Tampa Lyft Car Accident Lawyer

BOLD REPRESENTATION. BOLD RESULTS.

RHINO Lawyers is a powerful, results-driven law firm. We take Insurance Companies and Bullies “head-on!” If you have an accident while in a Lyft rideshare, contact us today for a free consultation.

What is Lyft?

Lyft is a privately held transportation network company (TNC). It’s based in San Francisco. Operating in more than 300 cities in the United States. In fact, it’s the second-largest TNC in the country behind Uber. Lyft services more than 1 million passengers a day.

Becoming a Lyft Customer is Simple

People who want to become Lyft riders have to download Lyft’s app on their smartphones. Then, enter some basic information along with a method of payment. Those methods consist of a credit card, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, or PayPal. Once a passenger is in the system and wants a ride someplace, the passenger can input his or her present location along with their intended destination. A Lyft driver nearby can then accept the passenger. The app will provide information to the customer about the driver, car, and plate number.

Lyft’s Independent Contractor Relationship

Lyft denies that any employer and employee relationship exists between it and its drivers. As well as, denying ownership of any vehicles for purposes of transporting the general public too. In fact, the vehicles used by Lyft drivers are their own personal vehicles. Lyft purports to be nothing more than a transportation network platform. Thus, connecting people wanting to go someplace with available drivers. In the eyes of Lyft, drivers are independent contractors.

The Insurance Issues that Followed

The independent contractor relationship initially created an insurance nightmare. Especially, for Lyft passengers, other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians injured in Lyft accidents. Unfortunately, that often left them with little or no compensation for their injuries. However, Florida is a no-fault insurance state. So, it only requires a mandatory minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and property damage coverage. Florida law requires Lyft accident injury victims to get PIP benefits from their own insurer. After that, they could bring a claim or lawsuit against the Lyft driver. When insurers learned that Lyft drivers were using their vehicles for commercial purposes, they raised the commercial activity exclusion in their coverage. As a result, Lyft drivers became uninsured in many personal injury claims and lawsuits.

Lyft’s Current Insurance Coverage

Learning about the lack of insurance for many of the state’s Lyft drivers Florida legislators had enough. Consequently, for purposes of personal injury liability claims and lawsuits, they must have insurance. Now, Florida Lyft drivers maintain the following minimum coverage:

• $1 million of liability coverage from the moment that they accept a fare until the moment they drop off the person.
• $1 million in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage from the beginning of a ride to its completion.
• $50,000 of liability coverage when the driver has the Lyft app on and is waiting for a passenger.

What to Do if You’re Injured in a Lyft Accident

If you’re in an accident with a Lyft vehicle, call 911. Then, have police and paramedics dispatched to the scene. Don’t let anybody talk you out of this. Because, without a police report, it’s unlikely that you’ll stand any chance of obtaining any compensation at all for your injuries. Paramedics will treat you at the accident scene and transport you to the nearest emergency room. Assuming they discharge you from there, you’ll receive instructions. So, follow those instructions completely. Be sure to attend every doctor or therapy appointment that you have. Since insurance companies look for missed appointments or gaps in treatment. That’s when they argue that you either did not get injured at all, or your injuries are not as severe as you claim.

Don’t Give a Statement to the Opposing Insurer

Insurance companies are in the business of cashing premium checks. Then, they invest that money and make even more money. They want to keep that money, so they try to pay as little as possible when required to pay out claims. That’s the primary objective of an insurance adjuster, and he or she will use any legal means possible to minimize a loss.

One of the tactics that an adjuster will use is to obtain recorded or written statements from all of the parties and witnesses to a crash. Always remember that Florida law doesn’t require you to give any type of a statement without an attorney being present on your behalf. Our recommendation is to politely refuse to give any type of a statement to an opposing insurer without one of our attorneys being present. Rather than giving that statement and taking the risk of harming your case, contact us instead to arrange for a confidential free consultation and case review. If we’re retained to represent you in your Lyft case, you’ll never hear from that insurance adjuster again.

Contact RHINO Lawyers

Don’t expect to be treated fairly by Lyft’s insurer. It may only try to take advantage of you. The law governing TNCs is relatively new. It’s complex and still developing. If you were seriously injured in a Lyft accident anywhere in or around Tampa, contact our Tampa Auto Injury Lawyers right away to arrange for that free confidential consultation and case review. We’ll be pleased to answer your questions and advise you of all of your legal alternatives.