Experienced Atlanta Lyft Accident Lawyer
As ridesharing continues to grow in popularity, rideshare accidents are becoming increasingly common as well. Just like other car accidents, accidents involving Lyft vehicles can have a variety of causes—and they can lead to a variety of costly, painful and long-term consequences.
If you have been injured in a rideshare accident, it is important that you speak with an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer promptly. At Mabra Law, we handle cases on behalf of Lyft drivers, Lyft passengers and other motorists. No matter what happened, if you were injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you are entitled to just compensation under Georgia law.
But, recovering just compensation isn’t easy. Not only do you need to prove what caused your accident, but you also need to prove how much you are entitled to recover. Lyft accidents can lead to significant financial and non-financial losses, so it is essential that you do not settle for less than you deserve. Our lawyers can help—and we will handle your Lyft accident claim at no out-of-pocket cost to you.
Types of Accidents Involving Lyft
We handle all types of accident cases involving Lyft vehicles. If you need help after any of the following, we encourage you to contact us promptly for a free consultation:
Accidents Resulting from Lyft Driver Negligence
If you got hit by a Lyft driver in Atlanta or were injured while getting a rideshare, you may have a claim under the Lyft driver’s insurance policy. You may have a claim under Lyft’s insurance policy as well.
Rideshare drivers and rideshare companies are both required to carry liability insurance under Georgia law. As a result, if you were injured in an accident resulting from Lyft driver negligence, coverage is available to you. Even if the Lyft driver is uninsured (in violation of Georgia law), Lyft’s insurance will still apply.
Accidents Caused By Third-Party Drivers Interacting with Lyft Vehicles
If you were injured in an accident while driving for Lyft, you have clear legal rights as well. Non-rideshare drivers are also required to carry liability insurance in Georgia (though not as much as rideshare drivers). Speeding, tailgating, running red lights and stop signs, road rage, and other common forms of negligence can all entitle Lyft drivers to just compensation.
Collisions with Other Vehicles While Ridesharing
If you were injured in a collision as a Lyft passenger and another driver is to blame, your situation is essentially the same as it would be after any other car accident in Atlanta. If the Lyft driver wasn’t at fault, then the Lyft driver’s insurance policy (and Lyft’s insurance policy) don’t apply. Instead, you will most likely be dealing with the other driver’s coverage provider—and you will want to hire an experienced lawyer who can handle your claim on your behalf.
Pedestrian Accidents Caused By Lyft Drivers
We also handle cases involving pedestrian accidents caused by Lyft drivers. Whether you were waiting for a ride or had no intention of taking a rideshare, you can—and should—file an insurance claim to recover the financial and non-financial costs of your injuries. Rideshare drivers’ and rideshare companies’ insurance policies cover pedestrian accidents, and an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer at Mabra Law can help you seek the compensation you deserve.
Understanding Lyft Accident Claims
Regardless of what happened and who is to blame, asserting your legal rights starts with gaining a clear understanding of your situation. The best way to do this is to speak with an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer who can provide personalized advice based on your specific circumstances. There are many other ways an experienced lawyer can help as well; and, again, it costs nothing out-of-pocket to get experienced legal representation.
Here are just some of the ways an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer at Mabra Law can help you:
Understanding the Claims Process Specific to Lyft Accidents
If you have a claim under a Lyft driver’s insurance policy (or under Lyft’s insurance policy), there are specific steps you need to take to assert your legal rights effectively. Our lawyers can help you understand the claims process that is specific to Lyft accidents, and we can help you navigate this process during your recovery.
Dealing with Insurance Providers and Their Policies Related to Lyft Coverage
Insurance companies have special policies and procedures for Lyft accidents. This makes navigating your insurance claim even more challenging than usual, and this makes it especially important to have an experienced lawyer on your side. Since we handle Lyft accident cases regularly, we are intimately familiar with these policies and procedures, and we know what it takes to secure coverage for our clients.
Utilizing Liability Insurance Coverage to Pursue Compensation
Although most people don’t realize it, there are several different types of auto insurance coverage. To seek compensation for your accident-related injuries, you will be filing a claim under the at-fault driver’s or Lyft’s liability insurance policy. This means that you must be able to prove liability (or fault) in order to recover just compensation.
Collecting and Presenting Evidence to Support Your Claim Effectively
Proving liability involves collecting and presenting evidence of why the accident happened and who (or what company) is responsible. As soon as you hire us, we will get to work gathering the evidence we need to assert your legal rights effectively. With clear and comprehensive evidence of liability in hand, we will be able to present a strong case for a maximum financial recovery.
Georgia Laws Governing For-Hire Drivers
To help minimize the risk of Lyft drivers injuring their passengers and other motorists, Georgia has adopted various requirements that Lyft drivers must meet before accepting their first ride. Lyft drivers are classified as “for-hire drivers” under Georgia law, and this means that they must either: (i) obtain a for-hire license endorsement; or, (ii) pass an alternative private background check.
