How Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers Helps After a Lyft Accident in Bedford
A Bedford Lyft accident lawyer handles the insurance and evidence side of a rideshare crash so you can focus on recovery. Lyft claims often involve more than one insurer, and each will point at the others. Without a Bedford personal injury attorney, it’s easy to accept less than your claim is worth.
When you hire us, we:
- Gather evidence such as photos, video, witness statements, the police report, and medical records
- Confirm the driver’s status in the Lyft app when the crash happened
- File your claims correctly and within the time limits
- Negotiate with every insurance company involved
- File a lawsuit if insurers won’t offer fair compensation
We have served Bedford, Hurst, Euless, and the rest of Northeast Tarrant County from our office on Plaza Parkway since 1985.
Which Insurance Pays After a Lyft Accident?
The policy that pays depends on what the Lyft driver was doing in the app. Texas sets minimum coverage for rideshare companies in Chapter 1954 of the Texas Insurance Code:
- Driver offline: the driver’s personal auto policy applies.
- App on, waiting for a ride: a lower level of contingent liability coverage applies if the driver’s own policy doesn’t.
- Ride accepted through drop-off: a much higher commercial liability policy applies.
Other coverage can add to that, including the at-fault driver’s policy if a third party caused the crash and your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Any recovery is limited in practice by the insurance available, so we look for every applicable policy.
What Causes Most Lyft Accidents in Bedford?
Most Lyft crashes come from the same driver errors behind other car accidents, with a few risks that come with rideshare work:
- Distracted driving. Drivers check the app for directions and new requests. TxDOT reported 484 deaths in Texas crashes involving distracted driving in 2022.
- Speeding. Drivers may hurry to reach a pickup or finish a trip and take the next fare.
- Driver fatigue. Long shifts and late-night driving slow reaction time.
- Impaired driving. A Lyft driver, or another motorist, may be under the influence.
Other drivers who run lights or fail to yield also cause many crashes involving Lyft vehicles on roads like Airport Freeway and State Highway 121.
How Common Are Car Accidents in Texas?
Crashes are a statewide problem, and rideshare vehicles are part of that traffic. According to TxDOT’s 2022 crash data:
- 4,481 people died in Texas motor vehicle crashes
- 15,299 crashes caused serious injuries, injuring 18,880 people
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Lyft Accident in Texas?
To recover compensation, you must show the other party was negligent. A negligence claim has four elements:
- Duty: the driver owed others on the road a duty of reasonable care.
- Breach: the driver failed to meet that duty, for example by texting or speeding.
- Causation: that failure caused the crash and your injuries.
- Damages: you suffered real losses as a result.
If the insurer says you were partly at fault, Texas comparative fault rules reduce your recovery by your share of fault and bar it if you were more than 50% responsible.
What Is My Lyft Accident Case Worth?
There is no set value for a Lyft accident case. It depends on:
- How serious your injuries are. Injuries like brain injuries or spinal cord damage mean higher medical costs.
- Whether they are permanent. Lasting injuries affect earning capacity and quality of life.
- Available insurance. Lyft’s policy, the driver’s personal policy, and your own coverage.
- Your share of fault, if any.
Damages can include economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damage, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. In rare cases involving gross negligence, such as drunk driving, Texas allows punitive damages.
Common injuries in Lyft crashes include broken bones, back injuries, whiplash, nerve damage, and catastrophic injuries.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lyft Accident Lawsuit in Texas?
You generally have two years from the date of the crash to file. Claims involving a government vehicle or road defect can require notice much sooner. If you lost a loved one, see our Bedford wrongful death lawyer page.
About Brad Parker
Bedford Lyft Accident FAQs
How much does a Lyft accident attorney cost in Bedford?
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers handles Lyft accident cases on a contingency fee. You pay nothing upfront, and you don't owe attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you. The fee is a percentage of the recovery agreed in writing before we start, and our fee will never exceed your recovery.
I was driving another car and a Lyft driver hit me. Can I file a claim?
Yes. You can bring a claim against the Lyft driver and the insurance that applied at the time. If the driver was on a trip or heading to a pickup, Lyft's commercial policy is generally available. If the driver was offline, the driver's personal auto policy usually applies instead.
Does Lyft's insurance cover me if I was a passenger?
Generally, yes. From the moment a Lyft driver accepts a ride until the passenger leaves the car, Texas requires a higher level of liability coverage. If another motorist caused the crash, that driver's insurer is also responsible, and your own PIP coverage may help with medical bills and lost income.
Can I recover compensation if I was partly to blame for a Lyft accident?
Yes, if you were 50% or less at fault. Texas reduces your recovery by your share of fault, so if you were 20% at fault, you recover 80% of your damages. If you are found more than 50% at fault, you can't recover anything. Insurers often overstate a claimant's fault.
How long do I have to file a Lyft accident lawsuit in Texas?
You generally have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas. If you miss the deadline, you lose the right to seek compensation in court. Building a rideshare case takes time because trip data and insurer records must be requested.
Visit Our Bedford Office
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers – Bedford Office
2317 Plaza Pkwy #100, Bedford, TX 76021
- Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday – Sunday Closed