Rideshare apps like Lyft and Uber have transformed the way people travel while on vacation, on business trips, and within their home communities. The unbeatable convenience of a private trip to a destination, and a car that arrives at the swipe of an app, make Lyft and Uber far more popular than public transportation systems. Unfortunately, this also means that the dozens of passengers who might otherwise ride a bus are now congesting the roadways in separate vehicles, causing an estimated three-percent surge in traffic accidents.
If you experienced injuries in a Lyft accident in Everett or your loved one was fatally injured in a Lyft vehicle crash, call the Everett car accident lawyers Wells Trumbull today so we can take action on recovering full compensation.
Why Choose Wells Trumbull as Your Lyft Accident Lawyers in Everett?
Founding attorneys, Ben Wells and Joshua Trumbull have spent combined decades advocating for injury victims in Washington, including a focus on rideshare accident cases since the industry boom. Our firm prides itself on the following:
- Taking the time to get to know each client and observing the impacts of the accident on their life and their family so we can make a more compelling case for their compensation
- We prepare every case as though going to trial to give our negotiations for a settlement a more powerful impact on insurers
- We combine a team approach with the legal minds, trial experience, and resources of a skilled team together with the individualized attention of an attorney devoted to each client’s case
We offer a free confidential consultation to every injury victim and take no payment unless we secure a settlement or win the case in court.
Common Causes of Lyft Accidents in Everett
Lyft drivers use their apps while driving and often cruise the streets between passengers, increasing overall traffic congestion. Many drive for Lyft as a second job, so they may drive while overly fatigued. Speeding is also common for Lyft drivers as they try to maximize the number of trips they complete per shift. Common causes of Lyft accidents in Washington include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Fatigue
- Inexperience
- Failure to adhere to traffic laws
Whether you were injured as a passenger in a Lyft accident in Everett or experienced a collision with a Lyft car, if the driver’s negligent or reckless behavior caused the accident, they are liable for any damages you experienced.
Who Is Liable for Damages in a Lyft Accident?
Rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber buffer themselves from liability by using independent contractors as drivers rather than employees. Fortunately, Lyft requires drivers to carry special rideshare insurance with different policies in effect depending on the stage of the ride. When a Lyft driver uses their vehicle for personal reasons, their private auto insurance covers any damages if the driver causes an accident. Once they’ve turned on the Lyft app and actively seek a passenger, the bottom tier of coverage takes effect with $25,000 in property damage, $50,000 per person for personal injury, or $100,000 total coverage per accident. Then, a $1 million coverage policy comes into place when the Lyft driver books a passenger, drives to the pickup point, and throughout the trip with the passenger until the drop-off.
These rideshare insurance policies cover damages for passengers, motorists in another vehicle in a collision, or for pedestrians injured or killed in an accident caused by the Lyft driver.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Lyft Accident?
Injuries in Lyft accidents range from mild and inconvenient, with a single medical bill and a missed paycheck, to catastrophic injuries with a lifetime of disability ahead. No injury victim should be left with the undue burden of expenses as well as their pain and suffering. A successful claim results in compensation for medical expenses, lost income, future income loss, pain and suffering, and other non-economic damages like loss of enjoyment of life, or disfigurement, depending on the unique circumstances of the case.
Call the Lyft Accident Attorneys in Everett
Car accidents are always terrifying and traumatic. There may be an extra sense of helplessness when an at-fault driver is a Lyft driver with unique insurance coverage. Contact Wells Trumbull today so we can quickly take action on your behalf against powerful insurers who protect profits at the victim’s expense.