For more than 40 years, Levin & Malkin has successfully fought for the rights of New Jersey car accident victims, so our skilled attorneys were well-prepared to expand our services to include Lyft accident victims when rideshares came on the scene. Lyft accidents are more complicated to deal with than most car accidents because there may be at least three, and often four, parties involved. If you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence while riding in or driving a Lyft vehicle, Levin & Malkin will provide you with excellent legal representation. 

How Our Lyft Accident Attorneys Can Help

Our car accident attorneys are knowledgeable and compassionate and have won many millions of dollars for our clients. Call us today for a free consultation about your Lyft accident so we can determine whether you have a viable personal injury claim. 

Once you become our client, we will take over all legal and insurance matters for you. We will also:

  • Investigate your case thoroughly
  • Examine police reports and medical data
  • Interview any witnesses
  • File all necessary paperwork
  • Consult with experts as necessary

We understand that you are going through one of the most difficult periods of your life and will stand by you every step of the way, charging no attorneys’ fees until we win you damages.

Why You Are at Risk of Personal Injury in a Lyft Car

Now that Lyft is available, it’s almost hard to remember when it wasn’t. The flexibility it provides for both drivers and riders is incomparable. Nonetheless, some of the same factors that make Lyft services accessible and convenient contribute to the risk of Lyft accidents. Reasons for increased risk of accidental injury in a Lyft car include the following:

  • Drivers work long hours to earn as much as possible and so are often sleepy or fatigued
  • Drivers are frequently distracted by the apps and GPS systems they must use for work
  • Drivers, pressing to increase their income, (they are only paid while on-the-clock) are also distracted by eating, drinking, and personal communications while driving
  • Although they must undergo safety training related to matters such as sexual assault, Lyft drivers are not specially trained to navigate or stop for passengers on unfamiliar, heavily congested, or otherwise challenging roadways 
  • Lyft drivers are only required to have only 1 year of driving experience
  • To stay awake and alert during long self-imposed “shifts,” drivers may abuse substances that have a rebound effect

Whether you are driving for Lyft or riding in a Lyft car as a passenger, you are at risk of being involved in a fender bender, as well as a serious collision with injuries. The involvement of a large company, with its insurance provider and its team of attorneys, makes the process of negotiating or litigating a claim unusually complex. For this reason, it is essential to have an accomplished Lyft accident attorney to give yourself the best chance of receiving appropriate damages.

What You Need to Know About Winning Damages in New Jersey

First of all, New Jersey is a no-fault state. This means that you must seek reimbursement for your medical expenses from your own insurance company before you look for compensation elsewhere. Your insurance policy will have both caps and deductibles, meaning the totality of your costs will not be covered. 

The good news is that Lyft carries more comprehensive insurance policies, and so has much deeper pockets. It is important to remember, however, that their insurance will only cover drivers or passengers once the driver is on the app and once the passenger has arranged for a pickup. For drivers on the app but waiting for a call, Lyft coverage amounts to:

  • $50,000 in bodily injury per person
  • $100,000 in bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 in property damage per accident

Once the ride is in play (i.e. driver and passenger have made arrangements for the ride), Lyft insurance jumps to $1,000,000.

Whose negligence caused your injury?

Though it is certainly possible that Lyft is the party that must be held, at least partially accountable — for example because they failed to vet the driver, provide the driver with proper training, of keep up-to-date records of the driver’s car inspections — it is also possible that another person or entity was responsible for the accident, such as:

  • The driver of the other vehicle 
  • The manufacturer of the car (which, for example, had defective brakes)
  • The city, county, or state for poor maintenance of the roadway 

These possibilities only make clear how critical it is to have a strong, savvy personal injury lawyer protecting your interests.

Contact Levin & Malkin Today So We Can Begin Fighting for Your Cause

Whether you were seriously injured as a Lyft driver or passenger, we have your back. We will fight vigorously to obtain damages for:

  • Medical and rehabilitation expenses
  • Lost income, present and future
  • Replacement costs (housecleaning, childcare, etc.)
  • Pain and suffering
  • Permanent disability
  • Permanent disfigurement
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Wrongful death

If the negligent party’s misconduct has been especially egregious, we may also be able to win you punitive damages. Most of all, we will be at your side throughout the ordeal, providing legal counsel and moral support, and will make your future financial stability our top priority. Contact our skilled Hackensack Lyft accident attorney today for a free consultation.