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Chicago Lyft Accident Lawyer
Many consumers believe Lyft is an underdog competitor to Uber. In many ways, it differs how it advertises itself to the public. There are actual functional differences, and there are marketing gimmicks. Yet, one thing stays the same: their rideshare passengers suffer harm when their rideshare drivers are negligent, just like Uber.
Some ridesharing passengers endure serious injuries from car accidents, others sustain sexual assaults, and some even experience personal violations. When this happens, you can take steps to right the wrong with a personal injury lawsuit.
The personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, work with victims involved in motor vehicle incidents across Illinois. We help injured victims use the legal system to receive help by working on recovering compensation for personal injury, medical treatment, and emotional distress.
Contact our car accident lawyers at (888) 424-5757 today for a free case evaluation.
Let Our Legal Team Help with Your Lyft Accident Case
Our rideshare accident attorneys can bring you a claim against Uber or Lyft at no cost. We handle Lyft accidents on a contingency fee basis, where we only receive a fee when we successfully get a financial recovery for you.
Contact our legal team for a no-obligation consultation to learn about what that financial recovery might be after your rideshare accident.
Causes of Chicago Rideshare Accidents
Uber and Lyft drivers owe you a duty of care while you ride in their vehicles across Chicago, IL.
They must operate their cars in a safe and reasonable manner to ensure they do not get involved in a traffic accident and injure you.
However, as an experienced Chicago Lyft accident lawyer can tell you, that duty is often breached. Rideshare passengers are routinely injured in severe accidents.
- Intoxicated driving accidents: Lyft passengers are not immune from the general problem of intoxicated drivers on the streets of Chicago and across Illinois. If your intoxicated rideshare driver gets into a crash, you may have a claim against them. It is essential to have the Uber or Lyft driver checked after any accident to ensure that alcohol or drugs do not play a part.
- Excessive speed accidents: Lyft and Uber drivers may speed to secure more business and make more money. This recklessness can cause problems with accidents of all sorts. The speed and manner of driving may be judged to be the source of your crash and injuries.
- Fatigue-Related accidents: Even though Lyft attempts to limit the hours drivers can work, it prohibits drivers from working other jobs and even becoming Uber drivers after the Lyft time limit is reached. Consequently, the person driving your vehicle may be asleep at the wheel. If they are and they crash, you need to make sure they compensate you for your damages.
These are just some of the accidents we see with Uber and Lyft. A negligent Lyft driver, such as distracted driving with a cell phone, may cause others.
It is crucial to determine is whether or not the Lyft driver's negligence was a cause of the accident. If they do not, which leads to a car accident, you might need to file a claim for your injuries with a Chicago Lyft accident attorney at our law firm.
Chicago Ridesharing Laws Applicable to Uber and Lyft
In recent years, the City of Chicago has passed some laws specific to ride-share companies like Lyft and Uber to keep passengers and other drivers safe.
The Chicago Municipal Code regulates Uber and Lyft driver fitness, taxes, and background checks.
An Uber or Lyft driver must adhere to the following while driving you around the streets of Chicago:
- Take a yearly test online.
- Obtain a chauffeur's license.
- Display a 311 sign for complaint reporting.
- Drive a vehicle no more than six years old unless it is tested twice a year.
- Submit to drug testing and physical exams if a customer submits a complaint.
There are other relevant Lyft rules for Chicago, but these are some of the most important ones applicable to an injured party. Every Uber or Lyft driver must maintain a driver's personal insurance coverage, including liability coverage.
The ridesharing company liability insurance pays for any damage to property, bodily injury, wrongful death, or uninsured motorist if the driver is involved in an Uber or Lyft accident.
Passenger Rights in a Ridesharing Accident
It might be that your crash was unrelated to the Lyft driver. Instead, another driver, trucker, motorcyclist, bicyclist, pedestrian, or something else may very well be the source of your automobile injuries and losses.
If that's the case, our Chicago Lyft accident lawyers can quickly determine who is responsible, their background, employer (if any), and what victims are entitled to in a potential personal injury claim.
Our law firm handles Chicago car accidents, including:
Unfortunately, these accidents lead to severe trauma, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and emotional distress.
There are a many ways you can get into a car accident. However, it is essential to remember that you can still recover if you are injured while riding in a Lyft vehicle, even if your driver was not responsible for the incident. Talk to one of our Lyft accident lawyers today to understand more about this topic.
Sexual Assaults in Lyft Vehicles
New stories are emerging about various forms of sexual assault by rideshare drivers for Uber and Lyft in their vehicles.
The forms of assault and abuse can vary but typically include some form of the following:
- Physical
- Sexual
- Mental
- Emotional
Remember, any incidents can involve the driver or another passenger.
The latter is essential to keep in mind if you ever take a pool ride through Lyft. In either respect, liability may fall on the ridesharing company for failing to screen their agents or keep passengers safe.
Speak with our Chicago Lyft accident lawyer about the accidents commonly encountered by rideshare passengers. Discuss your case today in a free consultation with an experienced attorney.
