically “yes.” However, the status of their app at the time will dictate who’s responsible.

• App off: A Lyft driver who causes damage while their app is off will be responsible for the damages.
• App on, waiting for a ride: If a Lyft driver has their app on but no passengers, Lyft’s contingent liability coverage will apply (up to $100k for injuries).
• Ride accepted or passenger in a car: An accident during a ride will be covered by Lyft’s $1 million commercial liability insurance.

In most states, these rules wouldn’t be complicated. However, Florida’s no-fault rule could result in injury victims recovering nothing from negligent parties. This applies when a victim has Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.

Florida PIP, MedPay, & Health Insurance

If an injury victim has PIP insurance – a requirement for those who drive vehicles – then their own insurer will be the first line of compensation. This insurance covers up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits. If an insured person’s losses do not exceed this and their injuries aren’t serious, their own insurer will foot the bill.

If damages exceed $10,000 or the serious injury threshold is met, injured parties can pursue additional compensation. They can target the negligent party and their insurer. In the meantime, MedPay (i.e., an optional insurance add-on) and health insurance can pick up any slack or cover bills while the injured party waits for additional compensation.

UM or UIM, and When It Matters

Our Lyft accident lawyers in Pompano Beach often speak to clients whose injuries were caused by uninsured motorists (UMs). Both uninsured and underinsured motorists (UIM) can pose major problems. This is true even in Lyft accidents.

If you have UM or UIM coverage, your own insurer will pay when the at-fault party cannot. This could happen if an accident is caused by someone other than the Lyft driver. Another scenario could involve a Lyft driver with no personal insurance who crashes while their app is off.

Fortunately for those injured in rideshare accidents, there are additional options when an at-fault party has insufficient or no insurance. Lyft’s own insurance coverage can pay both the Lyft driver and passenger for the damages they suffer.

If this all sounds complicated, that’s because it is. The law is rarely straightforward, and things become more complicated if multiple parties are disputing liability. At Long & Jean, we know these are stressful times. Let us take the load off your shoulders.

Contact us today for a free consultation.

First 24 Hours and Evidence to Save

If you were very recently involved in a rideshare collision, you’re likely wondering what to do after a Lyft accident. As it turns out, everything you do can affect the eventual outcome of your case. That’s why it’s important to be deliberate in every step you take.

Medical Care, Photos, Witnesses, & Police Report(s)

After involvement in a Lyft accident, seeking medical care is paramount. This is true even if you don’t believe you’ve suffered serious injuries. Symptoms often do not present immediately, and failing to secure proper medical documentation can derail any future case.

If necessary care isn’t urgent, make sure you take the time to file a police report before leaving. However, this can be done later if necessary. You should also document the scene (e.g., photos, videos) if possible.

Getting witness information from anyone who saw what happened is also critical. However, don’t let the lack of any of this evidence dissuade you from contacting our law firm. Our personal injury attorneys are often able to find evidence you may not have considered.

Trip Receipts, Maps, In-App Messages, & Preservation Letters

There’s also evidence unique to Lyft accidents that can play a significant role. You certainly have access to trip receipts and in-app messages, but what about the maps used during your ride? Our attorneys can submit discovery documents to secure this data.

We can also typically access trip logs, driver status data, telematics, dashcam footage, and event data recorder information. Finally, our law firm can file spoliation letters – which are essentially notices to potential litigants to preserve any relevant evidence.

Our law firm knows what it takes to win cases involving rideshare companies. Contact us today to speak with an experienced Lyft accident lawyer in Pompano Beach, FL.