If your Lyft gets into an accident, what you should do is stop, alert authorities, and seek medical treatment if needed. Once you are safe, consider speaking with a ridesharing car accident lawyer about seeking compensation for your injuries and damages. You may be able to recover your medical expenses, lost wages, and more.
In this article, we review the actions you should take following an auto accident and how it can affect your case.
What Should You Do Immediately Following a Lyft Accident?
There are a few steps you can take to protect your health and your right to seek compensation after a Lyft accident in Georgia.
Stop and Call for Help
O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270 states that the first thing you must do after any car accident in Georgia is stop. Failing to do so could qualify as a hit-and-run. Next, you should check yourself for injuries and, if possible, see if others are hurt. If you or anyone else needs medical attention, call 911. If you can, attempt to render aid.
Even if you and others involved in the crash sustained only moderate injuries or vehicle damage, you still need to contact local law enforcement. According to O.C.G.A. § 40-6-273, you must report any accident involving bodily injuries, death, or property damage exceeding $500 to the police or sheriff’s department.
Exchange Information With Everyone Involved
If you are physically able, you should get contact and insurance information from your Lyft driver and any other drivers involved in the crash. It is also a good idea to record additional information that may be useful if you decide to pursue a car accident claim or lawsuit, including license plate numbers, driver’s license numbers, the make, model, and color of the involved vehicles, and photos of the damages.
Law enforcement officers at the scene will also collect this information, which you can obtain later if your injuries prevent you from doing so at the time of the crash.
Take Photographs of the Accident
Photographs are powerful evidence when seeking compensation. They capture details that can disappear once vehicles are towed and the scene is cleared. If it is safe to do so, photograph:
- Damage to every vehicle involved, from several angles
- Where the vehicles came to rest after the crash
- Traffic signals, road signs, skid marks, and road conditions
- Your visible injuries, such as cuts and bruises, and how they change as they heal
Before you close the Lyft app, take screenshots of your ride details. The app shows your driver’s name, their vehicle, and the time of your trip. That record can prove your driver was on an active ride when the crash happened, which affects which insurance policy applies.
Seek Medical Treatment As Soon As Possible
If you did not receive medical treatment at the scene of your accident, you should see a doctor immediately, preferably at the local emergency room. You should never make assumptions about your health following an accident. Sometimes, conditions like whiplash, internal damage, and fractures do not present immediately. Seeking treatment ensures you are physically healthy, prevents injuries from worsening, and creates a medical record.
Limit What You Say
When you speak with the police, stick to the facts of what happened. Do not guess about details you are unsure of, and avoid apologizing. Even a polite “I’m sorry” can later be framed as an admission of fault.
The same care applies to everyone else you talk to after the crash:
- Lyft App: Report the accident, but keep your description brief and factual
- Insurance Adjusters: Decline to give a recorded statement to Lyft’s insurer or the other driver’s insurer until you have spoken with a lawyer
- Social Media: Avoid posting about the crash, your injuries, or your recovery
Insurers may use anything you say or post to limit what you recover.
Consult With a Lawyer
If you have injuries, incur medical bills, or must take time off from work, consider consulting with a car accident lawyer with our firm about recovering your financial losses. Rideshare claims are often more complicated than a typical car accident claim. Depending on what your driver was doing when the crash happened, your case may involve the driver’s personal insurer, Lyft’s insurer, and another motorist’s insurer. Each may try to shift responsibility to the others.
We determine which policies apply and handle communication with every insurer so you can focus on healing. You get one-on-one time with your personal injury attorney, including direct access to their cell phone number. Your consultation is free, and we work on contingency, so you owe nothing unless we win.
Recoverable Lyft Accident Damages
You have the right to pursue awards for injuries and damages if your Lyft gets in an accident. We can help you seek compensation for:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages, earnings, and benefits
- Reduced earning capacity
- Personal property damages
- Physical pain
- Disabling injuries
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Mental and emotional suffering
- Lost quality of life
- Wrongful death of a loved one
Keep every medical record, bill, and pay stub related to the crash, since these documents help determine the value of your claim.
Who Is Liable for Your Lyft Accident?
As with any motor vehicle accident, liability rests with the party who caused the collision with their negligent actions. Examples of driver negligence include:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Texting and driving
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Failure to stop at a stop sign or red light
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Illegal passing
- Making an improper turn
- Aggressive driving (“road rage”)
Evidence, such as the police report, photographs, and witness statements, helps establish which driver caused the crash.
If the Lyft Driver Is Responsible
According to O.C.G.A. 33-1-24, transportation network companies (TNCs) operating in Georgia must provide drivers with at least $1 million in liability insurance for injuries, death, or property damage that occur en route to a ride request or while transporting passengers. Lower coverage limits apply when the driver has the app on but has not yet accepted a ride.
If your Lyft driver is liable for the accident, we can help with a claim. However, holding a TNC directly responsible for damages is often difficult. These services provide a platform linking riders and drivers. They are not employers. Therefore, they are generally not vicariously liable for drivers’ negligent actions.
If Another Motorist Is At Fault
All Georgia motorists must have automobile liability insurance. The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire states that minimum coverage must include:
- $25,000 per person in bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage
- $50,000 per accident in BIL
- $25,000 in property damage liability
We can help you pursue a claim for damages up to the at-fault driver’s coverage limits. If that does not cover your losses, we can pursue additional compensation through available uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage or a lawsuit.
Georgia’s Statute of Limitations Will Affect Your Lyft Accident Claim
If your Lyft gets into an accident, do not wait too long to seek compensation. According to O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, you have two years to file a personal injury or wrongful death case in Georgia’s civil courts. The court will likely dismiss your case if you do not meet the deadline. Waiting until the deadline is close can also reduce your bargaining power when seeking an insurance settlement.
The attorneys with our law firm can get started before time runs out. We can prepare and file your claim or lawsuit, collect evidence proving liability, show that you suffered injuries and financial losses, and negotiate on your behalf.
Contact Kaine Law for a Free Case Consultation Today
Our law firm can help you pursue your losses with an insurance claim or lawsuit against the at-fault party. Contact Kaine Law today to learn more about how we can help after a Georgia Lyft accident.
Call today to get started with a free consultation.
