Lyft Accident Injury Attorneys in Deerfield Beach, FL Successfully Represent Rideshare Accident Victims in Broward County and Throughout Florida
Accidents with a Lyft vehicle present a whole range of obstacles with regard to filing a personal injury claim. Because Lyft is a rideshare company and Lyft does not hire its drivers or own the vehicles used by Lyft drivers, holding the at-fault party accountable is complicated. Navigating this personal injury claims process alone can be fraught with challenges. Let us help. Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. has in-depth knowledge regarding the handling of Lyft accident claims, and our skilled Deerfield Beach Lyft accident lawyers work tirelessly to recover full and fair compensation for those who have been injured in Lyft accidents.
Common Causes Of Lyft Accidents In Deerfield Beach And Broward County
While all rideshare accidents differ depending upon the circumstances surrounding the accident, there are some common contributing factors to Lyft accidents. The most common causes of Lyft accidents include the following:
- Distracted driving: this is because of cell phone use while driving. Lyft drivers must use cell phones to access potential Lyft passengers, and then use the phone for navigation purposes to pick up the passengers
- Driving over the speed limit
- Driver inexperience
- Fatigued driving
Filing A Claim For A Lyft Accident Presents Challenges
When someone is hurt in an accident, and another person or entity is responsible for causing the accident, the injured party is protected under personal injury law. The person who was harmed in the accident files a personal injury claim against the at-fault party to recover compensation for their injuries and other losses.
When an individual is injured in an accident with a Lyft, filing a claim against the Lyft driver becomes more complicated. If the Lyft driver is responsible for the accident, your first step is to file a claim against the Lyft driver. However, if the Lyft driver was working and earning money at the time they were involved in the accident, then the Uber driver’s standard personal car insurance policy will deny your claim. This is simply because the Uber driver’s personal car insurance policy only provides coverage when the vehicle is being operated for personal use.
So the next step is to file a claim against Lyft’s car insurance policy. However, while Lyft does provide insurance coverage to its drivers, the insurance coverage only applies in certain circumstances. This may sound confusing so here are three hypothetical situations that illustrate the complicated process of filing a personal injury claim for a Lyft accident:
- Lyft accident with no passenger in the car:
You are in an accident with a Lyft driver who is not transporting a passenger at the time of the accident. Because Lyft’s insurance coverage only applies when the Lyft driver is working, and the driver was not logged into the Lyft app at the time of the accident, Lyft’s car insurance coverage does not apply in your situation. Instead, you must file a claim against the Lyft driver’s personal car insurance policy.
- You are a Lyft passenger and you are in an accident with an uninsured motorist
You are a Lyft passenger and the Lyft driver gets into an accident with an uninsured driver. You suffer injuries in the accident, so you must file a claim against Lyft. Lyft reviews your claim but denies it because the contingency clause on car accidents and liability coverage does not apply in your accident. So you will not receive any coverage or compensation from Lyft.
- Lyft accident with a passenger in the car:
You are in an accident with a Lyft at the same time that the Lyft driver is transporting a passenger. In this situation, the claims process becomes particularly complicated. You must file three different personal injury claims: one claim against your own personal car insurance policy; a second claim against the Lyft driver’s personal car insurance policy; and the third claim against Lyft’s corporate insurance company policy. Hence you must negotiate with three different insurance companies, evaluate three separate settlement offers, and work with three different insurance adjusters.
Deerfield Beach Lyft Accident Lawyers Offer A Free Case Evaluation For Those Injured In Lyft Accidents
If you have been injured in a Lyft accident, the last thing you need while you are recovering is to battle Lyft and the insurance companies to recover what you rightly deserve for your injuries. We can help. The Deerfield Beach Lyft accident lawyers at Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A., have extensive experience handling Lyft accident claims and a demonstrated track record of successfully recovering full and fair compensation for our clients. We offer a free case evaluation to Lyft accident victims. Schedule your confidential consultation with our Lyft accident injury attorneys in Deerfield Beach, FL today.
About Deerfield Beach, Florida
Just south of the county line that divides Palm Beach County and Broward County in Florida is the city of Deerfield Beach, which is located in Broward County. The construction of the East Coast Railway and the ensuing land boom in Florida during the early 20th century led to the first growth of Deerfield Beach, which was named for the deer that used to wander the area. The initial residents of Deerfield Beach were mostly farmers and fisherman.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lyft Accidents In Deerfield Beach, Florida
If you are partly to blame for your Lyft accident, Florida’s “pure comparative negligence” rules apply. Under these rules, if you share some level of responsibility for your accident, then your damage award will be reduced by an amount that reflects your level of fault. So, for example, if the compensation you were eligible to receive was $12,000 but you were 30 percent responsible for the accident, then your compensation will be reduced by 30 percent — $3,600 — for a total compensation of $8,400.
Under Florida’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims, you have four years from the time of the accident to file your Lyft accident claim in the state’s civil courts. This is a firm legal deadline. If your Lyft accident claim is not filed before this legal deadline expires, the court will dismiss your case and you will be unable to recover any compensation for your accident injuries and other losses.