In a tourism hub like Orlando, there is a strong demand for traditional taxis and rideshare services to serve visitors and locals alike. Managing an accident claim when one of the involved vehicles is providing rideshare services can be complicated.
Contact an Orlando Lyft accident lawyer at Colling Gilbert Wright for help. The rideshare crash attorneys at our firm have a well-deserved reputation for outstanding client care and excellent results. We are the firm other lawyers turn to for representation in car accident claims, because they recognize our skill, integrity, and professionalism.
How the State No-Fault System Works
Florida is one of the few states that use a no-fault system for car accident claims. Under this scheme, you turn to your own insurer to pay your initial medical costs and lost wages, regardless of who is to blame for the crash.
Everyone who registers a car must have personal injury protection (PIP) to cover these losses. The policy covers car accident injuries for everyone in the policy owner’s household who does not have their own vehicle, as well as passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists who do not have their own coverage and are injured in an incident involving the policy owner’s vehicle. An injured person can bring a legal claim against an at-fault driver only when their injuries are serious enough to meet the legal threshold in Florida Statutes § 627.737.
Lyft drivers use their personal vehicles and have their own PIP and liability coverage for that vehicle. If a crash involving the vehicle occurs when the Lyft driver is not logged into the Lyft app, each involved party turns to their own PIP coverage for their initial expenses. A lawyer can assist a seriously injured person in filing a PIP claim and preparing a legal claim against the at-fault driver for excess costs and other damages resulting from a Lyft accident in Orlando.
Serious Injuries in Vehicle Crashes
Florida’s no-fault law allows you to bring a legal claim against an at-fault driver only if your medical expenses exceed your PIP coverage or your injuries meet the definition of serious injuries under the law. You can sue if your injuries cause a permanent loss of a body part, a permanent and substantial impairment of a bodily system or function, or permanent, substantial, and disfiguring scarring. You can also bring a legal claim if your family member suffered fatal injuries in a wreck.
When Does Lyft’s Insurance Pay?
If a Lyft driver was working at the time of an accident, Lyft may provide additional coverage in some cases. Coverage varies depending on the driver’s status when the accident occurred, and you still must turn to your own PIP to cover your initial expenses.
Lyft provides contingent liability coverage if the driver was logged in and waiting to accept a ride request. The company’s insurer will pay only if all of the following are true:
- Your claim exceeds your PIP coverage
- The Lyft driver was at-fault
- The Lyft driver’s personal liability insurance is insufficient
Lyft’s policy offers $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $100,000 per incident in these cases.
Florida Statutes § 627.748 requires rideshare companies to provide commercial liability coverage of $1 million when their drivers are actively working. If a Lyft driver is on the way to pick up a passenger or transporting one when the accident occurs, the commercial policy is in effect if the driver’s personal policy is inadequate and the Lyft driver is at fault. The insurers aggressively defend these claims, so working with an experienced Orlando Lyft accident attorney is essential to achieve a fair result.
Coverage for Lyft Passengers
If you were a passenger in a Lyft and you do not have your own PIP, Lyft’s commercial policy will cover your injuries if the driver’s insurance is insufficient. However, if the Lyft driver was not at fault in the crash, you may need to pursue a legal claim against the at-fault driver. Lyft’s insurance would pay your losses that exceed the at-fault driver’s coverage.
Work With an Orlando Attorney to Navigate Insurance Coverage After a Lyft Accident
Handling a car accident claim is stressful, but when a rideshare company is involved, the process becomes highly complex. Despite Florida’s no-fault system, which is meant to simplify car accident claims, a rideshare accident often involves multiple insurers and may spark disputes over which company is responsible.
Do not try to handle these difficult cases without capable legal representation. Our Orlando Lyft accident lawyer at The Florida Firm has an impressive record of obtaining large-figure settlements and verdicts in these cases. Contact Colling Gilbert Wright to set up a free case evaluation today.