Maison Law represents Lyft accident victims in Santa Monica. Every car accident in the city has the potential of leaving you injured, but a Lyft accident gives you even less control–considering you were probably a passenger. Regardless, you have rights and options. To learn more, contact us today for a free consultation.
Why Would You Need a Lawyer?
Technically, you’re not required to have a lawyer for an injury claim in California. However, dealing with a Lyft accident can present unique challenges compared to a typical car accident. Having our experienced team by your side can provide valuable assistance.
We handle Lyft accidents much like any other car accident, but with additional focus on:
- Explaining your rights and options
- Determining liability and addressing insurance concerns
- Assisting in gathering evidence and information from Lyft
- Negotiating with insurance companies
Our main goal is to simplify this process for you. Dealing with injuries is tough enough without having to navigate the legal system alone. Better yet, we work on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront.
Who’s Responsible For a Lyft Accident?
One of the first questions we have to answer is, “who is responsible for the accident?” This isn’t all that different from a regular car accident, but it’s a bit more complex when a Lyft is involved. Negligence is still the key. When someone does something that is careless and unsafe, which then causes your accident or injuries, then they will be considered liable for the damage.
That said, there’s many different possibilities when it comes to ultimate liability:
- Your Lyft driver – Your Lyft driver may be held liable if they were negligent or reckless in their driving behavior, such as speeding, being distracted, or running a red light.
- Lyft – Lyft, as the company that operates the rideshare service, may also bear some responsibility for the accident. This could include issues related to improper vetting of drivers.
- Other drivers – The other driver that’s involved in the accident could be at-fault if they were being negligent.
- City or state government – If the accident was caused by a road maintenance or sign issue, the government agency responsible for that area of the road could be responsible.
No matter who is found to be at fault for your accident and resulting injuries, it’s important to remember that the whole accident–including how you responded–is going to be taken into account when deciding your case.
What Should You Do After a Lyft Accident?
As a Lyft passenger, you have very little control of the situation. One of things you do have control over, though, is how to respond when you’re in an accident. While you don’t expect to be in one, it’s important to do a few things after your Lyft accident:
- Call in the accident – Call the Santa Monica police or the LA County Sheriff so they can respond to the scene. It’s also a good idea to call an ambulance and have them check you out, even if you don’t feel hurt.
- Start gathering evidence – Make sure to take photos of the accident scene, including the vehicles involved, surroundings, road conditions, and any visible injuries. Collect contact information from any witnesses, also.
- Report to Lyft – Tell Lyft about the accident through the app. This will create an official record of the accident. The app should also save any information related to the driver.
- Be careful – Do your best to keep from discussing the accident, particularly on social media, as insurance companies may use this information against you.
Following these steps and keeping thorough records can strengthen your claim for your damages. Further, working with our team can also simplify the filing process and boost your chances of success.
What is the Process For Getting Damages?
Getting damages after a Lyft accident is going to require you to file an injury claim. You do this by either:
- Filing an insurance claim
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit
Most of the time, you start by first filing the insurance claim, where the company investigates it, gathers their own evidence, and possibly offers you a settlement. When facing a settlement offer from Lyft or the driver’s insurance company, remember that you don’t have to accept it. Often, these initial offers are lowball attempts.
While the decision to accept or reject the offer is totally up to you, moving forward to a lawsuit gives you the chance at much more substantial financial support. A Lyft accident claim typically covers various types of damages, which can include:
- Medical expenses resulting from the accident.
- Lost wages due to injury.
- Potential loss of future earnings, especially with permanent injuries.
- Costs for vehicle repairs or property damage.
- Pain and suffering endured.
- Psychological trauma stemming from the incident.
- Diminished quality of life.
- Scarring or disfigurement.
- Wrongful death expenses, if the accident was fatal
There are a couple other things to keep in mind. First, California’s car accident law operates under the principle of “comparative negligence,” which means your potential damages will be reduced based on your percentage of fault in the accident. As a Lyft passenger, you probably won’t have much fault, but it’s still possible to argue.
Also, there’s a two-year time limit, known as the statute of limitations, for filing injury claims in California. You have a two-year window from the accident date to file your lawsuit.
What Are Some Common Lyft Accidents?
Riding through Santa Monica in a Lyft is very convenient, but it also comes with the risk of being in an accident. While a Lyft is the same as virtually any other car accident, they happen in fairly fixed circumstances. So, if you call for a Lyft while Downtown or at the Santa Monica Pier, it’s important to be prepared for being in certain types of accidents:
- Rear-end collisions – These happen when another car strikes the back of the Lyft, often due to sudden stops or distracted driving.
- Intersection accidents – Accidents can happen when Lyft drivers are moving through intersections, especially if other drivers run red lights or fail to yield the right of way. This often leads to t-bone collisions, where the side of the Lyft is struck.
- Sideswipes – These happen when another car strikes the side of the Lyft, often while changing lanes or merging.
- Pedestrian accidents – Because Lyft rides happen in crowded locations, especially in Santa Monica, it brings the possibility of collisions with pedestrians.
- Parking lot accidents – Accidents can also happen when Lyft drivers are entering or exiting parking lots when picking someone up, often due to limited visibility or confusion with traffic flow.
Nobody wants to be in a Lyft accident, but this is unfortunately something that happens quite often across Santa Monica. What’s important for you to remember is that you have legal rights and we can help you.
Guidance from Santa Monica Lyft Accident Lawyers
It’s very frustrating to be involved in any car accident, but even more so when you’re in a Lyft. Dealing with injuries, vehicle damage, and insurance issues can add to the stress. At Maison Law, our skilled Santa Monica Lyft accident lawyers know how to guide you through the claims process to a successful result. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about our approach.
