San Antonio Lyft Accident Lawyers

Before choosing Lyft, always make sure the driver has provided a picture of themselves and their vehicle in the Lyft application. When your ride arrives, make sure the driver matches the picture on their driver-profile. If the driver attempting to pick you up is not the same person you see on the driver-profile, it may be a fake Lyft driver.

If, for any reason, you question whether the driver is who he or she is supposed to be, do not get into the vehicle and contact the Lyft immediately. The same goes for the vehicle photo and description. If the vehicle does not match the description in the driver’s profile, do not accept the ride and contact Lyft immediately.

Additionally, if the driver is legitimate, they should know your name, as they are provided that information through the application when they accept a rider pickup. All legitimate Lyft drivers visibly display the company’s decal on their vehicles. However, riders should not rely solely on a decal when determining whether the ride is legitimate.

Following an accident, if you can safely move about without worsening or causing additional injury, you should:

• Call first responders.
• Take photos of the accident scene for your own records, even if other individuals involved are documenting the scene. Having access to your own pictures may be critical when gathering evidence to demonstrate damages.
• Speak with the responding officers, as they are required to create an accident report at the scene, which typically includes information about fault and causation.
• Collect your Lyft driver’s contact, registration, and insurance information.
• Take screenshots of your ride in the Lyft app.
• Gather contact information from any witnesses to the accident.
• Seek medical attention, even if you believe you have only sustained minor injuries.
• Contact an experienced San Antonio Lyft accident attorney.

Yes. Even if Lyft or its driver has adequate insurance coverage, passenger victims should still consult our attorneys. Insurance companies, like most other companies, are businesses aimed at securing profits. Accident injury claims require insurance companies to compensate victims which decreases their net profits.

In fact, if Lyft’s insurance provider contacts you, you should only provide basic information such as the date, time, and location of the accident. Insurance representatives are skilled in using any information they can gather to discredit and devalue victims’ claims. When an attorney represents you, you can direct any communication related to the accident to your attorney.

When an insured is clearly at fault for an accident, insurance companies often employ tactics to try to offer victims the least amount of compensation as possible. Representatives may try to entice victims into accepting an inadequate settlement in exchange for quick cash.

Although quick cash may be attractive for those with significant medical expenses, in most cases, the amount is insufficient to cover all costs associated with the accident. If the accident caused you to suffer catastrophic injuries with long-term or permanent damage, your future medical expenses may be extensive.

Lyft accidents can cause a wide range of injuries varying in severity. The seriousness of Lyft accident injuries depends on the circumstances of the accident. When an average passenger vehicle is in an accident involving a commercial truck, or other large vehicle, individuals often suffer catastrophic injuries.

If your Lyft vehicle is larger, like an SUV, and it collides with a smaller car or motorcycle, your injuries may only be minor. Vehicle speed, road conditions, weather, and the angle of impact, among other factors, will affect the severity of passenger injuries.

Common Lyft accident injuries include:

• Bruises, lacerations, scrapes, and cuts
• Road rash
• Strains, sprains, pulled muscles, torn muscles, and other soft tissue injuries
• Simple and compound fractures
• Head, neck, and shoulder injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Back and spinal cord injuries
• Amputation
• Internal injuries
• Paralysis
• Death

Under Texas law, injured victims may be entitled to seek compensation for three categories of damages, economic, non-economic, and exemplary damages.

Economic damages. Special damages, or economic damages, are costs that are tangible and have a specific dollar amount. Economic damages compensate victims for out-of-pocket expenses.

Special damages include:

• Past and future medical expenses, including expenses for cognitive, physical, and psychological therapy.
• Past and future lost wages.
• Vehicle or home modifications necessary to accommodate the physical limitations of the injuries, for example, hand-controlled steering and wheelchair ramps.
• Replacement or repair of damaged or destroyed personal property.
• Funeral and burial expenses.

Non-economic damages. General damages, or non-economic damages, account for intangible impacts resulting from the accident. Victims typically collect non-economic damages due to injuries that cause long-term or permanent limitations or disabilities.

Non-economic damages may include compensation for:

• Pain and suffering.
• Emotional distress.
• Loss of the use of a bodily function.
• Loss of the use of a limb.
• Amputation.
• Paralysis.
• Disfigurement.
• Loss of consortium.
• Loss of companionship.
• Inconvenience.
• Psychological issues caused by the accident, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.

Exemplary damages. Punitive damages may be referred to as exemplary damages. Unlike economic and non-economic damages that are intended to compensate victims for accident-related losses, exemplary damages are intended as a punishment. Punitive damages aim to deter especially egregious behavior in the future, functioning similarly to a court-imposed fine.

To seek punitive damages, the victim has the burden of demonstrating that the defendant’s behavior was grossly negligent. Examples of grossly negligent behavior may, but not always, include driving under the influence, using excessive speeds, or driving while distracted or drowsy.

If you suffer injuries in an accident involving a San Antonio Lyft vehicle, whether you were a passenger or you were in another vehicle, contact George Salinas Injury Lawyers for a free consultation. We regularly fight for the rights of injured victims to seek the compensation they are entitled to.