North Hollywood Lyft Accidents

Lyft is a household name among rideshare providers for good reason. This year, more than 1.4 million North American Lyft drivers will provide on-demand service to the company’s nearly 30 million passengers at all hours of the day and night. Passengers use the service as a way to avoid searching or paying for limited parking in the area, an alternative to public transportation, a way to multi-task on their commute to work, or even a responsible and legal way to travel to and from social occasions. However, an accident when using Lyft can leave you wondering how a simple service can result in so much confusion about who pays for your damages. The North Hollywood Lyft accident attorneys at Walch Law know the difficulty and headaches involved in dealing with insurance companies, so we’ll use our over 45 years of experience to navigate the process and fight for a speedy, fair result for you as soon as you hire us. Contact us today to learn more and get started!

Southern California is notorious for terrible traffic, unsafe drivers, and car accidents – North Hollywood is unfortunately no exception. Though the city’s location between the bustling 101, 134, and 5 freeways make it convenient to take rideshares to and from destinations in the LA metro area or to galleries, cafes, and bars in eclectic North Hollywood, the added number of Lyft vehicles contributes to congestion and adds to the potential for accidents and injuries. The extra traffic caused by having rideshare drivers on the roadways is responsible for an estimated 2 to 3 percent of all car accidents, even if the Lyft driver is not at-fault.

Lyft has an auto insurance policy that covers its drivers from the time a Lyft logs into Driver Mode on Lyft’s app until they log out through the app and stop accepting passenger rides. The amount of coverage provided by Lyft depends on what their driver is doing when the accident occurs. Though all Lyft drivers must always have personal auto insurance coverage, Lyft’s coverage will apply when they are logged into Driver Mode.

Depending on the driver’s duties, coverage limits on Lyft’s policy vary. However, during all phases of a Lyft driver’s work, the policy provides:

• Liability coverage
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage

Additionally, any time between the Lyft driver’s match with a rider until the conclusion of that trip, the policy also provides comprehensive and collision coverage. This coverage is contingent to primary insurance coverage and will handle repairs to a Lyft driver’s vehicle resulting both from accidents as well as situations where vehicle damage didn’t occur during an accident. To benefit from Lyft’s comprehensive and collision coverage, their driver must have these coverages on their own insurance as well when the damage occurs. After a driver pays a $2,500 deductible, Lyft will pay either the repair cost or the actual cash value of their vehicle, whichever is less.

• Period 1: Lyft Driver is Logged into Driver Mode but Hasn’t Been Matched with a Rider

In period 1, Lyft provides insurance coverage up to:

• $25,000 property damage
• $50,000 bodily injury per person
• $100,000 liability coverage per accident

It’s important to note that Lyft drivers in this period are responsible for paying their own vehicle repairs and expenses related to injuries they sustain.

• Period 2: Lyft Driver is Matched with a Rider and On the Way to Pick Them Up

In both the period 2 and 3, Lyft enhances its coverage and will pay up to $1 million total liability for damages from an accident. Lyft’s contingent collision and comprehensive insurance coverage also apply, with the $2,500 deductible being required of the driver.

• Period 3: From the Time the Passenger Enters the Vehicle Until the Trip Ends Via App

When you or a loved one are injured in an accident involving a Lyft vehicle, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of financial strain you’re under to pay massive medical bills and compensate for a sudden lack of income if your injuries prevent you from going to work. If you think these extra expenses mean you can’t afford to hire an attorney, think again. The experienced North Hollywood Lyft accident lawyers understand the right financial situation many accident victims like you face; that’s why all our cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing until we’ve gotten you paid. Contact us today so we can answer your questions and explain how we will use our knowledge, skill, and resources to put together the best argument that you receive maximum possible compensation.