- Requirement for a For-Hire License Endorsement – Unless a Lyft driver opts for the alternative private background check, he or she must obtain a for-hire license endorsement from the Georgia Department of Driver Services.
- Coverage Under Motor Vehicles and Traffic Law § 40-5-39 – The requirement for Lyft drivers to obtain a for-hire license endorsement is set forth in § 40-5-39 of the Georgia Code, and violating § 40-5-39 is a misdemeanor offense.
- Driver Eligibility Criteria – Under § 40-5-39, Lyft drivers must meet several eligibility criteria to obtain a for-hire endorsement. These include submitting fingerprints, not having a criminal record, and being lawfully in the United States, among others.
- Validity and Review – While a for-hire endorsement is generally valid until a Lyft driver’s license expires, these endorsements are subject to review, and a driver can lose his or her endorsement if he or she no longer meets the eligibility criteria.
- Alternative Private Background Check – As noted above, Lyft drivers can opt to undergo an alternate private background check instead of obtaining a for-hire license endorsement. Many drivers choose this option, as Lyft provides these background checks (and the digital verification required under Georgia law).
As a Lyft accident victim, what does all of this mean for you? If the Lyft driver who is responsible for your injuries has a for-hire endorsement or passed the alternative background check, this does not have any impact on your legal rights. However, if the Lyft driver was not in compliance with § 40-5-39, this could provide our lawyers with additional grounds to seek just compensation on your behalf.
Proving Liability in Lyft Accidents
When you have a Lyft accident claim in Atlanta, proving liability is one of the first steps toward recovering the financial compensation you deserve. In the vast majority of cases, this involves proving that a driver (either the Lyft driver or another motorist) was negligent in causing the collision.
Demonstrating Negligence in Lyft Accident Cases
Recovering your losses after a Lyft accident in Atlanta almost always involves demonstrating negligence. If your injuries are the result of driver negligence, you are entitled to full compensation for your losses under Georgia law. In Lyft accident cases, negligence can take many forms, including (but not limited to):
- Driving while distracted (including following GPS directions or using the Lyft app)
- Driving while impaired
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Speeding
- Turning or merging without looking
- Tailgating
- Other forms of careless, reckless and aggressive driving
The fundamental principle behind negligence claims is that all drivers owe a duty of care on Georgia’s roads. If a driver breaches this duty of care by making a careless or reckless mistake, the driver (or, in the case of a rideshare accident, the driver’s rideshare company) can be held legally responsible. Practically speaking, however, seeking just compensation for negligence typically means dealing with the liable party’s insurance company.
Determining Fault Through an Investigation
To determine what type of negligence caused your Lyft accident, it will be necessary to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation. As soon as possible, you will want to engage a law firm to send an investigator to the scene of the crash. The investigator will collect and preserve as much evidence as possible, and then your Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer will use this evidence to conduct a preliminary assessment of your legal rights.
Using Surveillance Footage and Witness Testimony
Examining the evidence secured from the crash site will also allow your lawyer to determine what other evidence may be available. For example, car accidents are increasingly being captured on video, and there are eyewitnesses in many cases. Surveillance footage and witness testimony can be powerful evidence in support of Lyft accident victims’ claims for just compensation.
Seeking Compensation for Lyft Accidents
Once your Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer at Mabra Law has collected the evidence needed to prove liability, your lawyer will then shift focus to proving the damages you are entitled to recover. Serious injuries can lead to substantial costs, and it is critical to ensure that you are seeking full compensation not only for the costs you have incurred to date, but also for the costs you will incur in the future.
3 Types of Damages in Lyft Accident Cases
Generally speaking, victims can seek three types of damages in Lyft accident cases. While the damages you are entitled to receive depend on your specific circumstances, the types of damages that are generally available include:
1. Economic Damages
Economic damages cover the financial costs you incur as a result of your Lyft accident. When you hire an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will not only carefully add up your financial costs to date, but also work with your doctors to assess your future:
- Medical bills
- Therapy bills
- Prescription costs
- Other out-of-pocket costs
- Lost income and benefits
These costs can add up quickly; and, generally speaking, the more serious your injuries are, the more you will be entitled to recover. With that said, it is extremely important that you prioritize your physical and emotional wellbeing—and your first priority after a Lyft accident should be to ensure that you receive all of the care you need.
2. Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages cover the non-financial costs you incur as a result of your Lyft accident. While traumatic accidents affect different people differently, the following types of non-economic damages are generally available under Georgia law:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Although it isn’t possible to place an exact dollar value on the non-financial impacts of a Lyft accident, there are methods that lawyers, courts and the insurance companies use to calculate “just compensation” for these losses. To ensure that you are seeking the maximum compensation available, it is important to work with an experienced Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer who will calculate these damages with your best interests in mind.
3. Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are also available in some cases. If the driver who caused your accident engaged in particularly egregious behavior (such as driving under the influence or intentionally causing a collision), you may be entitled to damages above and beyond those that are necessary to compensate you for your losses. While punitive damages are relatively uncommon, it is important to seek them if they are available to you, and an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer at Mabra Law can help you determine if a claim for punitive damages is warranted.
Maximizing Compensation Through Skilled Negotiation (or Litigation) Strategies
Of course, knowing how much you are entitled to recover is just the beginning. Once you have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the damages you are entitled to receive, the next step is to seek these damages from the at-fault party’s insurance company. Seeking full damages requires skilled negotiating, and this is an area where our lawyers excel.
We also excel in taking our clients’ cases to trial. While our goal is always to help our clients secure a favorable out-of-court settlement, we are more than willing to go to court on our clients’ behalf. If winning the compensation you deserve requires litigation, we will be fully prepared to present your case for just compensation to the jury.
Dealing with the Insurance Companies – We Do It So You Don’t Have To!
While we occasionally need to go to court to assert our clients’ rights, the majority of our clients receive settlements through the insurance companies. At Mabra Law, we deal with the insurance companies so you don’t have to! When you schedule a free initial consultation, our lawyers will help you:
- Understand the importance of legal representation for protecting you against insurance tactics – In many cases, when accident victims come to use they are unsure whether they need a lawyer to represent them. We can help you understand the importance of legal representation for protecting you against insurance tactics so that you can make an informed decision about how best to move forward.
- Understand how insurance companies assess Lyft accident claims – We can also help you understand how insurance companies assess Lyft accident claims. We can explain what it will take to prove your right to just compensation, and we can walk you through the process of documenting the damages you are entitled to recover.
- Negotiate with insurance providers to achieve a fair settlement – One of the most important things we do for our clients is negotiate with insurance providers on their behalf. Securing a fair settlement requires both strong negotiation skills and a clear understanding of the total economic, non-economic and punitive damages you are entitled to recover.
- Decide when (and if) to accept an insurance settlement – Once you accept an insurance settlement, your Lyft accident claim is over. If you settle for too little, you don’t get to go back and ask for more money. As a result, it is critical that you make an informed decision. Our lawyers will help you feel confident in your decision-making—whether you decide to accept a settlement or fight for more in court.
These are just some of the ways we help our clients in Lyft accident cases. From answering all of your questions to helping you decide where to go for treatment, there are many other ways we can help you as well. But, we can only help you if you get in touch. If you are struggling to deal with the consequences of a Lyft accident in Atlanta, we strongly encourage you to get in touch for a free consultation today.
Lyft Accident FAQs
Can I sue Lyft for an accident?
If you were injured in an accident involving a Lyft vehicle, you may have a claim against Lyft. Rideshare companies have an obligation to ensure that they are not putting dangerous drivers on the road, and rideshare companies carry liability insurance that covers their drivers’ accidents. As a result, if it isn’t possible to fully recover your losses under the Lyft driver’s insurance policy, then the next step may be to hold Lyft accountable. An Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer at Mabra Law can take all of the steps that are necessary to seek the compensation you deserve.
What should I do if my Lyft was involved in an accident?
If your Lyft was involved in an accident in Atlanta, first and foremost, you should make sure you get any treatment you need for your injuries. Then, your next priority should be to speak with an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer about your legal rights. Once you hire a lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will be able to conduct an investigation and collect the evidence needed to prove liability, then your lawyer will be able to fight for just compensation on your behalf.
How do I escalate a Lyft complaint?
Unfortunately, attempting to escalate a Lyft complaint isn’t likely to do you much good. If you suffered harm in a Lyft accident, rather than trying to get in touch with someone at Lyft, you should hire a lawyer to help you assert your legal rights. You may be entitled to significant financial compensation for your injuries; and, to recover this compensation, you will need an experienced lawyer on your side.
How long does a Lyft investigation take?
The answer to this question depends on who (or what company) is conducting the investigation. If you are waiting for Lyft or an insurance company to investigate your accident, you shouldn’t expect a resolution any time soon. With that said, time is of the essence when it comes to gathering the evidence needed to prove your legal rights.
When you hire an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer at Mabra Law, your lawyer will investigate your accident immediately, and your lawyer will work efficiently to protect your legal rights. Your lawyer will also gather the evidence needed to prove your damages, and then your lawyer will work to secure a favorable settlement on your behalf.
Speak with an Atlanta Lyft Accident Lawyer Today
Do you need an Atlanta Lyft accident lawyer? If so, we encourage you to contact us right away. To discuss your Lyft accident with an experienced lawyer at Mabra Law in confidence, call 404-344-5255 or request a free consultation online today.