Lyft Lawsuits

Since its launch in 2012, Lyft has connected millions of passengers with drivers through a user-friendly mobile app. This rideshare platform has helped transform urban transportation, offering a streamlined alternative to traditional taxi services. Lyft operates across hundreds of cities in the United States and facilitates countless rides every day—but not all of these rides end safely.

When you are hurt while riding in a Lyft or driving for the rideshare company, you deserve justice. Estey & Bomberger, LLP stands up to rideshare giants and dangerous drivers alike to help you achieve it. Our attorneys bring years of handling Lyft-specific litigation to the table, from sexual assault lawsuits to motor vehicle accident claims. If you want to pursue a rideshare lawsuit, you can trust our firm to advocate for your rights and fight for the compensation that you deserve. 

Why Are Lyft and Other Rideshare Lawsuits Filed?

Rideshare lawsuits can arise from various incidents that harm both passengers who use Lyft and the drivers who form the backbone of the service. Passengers may suffer injuries from accidents caused by negligent driving, face rideshare sexual assault or harassment, or experience other forms of misconduct during their rides. Drivers often contend with unfair labor practices, inadequate safety measures, or financial disputes regarding their compensation and classification status.

Corporate decisions at Lyft can directly impact user safety, from insufficient driver screening processes to inadequate response protocols for reported incidents. When Lyft’s policies or actions contribute to harm, the company bears responsibility alongside any individual perpetrators.

By pursuing a Lyft lawsuit, you can recover compensation to help address the harm that you suffered. This may include damages for medical expenses, wage loss due to misclassification or injury, and pain and suffering. However, these claims can also help drive systematic changes in rideshare safety protocols and corporate accountability by sending a message that this misconduct will not be tolerated.

How a Lyft Lawsuit Attorney Can Help Your Case

If you were hurt while driving for or riding in a Lyft, you need a lawyer on your side who can help you navigate the complex legal process. A Lyft lawsuit attorney will possess the knowledge and experience necessary to advise you of your legal options and identify your optimal path to financial compensation. They can also leverage a wide range of resources to investigate and build a compelling case in your favor.

At Estey & Bomberger, LLP, our attorneys can help you sift through the complex insurance coverage unique to rideshare cases, including when different policies apply based on the driver’s status within the app. We maintain detailed knowledge of Lyft’s terms of service, safety policies, and corporate structure, enabling us to build stronger cases against all responsible parties.

A Lyft lawsuit attorney from Estey & Bomberger, LLP can also help:

• Handle all communication with insurance companies and opposing counsel, protecting your interests during negotiations
• Gather and preserve critical evidence, including surveillance footage, witness statements, and electronic data from the Lyft platform
• Work with medical experts to document your injuries and project long-term care needs
• Calculate the full extent of your damages, including future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering
• File all necessary legal paperwork within required deadlines and manage complex court procedures
• Develop compelling legal strategies based on our extensive experience with rideshare cases
• Prepare your case for trial while simultaneously pursuing the maximum possible settlement through negotiations

Types of Lyft Lawsuits

Whether you suffered injuries in an accident, experienced assault, lost a loved one, or faced employment-related disputes, a Lyft lawsuit attorney possesses the knowledge and resources to pursue your claim effectively. There are several types of lawsuits that you can pursue, depending on the circumstances surrounding the harm that you suffered. 

Lyft Sexual Assault

Sexual assault in Lyft vehicles is a devastating crime that has affected hundreds of victims since the app launched. These incidents may involve unwanted touching, harassment, stalking, rape, or other forms of sexual violence. When sexual assault occurs, the victim has the right to not only pursue criminal charges, but also file a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator and, in some cases, Lyft itself. 

Many assaults occur when drivers target vulnerable passengers, particularly those traveling alone or late at night. Some attackers exploit their access to passenger information or misuse the app’s features to facilitate crimes. Cases may also arise from Lyft’s background check policies, inadequate response to previous incidents, or failure to implement sufficient safety measures to protect users.

Lyft Car Accidents

When a car accident involves a Lyft vehicle, victims have the right to pursue an insurance claim or lawsuit against the responsible party. However, these collisions often involve complex liability issues. Car accident attorneys handle rideshare claims involving drivers who are distracted by the app, fatigued from long hours, or rushing to complete rides.

If another driver is responsible, their insurance company will bear the brunt of paying for the damages. However, if the Lyft driver caused the crash, different insurance policies and liability rules apply depending on whether the driver was waiting for a ride request, en route to pick up a passenger, or actively transporting someone. A Lyft lawsuit attorney can help assess the options available to you and pursue the appropriate claim.

Wrongful Death

When a person dies in a Lyft, families can be devastated. These tragic events may result from severe car accidents, criminal acts by drivers or other passengers, or medical emergencies that go unaddressed during rides. If someone else’s negligence caused the death, the family has the right to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit.

Factors like driver negligence, Lyft’s safety protocols, and the company’s duty of care to its users can all play a role in wrongful death claims. By pursuing this type of lawsuit, families can recover compensation to not only address funeral expenses and other financial losses but also the pain and suffering they have sustained due to their loss.

Driver Misclassification

Driver misclassification lawsuits challenge Lyft’s practice of categorizing drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Our Uber lawsuit attorneys also understand that this classification significantly impacts drivers’ rights and benefits, including minimum wage guarantees, overtime pay, health insurance, and workers’ compensation.

