Summerville Lyft Accident Lawyers

Summerville Lyft Accident Lawyers

Lyft is a leading player in the rideshare industry. The company allows users to download an app and arrange for drivers to take them to their destination with a few clicks on their cell phones. However, while Lyft offers riders unrivaled convenience, it also poses significant risks to riders. Over recent years, the number of Summerville Lyft accidents has increased dramatically and is expected to continue.

After an accident, the first thing on your mind is recovering from your injuries, as it should be. However, along the road to recovery, you will soon realize the full extent of the damages you suffered in the accident. You may have missed work, time spent with family, and suffered unnecessary pain and suffering. You may also be receiving hefty medical bills.  

At the Steinberg Law Firm, we represent Summerville Lyft accident victims, helping them obtain compensation for their injuries. Our law firm has been representing injury victims and their families since 1927. Over this time, we have helped thousands of clients get their lives back on track through our diligent and compassionate advocacy.

Will Lyft Pay for Your Injuries?

If you have been involved in a Summerville Lyft accident, you may be wondering where to turn to get help with all the expenses you have incurred due to the accident. The natural option is Lyft. However, Lyft drivers are considered independent contractors, meaning the company will not be liable for a driver’s negligence. Lawmakers require Lyft to purchase insurance on behalf of its drivers. Thus, in most Summerville Lyft accident cases, injury victims can file a claim with Lyft’s insurance company.

While all car insurance is somewhat complicated, rideshare insurance policies are even more complex. To summarize, Lyft’s insurance policy breaks down the rideshare experience into three distinct phases.

Phase One: The driver is offline or otherwise not accepting rides

Accidents occurring during Phase One fall outside Lyft’s insurance policy because the driver is not on an official ride. These cases present some of the most challenging situations for accident victims. Because an injury victim cannot look to Lyft for compensation, they must file a claim with the Lyft driver’s personal insurance policy. In South Carolina, drivers only need to purchase $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage and $25,000 of property damage liability coverage. Thus, if an accident victim’s injuries exceed $25,000, they will be on the hook for any excess.

Assuming an accident victim purchased underinsured motorist (UIM) protection, they could also file a claim with their own insurance policy. However, UIM protection is optional in South Carolina, and some motorists may not carry this particular coverage. (Note: UIM protection is not the same as uninsured motorist (UM) protection, which is mandatory under South Carolina law).

Phase Two: The driver is awaiting a ride request

As soon as a Lyft driver begins accepting ride requests, Phase Two kicks in. In Phase Two, Lyft’s insurance policy provides the following coverage:

• $50,000 per person/ $100,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage
• $30,000 of property damage liability coverage per accident

An example of an accident that falls under Phase Two might involve a situation in which a Lyft driver fails to yield the right of way to a pedestrian while the driver is waiting for the Lyft app to match them up with a passenger.

Phase Three: The Uber app matches a driver up with a passenger 

Once a Lyft driver is matched up with a passenger, Phase Three begins. During Phase Three, Lyft’s insurance policy provides the following coverage:

• $1 million in bodily injury coverage
• $1 million in uninsured motorist protection
• $1 million in underinsured motorist protection

Any Lyft accident involving a passenger will necessarily fall into Phase Three. However, anyone—not just the Lyft passenger—is covered under the company’s insurance policy. This means that if a Lyft driver hits a pedestrian while carrying a passenger, the passenger will be covered under the million-dollar policy. However, if there were no passengers in the car, the $50,000 limit discussed in Phase Two will apply.

Handling a Lyft accident lawsuit requires an in-depth knowledge of insurance law, as well as general principles of personal injury law. At the Steinberg Law Firm, we have been handling Summerville rideshare accidents since Lyft first began operating in South Carolina. We use an individualized approach to each case, listening to what is important to our clients before recommending they pursue any course of action.

Damages in a Lyft Accident Case

Those involved in a Lyft accident may be entitled to compensation for what they have been through. Under South Carolina law, there are generally two types of damages in a personal injury claim: economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are readily identifiable out-of-pocket costs someone incurs due to the accident. Economic damages include:
· Medical bills,
· Future medical expenses,
· Costs related to necessary modifications made to the accident victim’s home,
· Lost wages, and
· Decrease in earning capacity.

Non-economic damages compensate an accident victim for their injuries that, while serious, do not require the accident victim to spend any money. Non-economic damages are equally as important as economic damages and include the following:

• Pain and suffering,
• Mental anguish,
• Emotional distress,
• Physical impairment of disability,
• Loss of society or companionship, and
• Loss of consortium (in a spousal relationship).

At the Steinberg Law Firm, we work closely with our clients, their family, as well as their treating physicians and, when necessary, expert witnesses to identify the overall impact the crash had on our clients’ lives. This allows us to seek maximum compensation for our clients, so they can move past their injuries and get on with their lives.

Speak With a Summerville Lyft Accident Lawyer Today

If you have recently been injured in a Summerville Lyft car accident, give the Steinberg Law Firm a call. We are here to help you understand your rights, and if you decided to bring a claim, assist you through the process. We have over 170 years of collective experience handling a broad range of personal injury cases in Summerville and South Carolina. Over the years, we have helped thousands of clients obtain the compensation they need and deserve, and we look forward to seeing what we can do to help you. To learn more and schedule a free consultation with one of our Summerville Lyft accident lawyers, call us at 843-720-2800. You can also reach us through our online form.

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Steinberg attorneys have been awarded numerous distinctions, such as Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America by U.S. News & World Report, Gedney M. Howe, Jr. Award for Outstanding Public Service, the SC Leadership in Law award, and has been voted Best Workers’ Comp Firm in SC, among other distinctions.

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