If you’ve been in an accident involving a Lyft vehicle—whether as a passenger, an injured pedestrian, or as a driver in a collision with a Lyft car—the Nashville Lyft accident attorneys at Selvidge Injury Law are ready to help navigate the unique challenges of a rideshare accident claim. Call our Nashville personal injury law office today so we can begin working toward prompt action on your claim.

Why Choose Selvidge Injury Law for a Lyft Accident Claim in Nashville?

Navigating a claim after a Lyft accident presents unique challenges. Rideshare accidents go through a different set of rules compared to regular car accidents. If you were in a regular car accident, contact a car accident lawyer in Nashville now for more accurate assistance. Rideshare vehicles have structured insurance coverage with different policies for different stages of the rideshare. An experienced Nashville Lyft accident lawyer can walk you through this complex claim process with the following advantages:

A free consultation and no fees until after we recover your losses
A family-oriented, small-town law firm atmosphere with the resources and technology of a large city law firm
Experienced representation with over a decade of navigating injury claims in Nashville
An attorney who offers open and honest communication throughout the process so you’re never in the dark about the progress of your case

Nashville Lyft accident lawyer Adam Selvidge is a top-rated “Rising Star” attorney according to Super Lawyers in 2023.

Is the Lyft Company Liable for My Damages in a Nashville Lyft Accident Claim?

Often, Lyft attempts to distance itself from liability for accidents by retaining its status as an app that only uses independent drivers to connect them with passengers. However, both Lyft and Uber require their drivers to carry insurance, including special rideshare coverage. The coverage policy varies depending on the stage of the rideshare experience when a car or truck accident occurs. In a Lyft car accident, the following coverage may be in place:

While a Lyft driver uses their vehicle in their private capacity, their private Tennessee auto insurance is in effect
While the driver has their app turned on and actively awaits a customer to book a ride, the first level of rideshare coverage may be in place, or the driver’s personal insurance may still be in effect
Once a passenger actively books a ride, while driving to pick up the passenger, and throughout the journey with the passenger in the car until drop-off, the top level of insurance coverage is in place for the Lyft passenger

Unfortunately, this tiered insurance coverage means insurance companies commonly dispute claims by stating that their insurance was not in effect during the accident.

What Damages Can I Claim After a Nashville Lyft Accident?

These damages along with pain and suffering are the victim’s damages in an injury claim. A successful Lyft or Uber accident claim brings compensation for damages including the following:

Property damage
Medical expenses
Lost wages
Pain and suffering compensation
Other non-economic damages like PTSD, disfigurement, or loss of enjoyment of life

It often takes a determined Nashville Lyft accident attorney to document compelling evidence and present a demand package with the victim’s damages to the insurance company. If a rideshare accident results in the passenger being fatally injured, you may be entitled to a wrongful death lawsuit for losing a loved one.

Causes of Lyft Accidents In Nashville, TN

Lyft accidents can happen for many reasons; reasons that are often preventable. Lyft’s rideshare setup can make it easy for a rider to believe they are protected and safe. Yet, if you consider some of the most common causes of Lyft accidents in Nashville, TN, you will find that they are nearly always preventable with the use of better driving practices. Those incidents include:

Driver distraction: Drivers who are distracted by using a phone, navigating the Lyft app, adjusting GPS, or even answering a text message are more likely to cause an accident. They cannot focus fully on the road.
Speeding: Speeding is a common form of reckless driving that puts victims at risk of serious injury whether you are in the Lyft vehicle that crashes or hit by a fast-moving vehicle.
Impairment: Drivers may be impaired due to the use of alcohol and drugs, or in some cases may be using a prescription medication that leaves them unable to respond to road conditions safely.
Fatigue: Some Lyft drivers operate for hours at a time, which can increase the risk of fatigue behind the wheel. That is amplified if the Lyft driver may be working this job as a second position.
Reckless driving: Illegal lane changes, following too closely to the person in front of them, not stopping at stop signs or red lights, or not yielding the right of way to another party are all reckless risks that often occur when drivers rush.

