San Diego Lyft Accident Lawyer

Have you been injured in a Lyft auto accident in San Diego, CA? If you were a Lyft passenger, pedestrian, or another driver, you may be entitled to compensation. However, Lyft injury cases can be complicated thanks to confusing insurance coverage rules. An experienced San Diego Lyft accident lawyer can help you hold the responsible party accountable for your injuries.

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers has represented auto accident victims in San Diego County for over 25 years. Contact our San Diego law office today at (619) 777-5555 to schedule a free consultation to find out how we can help you.

How Mission Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Lyft Accident in San Diego

How Mission Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After a Lyft Accident in San Diego

Recovering compensation after a car accident in San Diego, California, can be difficult enough, but rideshare accidents introduce new complications. You may be covered by the Lyft driver’s personal insurance policy and/or the commercial Lyft policy. However, the two carriers may both claim the other is responsible. When Lyft’s insurance policy is available also depends on what the Lyft driver was doing at the time of the crash.

Our personal injury lawyers at Mission Personal Injury Lawyers can help you pursue the compensation you deserve and navigate complex rideshare policies and rules. 

When you choose Mission Personal Injury Lawyers to represent you in your Lyft accident case, we will:

  • Scrutinize every element of your crash to identify potentially liable parties and document evidence
  • Work with specialists in many fields for expert testimony on your injuries and future damages and causation
  • Provide the legal advice and guidance you need to make informed decisions
  • Handle all communications and negotiate with the insurance company
  • Craft a compelling case if your case goes to court to seek the full compensation you are owed 

Do not allow an insurance company to blame you, minimize your injuries, or offer you less compensation than you deserve. Call Mission Personal Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation with an award-winning San Diego Lyft accident attorney to discuss your case.

How Common Are Lyft Accidents in San Diego, CA?

How Common Are Lyft Accidents in San Diego, CA?

Rideshare accidents are not specifically tracked by any government agency, and rideshare companies are far from transparent. Lyft and Uber have fought to keep safety records secret from the California Public Utilities Commission.

The commission has required the rideshare companies to file annual reports on safety and crash data in California since 2013. But there is a rule that prohibits the release of the reports. However, the nonprofit San Francisco Public Press published an expose in 2020 documenting many troubling statistics on rideshare accidents in California.

Between 2014 and 2016, insurance companies paid out $185.6 million on 9,388 rideshare accidents in California.

By August 2015, there were 1,100 accidents per month reported by rideshare companies in California. This includes more than just collisions, but this number is certainly higher now. The number of active Uber drivers in the U.S. increased from 160,000 in 2014 to 327,000 in 2015. By 2020, Uber had 209,000 active drivers in California alone. About two-thirds also drive for Lyft.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, 7 out of 47 traffic deaths between August 2018 and August 2019 in San Diego involved rideshare companies.

A recent study found that fatal crashes increase 2-4% annually in major cities after rideshare companies begin operating. This effect was seen after controlling for other factors. It’s attributed to the fact that rideshare companies put more vehicles on the road. The study’s authors noted that the fatality risks may be large enough to cancel the benefit of reducing drunk driving.

What Is My Lyft Accident Case Worth?

The value of your case is highly personal and unique. 

There is no simple formula to calculate the value of a personal injury claim, but we can help you estimate the value of your case based on factors like:

  • Whether you contributed to your accident
  • The amount of insurance coverage available
  • The value of your current economic losses
  • Whether you suffered disability or impairment that will result in future medical care or diminished earning capacity
  • The severity and type of injuries which are used to determine a fair value for non-economic losses 

Contact our law office for a free consultation with a Lyft accident lawyer in San Diego. We will help you explore the strength of your case and what you may be entitled to recover.

What Damages Can I Recover After a Lyft Car Accident in California?

You are entitled to seek fair compensation for the damages you suffered from the at-fault party. You may recover both economic damages and non-economic damages

This may include money for:

How these damages are recovered will depend on who was at fault, what the Lyft driver was doing at the time of the accident, and whether Lyft’s commercial policy covers you.

If the Lyft driver was at fault for your accident, you can seek compensation from their personal insurance policy. The Lyft insurance policy with up to $1 million in coverage will also be available if you were a passenger

If you were not a Lyft passenger at the time of the accident, the commercial policy coverage may still be available in some cases if the Lyft driver was at fault.

Can I Still Recover Damages if I’m Partially at Fault for a Lyft Accident in San Diego, California?

California uses a pure comparative negligence system. Under this doctrine, you are entitled to recover damages even if you share fault for the crash or your injuries. The money you recover will be reduced based on your percentage of fault.

Do not let an insurance company unfairly blame you for your accident! Mission Personal Injury Lawyers will help you fight back against blame-shifting and build a strong negligence case proving who was actually at fault.

We’ll Fight for Full Compensation for All Your Lyft Accident Injuries

A car accident can happen in a moment but leave you with injuries that affect you for the rest of your life. 

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers represents Lyft passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers who have suffered injuries such as:

We will help you fight for full compensation for your injuries. Do not let an insurance company undervalue your claim; contact our law firm today.

What Causes Most Rideshare Accidents in San Diego?

About 94% of all car accidents in San Diego are caused by human error. This is true with Lyft accidents as well as more typical auto accidents. However, there are certain factors that may contribute to a larger share of rideshare crashes.

One of the most common causes of Lyft accidents in California is fatigued driving. In a position paper, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine called drowsy driving in the rideshare industry a “public safety risk.” Many Uber and Lyft drivers work other jobs and use ridesharing for additional income. This can leave little time for sleep. About 20% of all crashes in San Diego and the U.S. are attributed to driver fatigue.

Other factors often involved in Lyft accidents include:

Lyft drivers are essentially encouraged to use their phones while driving. They must use the app to answer ride requests, respond to messages from waiting riders, and navigate behind the wheel.

Mission Personal Injury Lawyers will perform an exhaustive investigation to determine the cause of your accident and who can be held accountable.  

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Lyft Car Accident in San Diego, CA?

To win your case, you must prove the at-fault party’s negligence. This means you must show that their behavior was unreasonable and this caused your accident.

Proving negligence after a crash may require using many forms of evidence:

  • Police accident report
  • Citations or arrests for speeding, drunk driving, texting and driving, or other violations
  • Lyft app data
  • Video and photos of the damage to vehicles and accident scene
  • Dash cam footage or traffic cam footage
  • Witness statements
  • Cell phone records of a suspected distracted driver 

Depending on the circumstances of the accident, we may work with specialists for expert testimony. These experts may testify about their expert opinion on the cause of the accident.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Lyft Accident in California?

You have a limited amount of time to bring a personal injury lawsuit after a Lyft accident. The California statute of limitations is two years for personal injury cases. If your case is filed after this deadline, it will be dismissed, and you will not be able to recover any damages.

Do not delay in seeking experienced legal counsel as soon as possible. Mission Personal Injury Lawyers will get to work investigating your crash and preserving evidence to protect your claim.

Contact a San Diego Lyft Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Rideshare accidents are inherently complicated due to multiple insurance companies and the unique Lyft coverage rules. At Mission Personal Injury Lawyers, we have the experience to navigate the legal system and fight for fair compensation.

Contact our law firm today to schedule a free case review with an experienced San Diego Lyft accident lawyer to discuss how we can help.

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