Drivers often argue they should be classified as employees because Lyft exercises substantial control over their work, including setting fares, mandating acceptance rates, and enforcing service standards. By filing a lawsuit, they challenge these corporate practices and force Lyft to provide the benefits and wages that they are rightfully owed.

Compensation for Lyft Lawsuits

Various forms of compensation become available when pursuing a Lyft lawsuit, depending on the type of claim that you file and the nature and severity of your injuries and losses. An attorney from Estey & Bomberger, LLP can evaluate your case and identify the types of compensation that you are eligible to recover, which may include:

• Medical Care: Medical expenses often form the foundation of compensation in Lyft lawsuits. These costs include emergency room visits, surgeries, hospital stays, medications, physical therapy, and ongoing treatment needed for recovery. Both your past and future medical needs will be accounted for in your final award. 
• Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity: When injuries prevent you from working, you deserve compensation for lost wages and benefits. If your injuries result in permanent disability or limit your ability to perform your job duties, you may recover damages for reduced future earning potential and career opportunities. In cases that involve driver misclassification, you could also recover the lost wages and benefits that you were denied in the course of your employment.
• Property Damage: This category of compensation covers the repair or replacement of personal property damaged during a Lyft incident. This typically includes vehicle damage in accidents but extends to other personal belongings like phones, laptops, or medical devices that may have been damaged or stolen.
• Pain and Suffering: These damages address the physical discomfort and emotional distress that you experienced due to your injuries. Courts consider factors like the severity of pain, duration of recovery, and impact on daily activities when determining the amount of compensation to award.
• Psychological Care: Mental health treatment is covered when Lyft incidents cause anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other psychological trauma. This includes therapy sessions, psychiatric care, and medication needed to address these emotional injuries.
• Wrongful Death Damages: In fatal cases, families may recover funeral expenses, lost financial support, loss of companionship, and other damages related to their loved one’s death. They may also recover compensation to address lifetime earning potential and the deceased’s contributions to their family.

When Will I Receive Settlement Money for a Lyft Lawsuit?

The timeline for receiving a Lyft settlement varies depending on several factors in your case. Initially, your attorney will file your claim and begin gathering evidence, which typically takes several months. Insurance companies often make preliminary settlement offers during this phase, though these initial offers rarely reflect fair compensation.

If early settlement negotiations prove unsuccessful, your attorney files a formal lawsuit. This action often motivates defendants to make more reasonable settlement offers. When a lawsuit is filed, the discovery phase follows, involving document exchanges, depositions, and expert testimony. This process can last several months to a year.

Settlement conferences may occur throughout the litigation process. Many cases are resolved during these discussions. If settlement negotiations fail, your case proceeds to trial and a judge or jury will determine whether you are eligible for compensation. The courtroom process could add months or years to the timeline, depending on the complexity of your case.

While waiting for resolution can feel frustrating, rushing to accept an inadequate settlement often leads to future financial hardship. By staying patient and continuing to fight for a fair offer, you can recover the compensation that you need to address future medical needs, long-term wage loss, pain and suffering, and more.

Who Is Liable in a Lyft Lawsuit?

Multiple entities may bear responsibility in a Lyft lawsuit, depending on the circumstances of your case and the type of harm you experienced. An attorney from Estey & Bomberger, LLP can conduct a full investigation into your case to identify the liable parties and pursue the appropriate course of legal action.

These parties may include:

• Lyft Drivers: Drivers bear direct responsibility for accidents and trauma caused by their negligence, reckless behavior, or intentional misconduct. 
• Lyft Corporation: The company faces liability for inadequate driver screening, failure to respond to safety complaints, app-related distractions, or policies that contribute to accidents or acts of violence. 
• Other Motorists: Third-party drivers who cause accidents involving Lyft vehicles bear liability through their insurance policies. 
• Vehicle Manufacturers: Defective vehicle components create manufacturer liability. These claims arise when a design, manufacturing, or warnings/instructions defect leads to a collision.
• Third-Party Contractors: Companies performing vehicle maintenance, providing driver training, conducting background checks, or supplying other services may share liability when their actions contribute to harm.

What Are Some Cases in Which Lyft Would Be Liable?

Lyft tries to shirk responsibility for passenger harm by claiming that its drivers are independent contractors, not employees. This classification removes the principle of vicarious liability from the equation, which states that employers are liable for the actions of employees when they cause harm while performing their jobs. Despite this, Lyft bears liability in numerous scenarios where corporate policies, actions, or omissions contribute to harm.

For example, the company may perform inadequate driver background checks that allow dangerous individuals to access the platform. Lyft may ignore reported safety concerns or fail to remove problematic drivers. In these situations, the company would be liable if a passenger is hurt as a result.

Technical issues with the app that distract drivers or provide incorrect routing information can establish corporate liability. Similarly, aggressive policies that encourage unsafe driving practices, such as unrealistic time pressures or incentive systems that promote risky behavior, can make Lyft liable for resulting accidents.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Estey & Bomberger, LLP

If you were hurt in a Lyft—whether you were a passenger or a driver—you deserve strong legal representation and justice for the harm that you have suffered. Estey & Bomberger, LLP is not afraid to stand up to negligent drivers and large corporations that place their interests above safety. Our Lyft lawsuit attorneys will fight for you every step of the way.

Every moment matters when building a strong legal case. Contact us at (800) 260-7197 to schedule a free, confidential consultation and begin your journey to justice with a Lyft lawsuit attorney.