What Damages Can You Recover In A Lyft Accident In Santa Monica?
You can recover all the "typical" damages up to $1,000,000.
Even though they provide affordability and convenience, Lyft and other rideshare services still have a legal obligation to provide a certain level of safety for their passengers, their drivers and to those who drive or walk around them.
Because of this obligation, they can be held liable for the same damages and injuries sustained in just about any other type of car accident.
How Much Is My Lyft Accident Claim Worth?
Just like any other personal injury claim, the value of an accident involving a Lyft driver depends on the unique variables of your individual case.
Even though someone else technically employs the Lyft driver, the value of your case will be driven largely by the injuries and property damage you’ve incurred.
This can include compensation to cover:
- Past medical expenses.
Medical bills already incurred because of the accident and anticipated future treatments.
Determining your future medical expenses and needs can be a complicated matter that requires the advice of medical experts. Cases with significant injuries often warrant hiring a medical economist to value your future medical care.
- Lost wages.
This can include time off to recover from your injuries, time to recover from a medical procedure or for doctor appointments.
- Diminished earning capacity.
A decrease in your ability to earn a living, including the inability to perform the same tasks as before the accident, or inability to earn any significant income at all. Cases with significant injuries often warrant hiring a vocational expert to value your diminished earning capacity.
- Loss of use of your vehicle.
- Costs to repair or replace your vehicle.
- Pain and suffering.
This is often the most significant portion of any settlement or judgment. It includes compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loss of quality or enjoyment of life, etc. Even the smallest of cases still require compensation for pain and suffering.
- Loss of consortium or companionship.
If your spouse or loved one loses their life or is unable to provide for you because of the accident, you may be entitled to loss of consortium compensation.
Generally speaking, it’s the injuries and property damage that cause the greatest disruption to your life that result in larger settlements and jury decisions.
How will I recover damages from my accident with a Lyft driver?
As we explained in a previous article, recovering compensation from, and proving liability of, a rideshare company can be tricky at best. That’s why you need to leverage the skill set and experience of a Santa Monica personal injury lawyer with a reputation for aggressively ensuring at-fault drivers do the right thing.
Under California law, ridesharing companies operating in the state must carry insurance to protect their drivers and passengers when the driver is logged into the company app.
If your injuries are so severe that the costs exceed Lyft’s $1 million insurance limit, you should be able to make a claim against the Lyft driver if they were at least partly liable for the accident.
If You’ve Been in an Accident With a Lyft Driver, Call the Santa Monica Personal Injury Lawyers at Sina Rez Law.
If you were injured while using Lyft’s services or a Lyft driver hit you, you probably have a legitimate legal claim to be compensated.
Because Lyft will most likely do all they can to either deny or delay your claim, your best course for results is to partner with personal injury attorney who will not be deterred.
Here at Sina Rez Law, we’re not the least bit intimidated by large companies like Lyft and insurance carriers.
If you’ve been injured because your Lyft driver got into an accident, we invite you to take part in our free case evaluation. Simply get in touch with Sina Rez Law by calling 818-784-010, sending an email or completing our online form.
