Sourc
e: Austin Distel
Over the last decade or so, the rise in the use of ride-sharing companies, such as Lyft has been rapid with many of these companies taking the place of traditional taxi companies. For many years, the number of accidents on U.S. roads has been tracked with a new category being the number of accidents attributed to carshare drivers.
From 2011 to 2019, the number of fatalities seen on U.S. roads has been tracked with carshare fatalities pushing the number of deaths up by two to three percent, according to the MIT Technology Review. The situation regarding an insurance claim can be a tough one for passengers and drivers who may struggle to understand the complex insurance issues surrounding a Lyft accident.
Follow the Basic Accident Procedures
If you are a passenger in an accident involving a ride-sharing company or the driver of a car, you should always follow the basic rules of responding to an accident. The basic steps that should be taken following any form of the auto collision remain the same no matter what kind of vehicle is involved.
The first thing to do is to check for injuries to anybody in the cars involved or the surrounding area. If anybody is injured, 911 should be called. If there are no injuries, the next step is to contact law enforcement to obtain a police report regarding the accident.
Whether you are a driver colliding with a Lyft vehicle or a passenger of the ride-share company, you should document the accident. This should include talking to anybody who may have witnessed the accident and to take photos with a smartphone to use as evidence later.
Contact Lyft Customer Service
If you are involved in an accident involving a Lyft ride-sharing vehicle you should always contact the company via the phone or their app to make sure there is no doubt about your role. Whether you are the driver of a vehicle involved in the accident or a passenger ordering a Lyft ride you need to ensure the company is aware of the accident as soon as possible.
Determining Who Is at Fault
The rules of auto accidents vary from state to state; your Lyft car accident lawyer can go into more detail about the individual laws in your state. In some states, there is a comparative blame law that apportions blame depending on the way the investigation into the accident moves forward and a settlement is made in or out of court. Even if one driver seems to be at fault for the accident, they will still see blame apportioned in these states.
Employee or General Contractor?
When you contact your Lyft car accident lawyer, you will discover some of the complexities of filing a claim against a driver who is working for a ride-share company. These can include the ongoing debate in some areas about whether a Lyft driver is an employee of the company or a general contractor.
In most cases, the passenger of a Lyft driver will be making a claim that is passed through the auto insurance of the driver. The issue with this is that most insurance companies have stated auto insurance will be voided if a Lyft driver does not declare they have been working for the company.
One of the most difficult aspects of handling a Lyft auto accident claim is the problem of insurance companies using add-ons and specialist insurance for drivers when working for Lyft and other ride-share companies.
Lyft Has Created a $1 Million Insurance Payout
When you contact an experienced Lyft auto accident lawyer, they will explain the many options open to those who are involved in an accident. These options have been improved by Lyft taking responsibility for many of the claims that have been lodged because of accidents involving their drivers. This third-party accident coverage provides those involved in an accident involving a Lyft driver with up to $1 million, but does not include coverage for the Lyft driver or their vehicle.
The decision to contact a Lyft car accident lawyer is an important one because the labyrinth of issues and problems that can be faced is huge. A lawyer who has an understanding of battling ride-share insurance cases can make a big difference to the outcome of any claim.