Compensation Available Under Illinois Law to People Injured in an MVA Involving Rideshare Services
Can you show that a Lyft driver caused your accident? You might be able to obtain compensation from their insurance companies via a settlement or a lawsuit filed in court.
To successfully pursue a claim for personal injuries, you must prove liability and damages. Liability means proving that your driver's negligence caused the collision.
Damages refer to your injuries and resulting expenses. Some of the most common forms include medical bills for all past and future medical care, including ER bills, surgical expenses, and physical therapy. This also includes lost income from missed work, long-term pain, suffering, and lost property.
The medical care of Lyft accident victims can be expensive, even with health insurance.
If one of your family members dies in a Lyft accident, you may pursue a wrongful death lawsuit for your loss under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act, including:
- Funeral expenses
- Burial costs
- Lost support and companionship
- Grief
To understand exactly what recovery you may be entitled to after a rideshare accident in Illinois, speak to an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer at our law offices during a free case review.
Are Chicago Lyft Drivers Insured?
Yes, every Lyft driver in Chicago must carry insurance. If they were not, it would be against the law. Every state has explicit rules requiring that Lyft drivers must display their information so that passengers know they comply with auto insurance coverage laws.
Lyft drivers are typically independent contractors and have a personal auto insurance policy covering the car when it is not used for commercial purposes.
Lyft's insurance policy requires every car to be insured when it is used for commercial purposes. If they were using the app but were not en route to pick up a victim, the driver's personal insurance company is responsible for the damages if the driver is at fault. If the Lyft vehicle was en route to pick up a Lyft passenger, the driver is covered by Lyft's insurance policies.
In the latter case, Lyft insures up to $1 million for a passenger's personal and property damage if the driver was at fault.
One Milion Dollar Policy Limit
Note the last condition (that the Lyft driver is responsible) because it is essential. Also, while $1 million may sound like a lot, it may pale compared to your actual damages from a Lyft accident claim and medical expenses.
This insurance coverage also applies to the other driver and passengers of the cars involved if the driver is responsible for the rideshare accident.
Sample Chicago Personal Injury Lawsuits Involving Lyft Accidents
MAN SUES LYFT AFTER DUI ACCIDENT IN HUMBOLDT PARK, CHICAGO, IL (Cook County, Illinois).
The man who brought this Lyft lawsuit was in a car crash. He was a passenger in a vehicle operated by a Lyft driver. Another car crossed the median and slammed into them head-on. That driver was driving under the influence.
The Lyft driver was not. The plaintiff sustained several injuries, but none of them were life-threatening. The other passenger died. The attorney in the injury case claimed that Lyft and both drivers were contributorily negligent and responsible for his harm.
Those damages included physical, mental, and financial losses. A jury awaits this accident case absent a settlement.
FAMILY SUES LYFT DRIVER AFTER TRAGIC CHICAGO MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT Chicago, IL (Cook County, Illinois).
The family of a man who passed away in a motorcycle accident brought suit against Lyft and one of its drivers. The crash happened in the Pilsen area of Chicago. The man was riding his bike along Cermak Road.
Without warning, the negligent driver turned into his lane and struck him. Emergency responders brought him to Stroger Hospital. He died that day. The family sued the business, the insurance company, and the driver. Their complaint argues their combined negligence caused his death and their damages. They complain that the driver did not yield or slow down.
Also, police reports showed that the Chicago Uber driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident. They ask for more than $50,000 as compensation for the damages paid by the lift driver's car insurance liability policy.
FAMILY BRINGS CASE AGAINST LYFT AFTER THEIR GREAT GRANDMOTHER IS INJURED IN CRASH Chicago, IL (Cook County, Illinois).
The victim was escorting children across the street. She volunteered as a crossing guard in the Edgewater area of Chicago. At the time of the incident, she was wearing a sign and holding a stop sign. That did not stop a Lyft driver from running into her.
That person was not paying attention to the road at all. Even the Lyft passenger could attest to that fact. The victim was severely injured. She had to be taken to a nearby hospital. Then, she slipped into a coma.
Doctors described her situation as critical. She has many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her loved ones all eagerly hope for her health to return. In the meantime, they have brought suit.
They seek damages for the costs, pain, and suffering that the crash caused. The lawsuit targets both the driver and the ridesharing service.
Lyft Car Accident FAQs
Our personal injury attorneys understand that many families have unanswered questions after being involved in a ride-sharing accident with Uber, Lyft, or other company. A car accident attorney from our law office has answered some of those questions below.
Contact us at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or use the contact form for additional information or to schedule a free consultation.
Contact Our Chicago Lyft Accident Lawyers After a Lyft Incident to Learn About Your Legal Rights
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC represents people seriously injured in auto accidents involving rideshare services companies as big and powerful as Lyft and Uber.
After a free case consultation, we can discuss the steps you need to take to receive financial compensation—our team with stand with you through the entire legal process.
The claim can help pay hospital bills, wage losses, and other personal items lost in a rideshare accident. Yet, you do not have forever. Illinois puts a strict two-year limit on most actions.
Contact us today at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone number) or through the contact form to schedule a free consultation. .