Lyft Accident Lawyers

Serious injuries deserve experienced attorneys

Lyft Accident Lawyers

Using rideshare companies to get a “lyft” around town is becoming more and more common, particularly in the Washington, DC area. If you’re out with friends and realize you’ve had too much to drink, you can use the app and get a Lyft to get you home. Lyft drivers can drop you off at the train station, get you to work on time when public transportation is jammed, or pick you up at any other time you need. On occasion, Lyft drivers can even help out with other needs. If you lock your keys in the car on one side of town, your partner or roommate can call a Lyft to deliver your spare keys to you.

Most Lyft drivers are careful and complete each ride safely. However, the roads aren’t always free of careless drivers, and so accidents involving Lyft vehicles are all too common in Washington DC. The best Lyft accident attorneys understand the ins and outs of each case and can manage the often-overlapping or competing insurance policies involved.

Like its biggest competitor, Uber, Lyft carries auto insurance for its drivers and passengers. However, it’s important to know what that insurance does or doesn’t cover in an accident. If you’re injured as the result of a Lyft accident, there are three kinds of coverage to be concerned about: liability coverage, uninsured or underinsured coverage, and no-fault coverage. 

Lyft only carries liability coverage, to protect other drivers from an accident caused by a Lyft employee, and uninsured/underinsured coverage, to protect you if you are struck by a driver who has no insurance or poor insurance. The policy limits for both policies are one million dollars each. This does not mean that you can automatically receive a million dollars after an accident, or that Lyft will always cover claims; rather, it means that there is up to a million dollars of potential coverage to cover any claimants. Just like most insurance companies, the company that insured Lyft, York Risk Services, will try to avoid paying for damages if it possibly can.

Most of the time, Lyft’s policy with York Risk Services will not include no-fault coverage. No-fault coverage is an important benefit that can sometimes be accessed in order to defray short-term medical costs and lost wages. If you are injured in a Lyft accident, you should immediately speak with a Lyft accident attorney about whether you might be able to use your own personal auto policy’s no-fault benefits. Depending on your jurisdiction, it might be to your advantage, or it might not be, so getting good advice from an expert attorney is critical.

If you’ve been injured in a Lyft accident, make sure that you don’t speak to representatives of Lyft, York Risk Services, or any insurance companies. Take photos and document everything, but don’t sign anything until after you’ve had a chance to speak to a personal injury/Lyft attorney. In some cases, the attorney will be able to meet you at your home or medical provider office and get the process started as quickly as possible. Cohen & Cohen