We’ve all heard the horror stories of reckless Lyft drivers in recent years, from the one that drove the wrong way down a one-way street in New York City, a driver in Virginia who chased after someone who rear ended him while passengers were in his car and even violent altercations between drivers and passengers in Denver. If you’ve been injured while riding in a Lyft in Colorado, a qualified Denver Lyft car accident attorney can help you obtain the compensation you deserve. Remember that you have rights as a passenger and that the drivers of either vehicle involved, or possibly Lyft, could be at fault. In order to parse out your situation to your greatest benefit, you need the experienced advice of the best Denver Lyft car accident attorneys in the city!
How Can a Denver Lyft Car Accident Attorney Help Me?
First off, the process for filing a Denver Lyft car accident personal injury claim can be a bit different than merely filing a claim in a normal accident. Our Denver Lyft car accident attorneys will need to discuss the specifics of the circumstances of your accident and injuries to be sure that we can assist you in every way possible. We offer free consultations to all potential clients to advise you of the best way to proceed.
Who Exactly is at Fault?
Determining who is at fault in a Lyft car accident can be a little involved. For example, it could be the Lyft driver or the driver of the other vehicle. If it’s the case that the Lyft driver is at fault, you should be covered because Lyft’s basic insurance policy includes liability insurance. The driver may have his own insurance as well, and if he does, Lyft and the driver’s insurance company usually try to split the cost. As you can imagine, this can lead to some disagreements amongst insurance companies and uncertainty regarding where one’s liability ends and the other’s begins. For you, that could mean delayed payouts and payouts of much smaller amounts than you were assuming.
What if the Lyft Driver Is Not at Fault?
If you’re injured in an accident while riding in a Lyft and your driver was not at fault, a third-party car insurance claim is filed against the at-fault driver. In this situation, the insurance companies will usually make sure you are covered in some way, however this may not fully cover your injuries. That’s why hiring an expert Denver Lyft car accident attorney can be your ticket to proper compensation. You certainly do not want to take on big insurance companies alone!
Additionally, Lyft has insurance coverage for passengers to protect themselves from circumstances in which their driver is not insured. Most of the time this should kick in but it’s vitally important to remember that for insurance purposes, the Lyft driver’s app must be online at all times. If the driver turns off the app for any reason during a ride and you’re injured in a car accident, Lyft may refuse to cover your damages.
As you can see, there are many situations in which gray areas exist and insurance companies may be unwilling to adequately compensate you for your injuries. A Denver Lyft car accident attorney can provide peace of mind and legal protection for you after an accident. If it happens that the insurance policies do not fully compensate you, you can attempt to sue Lyft itself. This should be considered as a final option since Lyft’s employees are classified as independent contractors meaning that it’s less likely Lyft will be found at fault than if their drivers were classified as employees. If you have any questions, our Denver Lyft car accident attorneys will be happy to clear things up with a free consultation!
What Should I Do if I’m Involved in a Denver Lyft Car Accident?
Remember that your absolute first priority is your own safety. You should seek out treatment for your injuries as soon as possible. If paramedics arrive on scene try to make sure they assist you. It is also quite common in car accidents that a rush of adrenaline could mask the pain of an injury. Thus, moving unnecessarily can exacerbate your injuries without you being aware of it. Furthermore, some injuries don’t become apparent until later. In the state of Colorado, the statute of limitations on filing lawsuits for personal injury claims is usually set at 2 years. However, this can be from the date of the accident or the date you first became aware of the injury. Our Denver Lyft car accident attorneys are adept at making sense of edge cases for our clients and explaining the law in ways you can easily understand.
If you are able, it’s also a good idea to try and get statements from as many people as possible at the scene of the accident. Make sure you speak to the police, your Lyft driver, the driver of the other vehicle and anyone else who might be involved. Our Denver Lyft car accident attorneys always advise that exactness of statements is crucial to the success of any case and often, your best chance at obtaining those is shortly after the accident has occurred.
How Exactly Do Denver Lyft Car Accident Attorneys Get Me the Compensation I Deserve?
Each Denver Lyft car accident attorney we employ is highly skilled in proving the most important aspect of personal injury cases under Colorado law, namely proving negligence. This needs to be proved in order to determine fault in Colorado and can include convincing a jury that a reasonable person would have acted differently to the defendant under the same circumstances. Afterwards, proving that the defendant’s negligence was the cause of your injury and that your injury can have a monetary amount attached to it are key parts of the process.
Hire a Denver Lyft Car Accident Attorney Today!
A Lyft ride should be an enjoyable and above all, safe experience for the passenger, but occasionally crashes do occur. Our Denver car accident attorneys have decades of combined experience fighting for clients just like you, who have been injured through no fault of their own and require adequate compensation to get back on their feet. Give us a call and start the process of recompense for your injuries today!
