Yakima Lyft
Accident Lawyer

Were you injured in a Lyft accident in Yakima, Washington, Montoya Hinckley Injury Lawyers can help you understand your legal options and pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. Call (509) 895-7373 today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Yakima Lyft accident lawyer.

Our attorneys have more than 56 years of combined experience representing accident victims and dealing with insurance companies. We have recovered tens of millions of dollars through settlements and jury verdicts for injured clients. Let our team investigate your Lyft accident, handle the insurance process, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Why Choose Montoya Hinckley Injury Lawyers for Help After a Lyft Accident in Yakima, WA? 

A Lyft accident can leave you facing painful injuries, medical expenses, lost income, and uncertainty about what to do next. Montoya Hinckley Injury Lawyers can help you navigate the claims process and pursue the compensation you deserve.

Our Yakima car accident lawyers can investigate your accident, gather evidence, determine who may be responsible, and handle negotiations with insurance companies on your behalf. We understand the challenges that can arise in rideshare accident claims and can work to build a strong case based on the facts.

Insurance companies may try to minimize what they pay after an accident. Our team can protect your interests and fight for a fair outcome. Contact our Yakima personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal options.

Who’s Liable for My Lyft Accident Injuries?

Broadly speaking, anyone who contributes to a Lyft rideshare accident in Yakima, Washington, can be liable for resulting harm.

This might include a:

• Lyft driver
• Driver of a passenger vehicle on the road
• Pedestrian
• Bicyclist
• Property owner
• Government agency responsible for maintaining safe roads
• Vehicle manufacturer

Lyft may not automatically be liable for a driver’s negligence simply because the driver was using the platform. Washington law generally treats qualifying rideshare drivers as separate from the transportation network company for certain purposes. However, Lyft may still be involved in a claim through its insurance coverage, and the particular facts of an accident can affect which parties may be legally responsible.

How Does Lyft’s Insurance Work After an Accident?

Under Washington law, Lyft is required to maintain primary automobile insurance policies that cover drivers whenever they are logged into the app. Because standard personal auto policies exclude commercial rideshare activity, Lyft’s commercial coverage provides primary protection during active app use.

Lyft’s coverage varies based on the driver’s activity status at the time of the collision:

• When the App Is On (Waiting for a Ride Request): Lyft provides primary liability coverage of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $30,000 for property damage, meeting Washington State minimum statutory requirements.
• When a Ride Is Accepted through Drop-Off: From the moment a driver accepts a request until the passenger exits the vehicle, Lyft provides $1,000,000 in primary commercial liability coverage for death, bodily injury, and property damage. Washington law also mandates Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) during this phase.

The coverage available after a Lyft accident significantly affects where injured parties turn for compensation and the total amount available to cover medical bills, property damage, and other losses.

How Much Is My Lyft Injury Claim Worth?

No one can tell you exactly what your case is worth without knowing the specific details of your situation. Everyone who gets hurt in a Lyft accident has a different story to tell. The things that make your story unique drive the value of a related personal injury claim.

There are a lot of factors that give insight into how much money you could potentially expect to recover:

• The types of injuries you’ve suffered and their severity
• How much time you have to miss at work because of the Lyft accident
• How long it takes for you to achieve maximum medical improvement
• The type of medical treatment required to help you get better
• Shared responsibility for the Lyft car accident
• Your age at the time of the collision
• How long it took for you to seek medical treatment
• Available insurance coverage
• Changes in your quality of life since the Lyft accident

More serious injuries tend to generate claims with higher values. The longer it takes for you to get better, and the more time you miss at work, the more your Lyft accident case might be worth.

Damages Available to Yakima Lyft Accident Victims

When you file a Lyft injury claim in Yakima, you can request two different types of compensatory damages: economic and non-economic.

Economic damages help with the financial burden of your Lyft accident caused by:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Disability
• Diminished earning capacity
• Out-of-pocket expenses
• Rehabilitation

Non-economic damages acknowledge the human side of getting hurt in a Lyft accident, which include:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of consortium
• Disfigurement
• PTSD
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Chronic pain

The insurance company will work hard to downplay your injuries, dispute the severity of your trauma, and limit your financial recovery. Our Lyft accident attorneys in Yakima will fight back with hard proof of your losses, expert testimony regarding your situation, and compelling arguments to make you whole.

Common Lyft Car Accident Injuries

Lyft rideshare accidents can be catastrophic, especially when Lyft drivers are distracted, drunk, speeding, or fatigued. These behaviors can set the stage for serious rollovers, head-on collisions, intersection crashes, and other severe crashes in which Lyft passengers and innocent bystanders sustain life-changing injuries.

In our experience, some of the most common types of Lyft accident injuries include:

• Broken bones
• Chest injuries
• Crush injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Eye injuries
• Head injuries
• Concussions
• Brain injuries
• Whiplash
• Neck injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Herniated disc injuries
• Back injuries
• Leg injuries
• Burn injuries
• Amputation injuries
• Wrongful death

Following a Lyft accident in Yakima, it’s critical that you report the collision to the local police and seek prompt medical attention at the closest emergency room. These two simple steps will help to set the stage for success when you decide to pursue a claim down the line.

How Does Shared Fault Affect Washington Lyft Accident Settlements?

If you’re a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or an occupant of another vehicle that gets into an accident with a Lyft driver, claims of shared fault could potentially hurt your ability to recover compensation.

Washington is a pure comparative negligence state. Sharing responsibility for a Lyft rideshare accident can lead to a reduction of damages. The more liability you share, the less compensation you can potentially recover from the Lyft driver, an insurance company, or another at-fault party.

The insurance carriers know this and won’t hesitate to point fingers at you after your crash. If you don’t fight back, there’s a chance you’ll leave well-deserved compensation behind. When you choose Montoya Hinckley Injury Lawyers to advocate for you after a Lyft accident, these are tactics you won’t have to worry about. Our Lyft accident lawyers in Yakima will anticipate these moves and be prepared to push back to protect your recovery.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lyft Accident Lawyer?

You do not have to pay any upfront legal fees when you hire Montoya Hinckley Injury Lawyers. Our Yakima car accident attorneys handle Lyft accident claims on a contingency fee basis, meaning our fee depends on recovering compensation for you.

If we recover compensation through a settlement or verdict, our legal fee is deducted from your award. We can also advance the costs of pursuing your claim, which may be reimbursed from your recovery.

During your free consultation, we can explain our fee structure and answer any questions about the potential costs of your case.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lyft Accident Case in Washington?

You’ll generally have up to three years from the date of your Yakima Lyft accident to pursue a claim for damages. The three-year statute of limitations has few exceptions, and you lose the right to demand compensation if you wait too long to file.

Don’t treat the deadline as a starting point. The longer you wait to begin the claims process, the less likely it is that you’ll recover full compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, disability, and suffering. 

Contact Our Experienced Yakima Lyft Accident Lawyers for Help Today

Don’t settle for less than what your Lyft accident case is worth. Call Montoya Hinckley Injury Lawyers, and trust our Yakima Lyft accident attorneys to help you fight for compensation.

We bring over 56 years of combined experience and a multi-million-dollar track record of success to the negotiating table. We know what’s at stake and are prepared to do all we can to help you achieve the best outcome. Contact us today for a free consultation.