California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
According to the Los Angeles Times, a 22-year-old motorcyclist died after he was hit by a Lyft driver in Costa Mesa. The police responded to the scene of the crash, which occurred around 8:50 p.m., and found the motorcyclist unresponsive. The accident occurred as the motorcyclist was traveling north on Fairview Road. The Lyft driver was traveling west and made a left turn, causing the collision. “The Lyft driver had just completed a trip to the Mesa del Mar neighborhood and had no passengers at the time of the collision.”
Ride sharing apps like Lyft and Uber are now a part of life, especially in busy areas like Los Angeles. For some time, it was unclear if Lyft and Uber could be held responsible for injuries and deaths caused by their drivers. Now, they offer insurance coverage for their drivers, however, how much liability they have depends on if or how the driver was using the app at the time of the accident. For example, in this motorcycle/Lyft accident it makes a difference that the Lyft driver had completed a trip and did not have a passenger in the car.
According to the Uber and Lyft websites, their insurance coverage for drivers is categorized to how the driver is using their car:
- Personal Use: If the driver is using his car for personal use, and not for ride sharing purposes, Uber/Lyft insurance for does not apply. If they cause an accident during this time, their personal insurance would need to cover the cost of damages.
- While waiting for a ride request: If the driver is logged into the app, and simply waiting for a ride request, the ride sharing insurance covers $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 per accident for property damage.
- On the way to pick up a rider or during a trip: If an accident occurs during this time, the insurance covers “bodily injuries or damages you’ve caused to your riders, people in other vehicles, pedestrians, or property. Coverage limits vary by state but are at least $1,000,000.
If you have been injured or lost someone you love in an Uber or Lyft car accident, it is important to seek help from an experienced personal injury and wrongful death attorney right away. These types of cases are fact sensitive, meaning it is important to have as many details about the accident as possible, including whether or not the ride share driver was “on a ride,” as this makes a difference. Because this can be complicated, be sure to contact an attorney as soon as possible.
At Walch Law, our California personal injury lawyers, who handle serious injury and wrongful death cases throughout California, know how to handle Lyft and Uber accident cases. We understand their insurance coverage, how they defend the cases, and we know how to get the best results for our clients. If you are injured by an Uber or Lyft, or you are a passenger in one of their vehicles that is involved in an accident, call us today for a free consultation at 866-465-8792.