Lyft is a great option for getting around Plantation, Florida. If you’re injured in an accident caused by a negligent Lyft driver, contact an accident lawyer in your corner to help alleviate the physical, financial, and emotional challenges ahead.
At Scarfone Auto Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys, we know how to navigate Lyft accident claims. Reach out to us early in the claims process to help steer your case to the best possible resolution.
How Lyft Drivers Can Be Accident Prone
When it comes to Lyft accidents, it’s important to consider the condition and experience of Lyft drivers. People who drive for Lyft are often not professional drivers, and as a result, they are not required to procure a special driver’s license or to have any additional driving skills or experience.
The additional complications Lyft drivers face include:
- Lyft drivers are paid for the completed trip, which can incentivize them to cut safety corners, such as by speeding.
- In order to pick up and deliver passengers, Lyft drivers need to interact with the app, which can prove dangerously distracting.
- Lyft drivers have to identify their passengers on the street and are often required to drive in areas they are unfamiliar with.
- Lyft drivers can end up with difficult passengers who make driving safely more challenging.
- Ferrying passengers around requires Lyft drivers to regularly pull in and out of traffic and make frequent stops, making them more vulnerable to accidents.
In other words, Lyft rides are convenient, but they come with their own set of risks.
Lyft’s Accident Insurance Coverages
The fact is that Lyft drivers are not actually employees of Lyft, but this does not alter the fact that Lyft’s insurance coverage applies under certain circumstances. This is where things can get a bit confusing.
When a Lyft driver heads out to provide paying customers with rides, they fire up the app and hit the road.
There are three separate coverage considerations within this context, including:
- If the Lyft driver has a passenger in their vehicle, Lyft’s robust insurance coverage will handle the claim. The same is true when the Lyft driver is on the way to pick up a Lyft passenger.
- If the Lyft driver is waiting for a Lyft passenger to be assigned, their own car insurance coverage provides primary coverage, and Lyft’s coverage kicks in at the point that their own coverage is exhausted.
- If the Lyft driver leaves the app – even momentarily – any accident that ensues is the driver’s responsibility, just like it would be in any other car accident.
Lyft drivers are required to carry specific car insurance coverage amounts to drive for Lyft, and if a Lyft driver who is waiting for a passenger to be assigned leaves you injured in a car accident, you may need to file a claim with both providers.
Negligence on the Part of the Lyft Driver
Traffic accidents are often caused by driver negligence, and Lyft accidents are no exception.
Distraction
Lyft drivers have a lot on their plates, and there is no room for dangerous distractions. Texting is an especially dangerous distraction.
Impairment
Driving is an immense responsibility, but driving others for pay is far more so. Driving while under the influence of alcohol is always dangerous, but when a Lyft driver stoops to this level, it takes danger to a new level by depriving Lyft passengers of the ability to make informed decisions regarding their safety – in relation to getting in a vehicle with an impaired driver whom they likely have no idea is under the influence.
Exhaustion
Lyft drivers are part of the gig economy, and as a result, they often spend a lot of hours behind the wheel – or may have several other jobs in addition to the Lyft gig. Lyft drivers are only earning when they have passengers, which means they may be more prone to pushing themselves to the point of exhaustion. The impairments that drowsy drivers experience are rivaled only by those experienced by drunk drivers.
Excess speed
As mentioned, Lyft drivers have to hustle to earn, which sometimes means resorting to speeding. Excess speed – whether this means exceeding the speed limit or driving faster than is advisable for the condition of the road – makes accidents more likely and makes it more likely that the accidents will be severe.
Assessing Losses After a Lyft Accident
In order to fully recover your health and well-being after a Lyft accident, you’ll need to accurately assess the losses you experience. Consider the following categories of loss:
- Property damage to your vehicle
- Your medical bills, including for ongoing health concerns
- Your lost wages, which may include a decrease in your ability to earn overall
- Your pain and suffering, which can affect every aspect of your recovery
Other than property damage to your vehicle, each of these can extend into your future and can be difficult to accurately calculate without the skilled legal guidance of a seasoned Plantation Lyft accident attorney.
Get an Experienced Plantation Lyft Accident Lawyer on Your Side
Rocco Scarfone is a Plantation, Florida, Lyft accident attorney you can trust. He takes pride in his proven ability to help clients and their families help recover their losses. The Scarfone Auto Accident and Personal Injury Attorneys take your Lyft injury claim seriously. Pick up the phone and call Scarfone at 561-609-1200, or message us online to request a consultation.