Your recovery after a Lyft accident is as financial as it is emotional. Should you find yourself contending with injuries, property damage, or even prolonged distress, New York affords you the legal right to pursue compensation.
That said, the standard post-accident complaint gets complicated when you have to take Lyft into account. A Lyft accident lawyer in Passaic from Morelli Law Firm can help you assess the situation and file the complaint you need to take the right parties to court.
Your Legal Options After a Lyft Accident
Your legal options after a Lyft accident are going to vary depending on the role you took in the accident. Morelli Law Firm can help you assess your role in relation to the accident and respond appropriately.
Filing for Compensation As a Lyft Driver
New York is a no-fault state. This means that all drivers involved in an accident must go through their insurance before they can bring a case for compensation to court. Fortunately, Lyft provides insurance coverage for its drivers, though only under certain circumstances.
You can only request coverage if you were driving a passenger, on your way to pick up a passenger, or otherwise on the Lyft app at the time of the accident.
If Lyft denies your request for coverage, your legal options open up. Drivers who believe that another party bears the bulk of the fault for their losses can work with Lyft accident lawyers in Passaic. During an initial consultation and meetings thereafter, these parties can determine how to maximize your settlement.
Filing for Compensation As a Lyft Passenger
Lyft’s active driver insurance offers coverage for injured passengers. As such, passengers injured in a Lyft accident should file a claim with the ridesharing company. If the offered settlement is insufficient, they take legal action against another party.
If passengers have their claims denied, their legal rights mirror those of an injured driver. A rideshare accident attorney can help injured passengers submit claims to a local judge. While these cases may not go to trial, they’ll still give injured parties the opportunity to discuss compensation.
Filing for Compensation As a Third-Party Driver
A driver who is hit by a Lyft driver is not covered by Lyft’s insurance. Instead, these parties must go to their own insurance providers before they are able to take an accident case to court.
However, Lyft tends to act quickly to avoid overdrawn legal cases. If you receive a settlement offer from Lyft after an accident, you can consult a Passaic Lyft accident lawyer to determine whether or not it will cover all your losses. If you think the settlement isn’t comprehensive, you can discuss the logistics of filing a civil complaint.
Note that drivers who get into accidents while not on the clock for Lyft are legally considered to be independent drivers. Make sure you understand the legal position this driver has before taking them to court so that you know who, specifically, you’ll be filing your complaint against.
Estimating Your Post-Accident Compensation
Lyft accidents can be expensive to recover from. Fortunately, there are a few different kinds of compensation that you may benefit from should you choose to take an accident case to civil court.
Covering Injuries and Physical Losses
Your medical expenses and physical losses in a Lyft accident are considered “economic damages.” These damages often have definitive dollar values assigned to them either immediately after or at the scene of an accident. You can calculate these losses based on the bills you’ve received and then include them in your overall complaint.
Converting Emotional Damages
Parties found liable for personal injury damages in New York can also be held financially responsible for your long-term distress. If you feel that your ability to enjoy your life has significantly decreased since your accident, note as such in your complaint. A lawyer can help you value that loss, giving you the chance to request compensation for it should your case go before a judge.
If you receive a settlement offer, you can work with an attorney to determine whether or not the offering party accounted for long-term distress in their offering. If they haven’t, you can either enter further settlement negotiations or continue to file your civil complaint.
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How to Fight for Lyft Accident Compensation
To fight for compensation after an accident, you’ll need to file a legal complaint. A complaint brings your losses to the attention of area courts and makes it easier for judges to understand why you believe your accident falls within the realm of civil pursuits.
In your complaint, you’ll need to identify the party you believe to be liable for your losses. This doesn’t have to be the other driver involved in your accident. Instead, it can be that driver’s auto mechanic, the car’s manufacturer, or even government representatives who failed to keep local roads in good condition.
Be sure to include an estimate of your potential compensation on your complaint, as well.
Let Passaic Lyft Accident Attorneys Meet New York’s Statute of Limitations
The state of New York gives residents a limited amount of time to file their legal complaints. If you want to take another driver or Lyft as a whole to court, you must do so within three years of the day your accident takes place. This deadline is outlined by New York Civil Practice Law & Rules Section 214(4).
Unfortunately, there are no expectations for this filing deadline. Failure to file for personal injury within this time can see you forfeit your right to compensation. That said, you can discuss alternative labels to file your case under with your Lyft accident attorney in Passaic.
Recover Your Lyft Accident Compensation Today
Liability becomes the name of the game after a Lyft accident. Instead of hashing out your estimated compensation alone, let the Passaic Lyft accident lawyers with Morelli Law Firm do the heavy-lifting for you.
For more information about your rights after a Lyft accident during a free case evaluation, call or use our online form to get in touch with our team. We’re ready to help you get back on the road again.