Uninsured St. Petersburg Lyft Driver Injures Passenger
Lyft Passenger Faces Extensive Medical Expenses Due to Uninsured Driver
Cameron Decker was a Lyft passenger in St. Petersburg that had the unfortunate experience of being involved in an accident while traveling via Lyft. On the night of January 6th, Mr. Decker had hailed a Lyft using their app to catch a ride when the driver caused an accident that left him with herniated discs in his neck and lower back as well as multiple disc bulges. What added insult to injury was that the driver acted incredibly irresponsibly when it came to dealing with the matter.
The driver stopped in a parking lot to trade information with the van they had collided with and Cameron Decker realized that he could not move his neck to the left and was likely seriously injured. Instead of calling an ambulance and attempting to assist the passenger that he had injured in the accident that was his fault, the driver instead chose to leave Cameron Decker on the curb at his destination and drove off without even exchanging information.
Uber and Lyft Driver Misconduct
It goes without saying that the Lyft driver in this situation acted inappropriately and Cameron Decker has every right to feel negatively about the treatment he suffered at the hands of the Lyft driver. The driver was eventually tracked down with the assistance of Lyft despite some initial difficulty on Cameron Decker's part to identify them. Lyft made the appropriate decision to fire the driver because of their misconduct but Cameron Decker still has to contend with a number of issues.
Uber and Lyft drivers have caused issues such as sexual harrassment and even assault ever since the inception of rideshare apps. As one would expect these accidents cause significant injury and damage to those involved. The victims of this behavior have the right to pursue compensation for the damages that they suffered by filing an injury claim. By proving that a liable party such as Uber or Lyft were negligent, a plaintiff in an injury claim can make a successful case for receiving a settlement to help pay for damages such as lost wages, medical expenses, as well as pain and suffering.
Uninsured Lyft Driver and Lyft Liability for Accidents
Cameron Decker upon suffering his accident suffered extensive injury to his neck and back requiring medical treatment. These medical treatments are of course not cheap and are estimated to range anywhere from $50,000 to $75,000. On top of this significant medical expense, Cameron Decker is also losing out on potential income that he could be making as a saxophone player. He earns around $1,000 a week through playing several shows but is restricted from doing so due to his injury.
Cameron Decker normally would go through the process of making a claim through the Lyft driver's insurance but unfortunately, at the time of the accident, the driver was uninsured. Lyft requires their drivers to carry their own insurance in order to work as Lyft drivers but in this case, the driver did not have this insurance. Apparently, the driver had the correct insurance when they initially started working for Lyft but did not continue paying the premiums. Despite this lack of insurance they kept on working as a Lyft driver with Lyft none the wiser.
Lyft Insurance Policy for Injured Passengers
Lyft has a contingency in the event a passenger of one of their vehicles is injured during their trip. Lyft provides coverage in the case a Lyft driver is uninsured or underinsured when a passenger is injured. This insurance policy provides up to $1 million in coverage to the injured passenger when a Lyft driver does not have insurance, like in this case, or when a Lyft driver has insurance but it is insufficient in covering the full extent of damages.
This Lyft insurance is actually identical to the same policy offered by other rideshare companies like Uber that also have similar insurance coverage situations in regard to their ride passengers. The coverage offered by Uber and Lyft to their passengers involved in accidents comes with some conditions. The coverage is not available when the driver has their own insurance that covers the passenger's injuries. Also, the coverage will use up the full extent of a driver's insufficient insurance coverage before it kicks in.
Pursuing Compensation for a Lyft Accident Injury
As a passenger of a Lyft or even an Uber, you are entitled to compensation for an injury that you suffered because of using that service. You are eligible for the aforementioned insurance coverage but just because you are eligible to receive insurance payments, it doesn't mean that it's going to be easy. Dealing with insurance companies can sometimes be like pulling teeth. The bottom line is that an insurance company will do everything in their power to find a way to pay out as little as possible or not at all. To do this, they use insurance adjusters to investigate the validity of claims. These insurance adjusters will use all kinds of tricks to lower the value of your claim or even deny it. When dealing with the insurance company and filing a Lyft accident injury claim, it's best to have the professional expertise of an experienced Uber and Lyft accident lawyer.
Seek a Skilled Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one have been involved in an Uber or Lyft accident, then do not hesitate to contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA about receiving a free consultation on your possible claim. You may have questions as to how coverage may work or how you can ensure you receive the appropriately sized settlement and the Dolman Law team is happy to oblige. Our Lawyers will be happy to hear the details of your case and outline some options for legal action you can take. Consider Dolman Law group for your legal representation with big firm results and small firm personal attention.
Contact us at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA's offices by submitting an online contact form or call us at 727-451-6900.
Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA
800 North Belcher Road
Clearwater, FL 33765
727-451-6900
https://www.dolmanlaw.com/accident-with-an-uber-or-lyft/
Matthew Dolman
Personal Injury Lawyer
This article was written and reviewed by Matthew Dolman. Matt has been a practicing civil trial, personal injury, products liability, and mass tort lawyer since 2004. He has successfully fought for more than 11,000 injured clients and acted as lead counsel in more than 1,000 lawsuits. Always on the cutting edge of personal injury law, Matt is actively engaged in complex legal matters, including Suboxone, AFFF, and Ozempic lawsuits. Matt is a lifetime member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for resolving individual cases in excess of $1 million and $2 million, respectively. He has also been selected by his colleagues as a Florida Superlawyer and as a member of Florida’s Legal Elite on multiple occasions. Further, Matt has been quoted in the media numerous times and is a sought-after speaker on a variety of legal issues and topics.
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