Lyft Accidents

Lyft has an innovative business model and is an increasingly popular way to get around Southern California. Unfortunately, with the rise of Lyft and other Transportation Network Companies, ridesharing accidents are also increasingly common. Whether you are a passenger injured in a Lyft accident or someone in another vehicle that gets into a collision with a Lyft driver, it is important to retain a knowledgeable car accident attorney to pursue damages. At Sharifi Firm, our Los Angeles Lyft accident attorneys understand and keep up with this rapidly evolving area of law and can help you pursue damages.

Lyft is considered a Transportation Network Company. California law requires these companies to conduct criminal background checks and train drivers. The California Public Utilities Commission regulates these companies, treating them differently from taxi cabs. Lyft is responsible for conducting background checks, inspecting vehicles, requiring proof of liability, and making sure that its drivers are reasonably safe. The Public Utilities Commission has ruled that Lyft and other rideshare companies owe a duty to passengers and must follow tight regulations.

If you are hurt in a Lyft accident, you may be able to sue the driver and Lyft for damages arising from the accident, depending on the circumstances. As with other car accidents, in many cases involving a Lyft driver, you will need to establish their negligence to recover damages. This means that you will need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the driver owed a duty to use reasonable care, failed to meet that duty, and thereby caused your injuries. Our Lyft accident lawyers can help Los Angeles residents compile evidence to demonstrate liability.

In the past, rideshare companies like Lyft have tried to avoid liability by claiming that they were not actually the employer of the driver who caused the accident. Instead, they saw themselves as facilitators. However, California law now requires Transportation Network Companies to carry $1 million in insurance coverage to cover deaths, personal injuries, and property damage caused by their drivers during the period after they accept ride requests on the TNC app, but before a ride is complete or after they complete a request in the app, whichever is first. If you are a passenger hurt in a Lyft driver's car while they were working, you may make a claim against the uninsured or underinsured coverage provided by the TNC's insurance, even if the collision was caused by some other driver who was not insured or had insufficient insurance.

When an accident happens after a driver logs on but before a ride is accepted, the mandatory insurance coverage is limited to $250,000 per person and $300,000 for all of the injuries incurred in the accident.

After a serious car accident, you may suffer significant injuries and need medical care and time off from work. At Sharifi Firm, our Los Angeles Lyft accident lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation if you were hurt in this type of crash. We can determine a legal strategy to seek compensation and take an aggressive approach to gather evidence to hold the TNC and any other responsible parties liable. Contact us online or call us at (866) 422-7222 to set up a free appointment with a motor vehicle collision lawyer. Our firm also represents people in Temecula, Rancho Cucamonga, Glendale, Covina, Riverside, and San Bernardino, among other Southern California cities.