To determine the cause of your Lyft accident, your attorney will investigate all details about what occurred, how the accident happened, and what witnesses experienced. Learning this can be critical to ensuring that the appropriate party pays for the financial losses that you have as a victim.

What Are Tennessee’s Rideshare Insurance Laws?

All drivers on the roadway must maintain insurance that covers other victims when the driver causes an accident. Under Tennessee law, drivers must have primary auto insurance for liability risks of at least:

$25,000 per person
$50,000 per accident
$25,000 per property damage claim

In addition to this, the state also requires rideshare drivers to maintain a primary auto liability insurance plan that provides at least $1,000,000 in death, bodily injury, and property damage. This type of insurance protection aims to minimize the risk that a rideshare driver will cause an accident in which the victim pays extensively for their losses.

Lyft requires drivers to maintain the minimum state coverage requirement, as noted above. This helps to provide peace of mind for potential victims.

What Is the Statute of Limitations for Rideshare Accident Claims?

When a rideshare accident occurs, it is critical to take legal action within a set amount of time to recover your damages. The State of Tennessee applies a one-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, including rideshare accidents involving personal injury.

One year is not very long. Note that this is not the limitation for filing a claim but for seeking legal action within a court of law. Generally, a victim will have worked through a settlement process first and only filed a claim in court when that settlement could not be worked out. Yet, that is a significant amount of work to manage within just one year’s time.

For this reason, victims of rideshare accidents must act quickly to get the legal guidance they need. A Nashville Lyft accident lawyer can provide some peace of mind by speeding up the claims process. Due to industry knowledge and local expertise, you may be able to see your case move forward without the risk of delays.

If you fail to take action within the one-year timeframe, you may not be able to get a court to hear your case. This means you eliminate your ability to recover the damages fairly owed to you.

In a client’s words

“Adam and his staff were great! They were very professional and so easy to work and communicate with. They kept me informed on everything that was going on with my case.”

Sara Hodge

Why You Need a Nashville Lyft Accident Attorney

Hiring a Nashville Lyft accident attorney is a critical decision for most victims. Lyft is a very large company and as such, they need to work to minimize the financial compensation they pay out to victims of accidents. To do that, they hire aggressive insurance adjusters and legal teams to find opportunities to reduce your claim.

However, with the guidance of a Lyft accident lawyer in Nashville, you gain the upper hand. There are several ways our legal team can assist you in recovering fair damages in a case like this.

Gather all evidence to document what happened and prove who was at fault. You want to make sure that your case is crystal clear that the Lyft driver, Lyft, or another party is directly responsible for your injuries and losses.
Clearly outline all the losses you have. It is not uncommon for victims to not know the full level of compensation they are owed in such a case. Do not settle your claim until you speak to an attorney.
Negotiate a fair settlement for you. Lyft will try to work down your claim value, and they may use one of numerous strategies to do so, such as delaying communication or even outright denying claims. With an attorney, you gain the peace of mind you need to work through this process.
Peace of mind. There is incredible value in peace of mind when it comes to legal matters like this. With the guidance of an attorney, you know your case will receive the necessary attention it deserves so you can recover and move your life forward.
Trial experience. Most cases against Lyft and other rideshare companies end in a settlement. In the situation where you need to go to court, having an experienced trial attorney available to guide you can prove to be critical.

With the help of a Nashville Lyft accident lawyer, you gain the peace of mind you need in navigating your case, recovering fair damages, and moving beyond the losses you have. Seek out a free consultation to learn what we can do for you.

Call the Nashville Lyft Accident Lawyers at Selvidge Injury Law Today

Insurance companies do not have your best interests at heart. To make the most compelling case for compensation, you need a Lyft accident lawyer in Nashville who can gather evidence and carefully calculate your damages to recover the largest possible amount of compensation available to you.

Call Selvidge Injury Law today at (615) 864-0343 so we can begin strategizing the best way forward on your claim.

Nashville Lyft Accident Lawyer