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Towson Lyft Accident Attorney
If you’ve suffered injuries from a Lyft car accident, let an experienced Towson Lyft accident lawyer at Leppler Injury Law help you deal with your insurance claims and evaluate whether you have a claim for compensation.
What Is Lyft and How Does it Work?
Lyft has become a popular commuting option for people who want to get to their destinations quickly and conveniently. Lyft is the second-largest ridesharing company operating in the United States. It trails only Uber in that regard. Lyft makes it simple for commuters in Towson, Maryland, to get around.
You open up the app and choose the option to book a ride. After that, you can select your destination. The app will search for drivers nearby and match you up with one. Once the driver arrives, you get in the car and enjoy a leisurely ride to the destination you chose previously. You can make payments through the app or payment service. You can also pay for your ride using cash. Evidently, many people have enjoyed using Lyft as an alternative to more conventional commuting methods.
Hopefully, you will never experience an accident during any of your rides or get into an accident involving a Lyft driver. However, if one does occur, remember to seek help from an experienced Lyft accident attorney in Towson, Maryland.
What to Do if You Are in a Lyft Accident in Towson, Maryland
While on your way to your destination in Baltimore County, your Lyft driver may get into some kind of accident. Below are the steps you must take if you ever find yourself in that situation.
- See if You Received Injuries: Ensuring everyone’s safety should be your priority following the accident. Examine yourself for injuries and do the same for the other people in the vehicle.
- Contact 911: Call 911 as soon as you can. Even if no one was injured during the crash, you should still call 911 so they can send police officers from the Towson police department over to the scene of the accident.
- Gather Evidence: Collecting evidence is crucial if you intend to file a claim or take legal action eventually. Take photos of the accident site and record videos if you can. You should also talk to witnesses if there are any present.
- Speak to All the Parties Involved: Next, you need to get the names and contact details of your Lyft driver and any other drivers involved in the accident. You or your Lyft accident lawyer in Towson, Maryland, may need to get in touch with them later, so do not forget about this step.
- Talk to the Police: Speak to the police as soon as they reach the scene and share what you saw during the accident. You should also note the names and contact details of the police officers. They will create a report about this accident, and you may need that if you want to receive compensation.
- Report the Accident to Lyft: Do not forget to report the accident to Lyft. Filing that report can make it easier for you to recoup compensation later. This Lyft article has more details about reporting accidents.
- Seek Medical Attention: Regardless of how you feel following the accident, you should still see a doctor as soon as possible. Undergo the necessary examinations so you can be certain that you are not injured.
- Hire an Experienced Towson Lyft Accident Lawyer: If you did not already have an attorney, now is the time to change that. Things will only get more complicated, so make sure you have an attorney by your side.
Who Is Liable in a Lyft Car Accident in Towson, Maryland?
Accidents involving Lyft and other ridesharing companies in Towson, Maryland, can become complex. Determining liability plays a big role in that. Because you were a Lyft passenger when the accident occurred, liability for what happened will likely be on either the ridesharing company or the other driver.
If your Lyft driver was the one who caused the accident, then you will need to obtain your compensation from the company. Lyft provides at least $1,000,000 in third-party auto liability, and you may receive a payout from that if you incurred any losses as a result of the accident. The matter can be relatively simple in the alternate scenario where another party caused the accident.
While accidents involving Uber and Lyft have some similarities to typical car accidents, there are numerous factors which make them more complicated. At it’s most basic, you can sue the other driver and have them compensate you for your losses. Notably, Lyft’s uninsured and underinsured motorist policies may also come into play if the other driver who caused the accident does not have insurance. Since these claims can be complicated, check with an experienced Towson Lyft accident attorney to see if you can make that kind of claim in your situation.
Do I Need an Attorney After a Lyft Accident in Towson, Maryland?
Is hiring an attorney necessary? Many people would prefer not to get entangled in legal affairs. That sentiment is understandable, but not hiring a legal representative could come back to bite you. In this section, we will discuss why hiring an attorney is a must if you were recently involved in a Lyft accident in Towson, Maryland.
They Can Deal with the Insurers
Whether you seek compensation from Lyft or the other driver, you will likely deal with insurers and their legal representatives. However, do not expect the concerned insurer to hand over the payout immediately. A Lyft accident attorney in Towson will utilize all the options available to avoid that payout.
Expect them to go after you aggressively in the hopes that you will either agree to a poor settlement or make some kind of mistake that lets them off the hook. Partner with an attorney so they can handle those talks and prevent you from making a potentially costly error.
They Can Investigate the Case
The party responsible for the accident may not be immediately clear. If that is the case, your Towson Lyft accident lawyer can look into the matter and conduct an investigation. They can help clear things up faster so you can receive your compensation as soon as possible.
They Can Give You More Time to Recover
You may be dealing with some injuries in the aftermath of your accident. Unfortunately, talking to insurers will not make you feel any better. Thankfully, you can focus on your recovery since you already have legal representation.
To learn more about the benefits of working with an experienced Towson Lyft accident lawyer, contact Leppler Injury Law today. We offer free case evaluations and are never too busy to speak with you.
