After a Lyft accident, you can sue the Lyft driver, Lyft itself, another driver, or a third party, depending on the circumstances of your accident. In other words, whoever we find at fault for your accident is who we can sue. Liability may not be immediately clear, so discussing details with your Salt Lake City Lyft accident lawyer helps you figure things out.
You Can Sue The Rideshare Company After a Lyft Accident
When Lyft drivers are logged into the app as active and performing work duties, Lyft covers its drivers with company insurance. So, if you are a Lyft passenger hurt in an accident caused by your driver’s negligence, you can sue Lyft so that their insurance pays out to you. Knowing this is just one part of how you can be prepared if you are in a rideshare accident as a passenger.
If you were driving and were hit by a Lyft vehicle, you can sue Lyft for your damages. The company insurance is meant to cover any damages caused by their drivers while on duty. Keep this in mind if you believe the other driver was actively driving for Lyft at the time of your accident.
Just because the driver has a Lyft logo in their windshield or occasionally drives for Lyft does not mean Lyft is always the one you can sue after a Lyft accident. Unless they are waiting on a ride request with the app on and active, have accepted a ride and are on their way to pick up the passenger, or are actively transporting a passenger, Lyft’s insurance does not kick in.
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The Lyft Driver May Be Liable for Your Accident
If a driver who sometimes drives for Lyft hits you while off-duty, their own insurance is the active policy. In this case, you would treat this like any other car accident that a Salt Lake City car accident lawyer would help you with. If they were on duty and you believe they acted extremely recklessly to the point of malice, you could still pursue a lawsuit against them aside from Lyft.
Looking at these accidents, we must keep Utah’s liability laws in mind. According to § 31A-22-309, Utah is a no-fault state, meaning damages would have to rise to a certain level for you to even be able to sue for damages. Until then, your own insurance will have to cover your own damages and injury recovery expenses.
Make sure you know for sure whether the Lyft driver was on duty when the accident happened. Pursuing a lawsuit against them and their insurance differs from suing Lyft and their company insurance. The payouts could also differ if the two insurance policy limits are distinct enough.
You Can Sue Negligent Drivers After a Lyft Accident
In some cases, the Lyft driver may not be the only party at fault. If another road user contributed to the accident, you may be able to sue them after a Lyft accident. This may apply if you are another motorist or a Lyft passenger.
For example, suppose that you are involved in a chain reaction or a multi-car pileup at a stoplight. If a distracted driver hits the Lyft driver at a high rate of speed, forcing the vehicle into yours, you may be able to sue both parties.
In this scenario, the Lyft driver acted negligently by not leaving enough room between their car and yours. However, the other driver who ultimately caused the multi-car pileup may be responsible for your damages as well.
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When the Manufacturer Can Be Sued After a Lyft Accident
In rare circumstances, a vehicle defect may lead to a third-party claim against the manufacturer. For example, if the tires have a design flaw that leads to a blowout, ultimately contributing to the accident, the company that manufactures the tires may be named in a Lyft accident lawsuit.
According to § 78B-6-701, known as the Utah Product Liability Act, a product manufacturer can be held liable for damages caused by a defect in its product. For example, if the vehicle was designed and built with a faulty steering system, causing the driver to be unable to turn out of harm’s way and hit you, you could sue the maker of the car.
This would require proof to show that it was not because of poor maintenance but an actual design flaw that the company knew about and did nothing to remedy. Odds are that if you experienced an accident because of this, others did, too. This may not mean a class-action lawsuit is the right move, but it is worth looking into.
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Utah Has a Strict Time Limit for Filing Lyft Accident Claims
You only have so much time to file a claim, no matter who you can sue after a Lyft accident. Since it may take a long time to gather everything we need to make a proper filing, you should take action as soon after the accident as possible.
In Utah, you have four years to file a lawsuit, according to § 78B-2-307 of Utah Code. Four years can seem like a long time, but this window can fly by when you’re working to compile all your medical bills or waiting for the proper evidence to surface. Even just the paperwork required to file can eat up time.
Do not let the liable party go without us holding them accountable. It may take a while to determine our target in the lawsuit, but as long as we are in constant contact, we can suss out where your compensation will come from.
Call Siegfried & Jensen After a Lyft Accident
Do not wait to call a lawyer to weigh your options and find out who you can sue after your Lyft accident. At Siegfried & Jensen, we have decades of experience helping accident victims hold the at-fault parties accountable.
You deserve compensation. Unfortunately, Lyft accident claims are complicated and present unique challenges in liability and insurance policy limits. Contact a Lyft accident attorney in Salt Lake City, UT, today. We can discuss the details of your case and the best way to move forward.
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