Perhaps only slightly less well-known than its main competitor Uber, the transportation network company Lyft is a rideshare service operating in hundreds of cities across the country, including Fort Lauderdale and dozens of other cities in Florida. With over two million people driving for Lyft, it’s inevitable that Lyft drivers will get into accidents, whether it’s their fault or the other driver’s. What happens if you are hit by a Lyft driver or while driving for Lyft? What if you are a passenger in a Lyft who suffers injuries in a wreck?
Accidents involving Lyft are handled differently than other car accidents in significant ways, and you’ll want an experienced car accident attorney on your side who understands these distinctions and can help you get medical care and compensation after a crash. Fort Lauderdale Lyft accident lawyer Eric Rosen is a Florida Board-Certified Specialist in Civil Trial Law. He knows how to build a case against a negligent driver, and he has amassed an impressive record of verdicts and settlements that show Rosen Injury Law, P.A. is a law firm that gets results.
Below you will find out what you need to know about accidents involving Lyft. If you’ve been hurt in a crash in Fort Lauderdale, call Rosen Injury Law, P.A. at 954-787-1500 for a free consultation.
Hit by a Lyft Driver
If you see the Lyft logo on the vehicle that hits you, it’s important to find out whether that driver was transporting a customer at the time or had matched with someone on the app and was on the way to pick up a fare. Lyft provides liability insurance for its drivers in some cases, and this coverage is much higher than basic no-fault limits if it applies. Coverage for Lyft accidents in Florida breaks down like this:
- If the driver was logged in to the app and available to accept ride requests but had not yet received a match notification when the accident happened, Lyft provides a liability insurance policy that covers $50,000 for personal injury to one person, $100,000 if multiple people are injured, and $25,000 in property damage.
- If the driver has accepted a ride request or was actively transporting a passenger when the crash occurred, Lyft covers the injured parties with a $1 million liability insurance policy.
- If the driver was not logged into the Lyft app at the time of the accident, Florida no-fault insurance (Personal Injury Protection/PIP) applies. If the accident caused a serious injury, a fault-based negligence claim is possible.
Injured as a Passenger in a Lyft
While insurance companies might fight over which driver caused a crash, injured passengers are rarely to blame and can claim 100% of their damages, assuming they can identify the responsible party. The liability insurance provided by Lyft covers injuries to passengers in the Lyft vehicle, but Lyft might instead tell you the other driver is the one responsible to you. While your first recourse might be against the other driver, Lyft should step in and cover your damages if the other driver is uninsured or if there is a dispute over liability. You should be represented by your own attorney in this process to make sure the right party or parties are pursued for damages and that you get the maximum amount of compensation due to you.
Injured While Driving for Lyft
If you get in a crash while driving for Lyft, don’t be surprised if the other driver comes after you with a negligence lawsuit as soon as they hear about Lyft’s million-dollar insurance policy. If you weren’t at fault, our expert Fort Lauderdale accident lawyer will fend off unwarranted claims of your negligence while proving a case against the other driver for their liability to you. If they didn’t have insurance or were underinsured, Lyft provides uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage to pay for the damages done to you or your passengers. If you need to show the other driver your Lyft insurance, you should be able to pull up a certificate of insurance in the Lyft app by tapping first on Vehicle, followed by Lyft Insurance.
Lyft also provides its drivers with collision and comprehensive coverage, contingent on their driver also carrying some level of coverage on their individual policy. This insurance covers the lesser of the cost of repairs to your vehicle or its actual cash value if you get in a wreck after getting a match notification and before dropping off your passenger. This benefit is subject to a $2,500 deductible and applies without regard to who is to blame for causing the crash.
Help With Lyft Accidents in Fort Lauderdale
Car accidents that involve a Lyft driver add an extra layer of complexity to any claim. Be sure to hire a qualified and experienced auto accident attorney to handle your case and ensure you are compensated appropriately. In Fort Lauderdale, call Rosen Injury Law, P.A. at 954-787-1500 for a free consultation with a Florida Board-Certified specialist in personal injury (civil trial) law.