Financial Compensation for Lyft Accident Injuries in Towson, Maryland
What can you expect to receive in terms of compensation if you were involved in a Lyft accident? Let’s go over that topic so you can make a more informed decision regarding your case.
Economic Damages: If you were recently involved in a Lyft accident in Towson, you may be eligible to receive compensation for economic damages. The economic damages in personal injury cases compensate you for quantifiable losses. The liable party must pay for your medical expenses, damaged property, and lost wages. They may also be on the hook for therapy and rehabilitation expenses if the doctor determines that you need those forms of continuing treatment.
Non-Economic Damages: Non-economic damages will compensate you for your unquantifiable losses from the accident. Your Towson Lyft accident attorney can point out that you missed numerous opportunities due to your injuries. If the court agrees with your claims, they may require the liable party to provide non-economic damages. Non-economic damages are also supposed to compensate plaintiffs for the pain and suffering caused by the accident.
If you have been struggling in the aftermath of what happened, the guilty party should be held accountable. Your attorney can calculate how much the non-economic damages should be. Let them figure out the right number before you present your case to the court.
Ridesharing Apps and Laws in Towson, Maryland
Towson residents who use ridesharing services regularly should know more about the laws governing them to know how to act if an accident occurs. Allow us to talk more about those relevant laws in this section.
Settling Liability in Accidents Involving Rideshare Drivers
We touched on this earlier but determining liability in rideshare accidents can be tricky. Currently, rideshare drivers are not formal employees in Maryland. That means Lyft cannot be held liable for its actions in all situations.
Seeking compensation from Lyft is only possible if the accident took place while the rider was booked or if the app was on and they were looking for passengers. Otherwise, accident victims can only obtain compensation from the driver and not Lyft directly.
Restrictions Placed on Certain Drivers
Not all motorists are allowed to become rideshare drivers in Maryland. If you committed a major traffic offense that led to someone’s death or driving under the influence, they may bar you from working for Lyft. Committing several traffic violations within five years could also disqualify you from that job. In addition, people who have committed other serious crimes also get disqualified from becoming Lyft drivers.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Accidents Involving Lyft in Towson, Maryland?
Some of the most common reasons attorney John Leppler sees that drivers cause accidents include:
- Lack of any special training or experience.
- The long hours of Lyft driver shifts and related driver fatigue.
- Speeding in order to make time for more customers and to maximize their fares and ratings.>
- Distracted driving due to frequently checking the GPS or Lyft app, and texting with upcoming riders.
- The inexperience of driving in general.
- Violations of common traffic laws.
To learn more about how Lyft and rideshare accidents happen, reach out to a skilled Towson car accident lawyer at our law firm today. John Leppler offers free consultations and can help you understand your legal options after a car accident involving Lyft or Uber in Towson, Maryland.
What Kind of Evidence Will I Need in a Lyft Car Accident Lawsuit in Towson, Maryland?
Lyft accidents caused by your Lyft driver or another vehicle hitting your Lyft car are similar to any vehicle accident in that you’ll need to work with a legal representative to gather the evidence necessary to support your claim. Common types of evidence include:
- Evidence of personal injuries. This includes medical records, as well as any personal notes or journals that detail your pain levels, symptoms, treatments, and prescriptions.
- Evidence of damages like pictures at the scene of the accident.
- The police report and any witness statements.
- Other accident information, including names and contact information of everyone involved in the accident, including license plate numbers, insurance information, and driver’s licenses.
What Are Some Common Lyft Car Accident Injuries?
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), passengers riding in the back seat of a vehicle during an accident are at an elevated risk of serious injuries and fatalities, even when wearing their seatbelts. Some of the most common back seat injuries include:
- Chest injuries. According to the study, the most common type of injury to rear-seat occupants who were killed or seriously injured was to the chest. In many of the study cases, the back-seat passengers were injured more severely than the front-seat occupants, suggesting the restraints in the rear seats didn’t perform as well as the ones in the front. This could be because backseat seatbelts lack force limiters, allowing the seatbelt’s force to injure the rider’s chest. Bruising or fractures of the ribs, as well as more catastrophic punctures of the ribs into the lungs or heart, are common damages of chest injuries.
- Head injuries. Head injuries were the second-most common type of injury in the study. Backseat passengers are more likely to have a head injury because there is currently no option to install front airbags, leaving them vulnerable to damage from headrests, seat bodies, and other objects in front of them during an accident. Back seat passengers can also suffer traumatic brain injuries, memory loss, brain bleeding, and other cognitive impairments as a result of brain damage if they strike their heads on the windows, other objects, or seats.
Other common types of rear-passenger injuries include:
- Concussions
- Bruising and contusions
- Neck and back injuries
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Experienced Rideshare Attorney in Towson, Maryland
As an experienced Towson Lyft accident lawyer, John Leppler understands the laws surrounding rideshare accidents, and that rear-seat passengers are the most likely to be injured during a collision. Contact us online or by phone at (443) 955-1989 for a same-day response to schedule your free consultation and learn about your legal options.
Locations near Towson, Maryland, which John Leppler serves include Baltimore, Lutherville-Timonium, Parkville, Owings Mills, Pikesville, Parkville, Glen-Burnie, and more.