Lyft Accident Settlement Amounts

Lyft is one of the most popular alternatives to taxis and other traditional ridesharing options. However, legal issues surrounding the company make it problematic if you are the victim of an accident.

Lyft and Uber put a lot of effort into denying or obstructing their liability for accidents and other incidents involving customers, and that can create an issue if you are trying to file a claim after an accident.

Working with a Chicago Lyft accident attorney can help you through the legal process and secure compensation for your injuries. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers works with rideshare accident victims to file claims against Lyft and Uber despite their efforts to avoid liability altogether.

What is the Average Lyft Accident Settlement?

If you’re wondering about the average Lyft driver accident settlement amount, the truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all number. Every Lyft accident case is unique, and settlement values vary widely depending on the circumstances, the severity of the bodily injuries, the available insurance coverage, and how strongly the case is built during the claims process.

Several factors impact the value of a Lyft accident settlement, including the cost of your medical expenses, the extent of your property damage, the amount of lost wages, and any ongoing medical treatment you may need. Emotional harm, like emotional distress and long-term disabilities, can also increase the value of your Lyft accident case.

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, our team brings over 100 years of combined experience to every case. We’ve served more than 5,000 clients, recovered over $450 million in verdicts and settlements, and maintain a 98% success rate.

We offer 24/7 free consultations and pride ourselves on delivering 5-star service and personalized attention to every injury victim we represent.

Our firm is nationally recognized for results in complex rideshare accident litigation. When you work with us, you have a car accident attorney who knows how to handle settlement negotiations with powerful insurance companies and fight to help you receive fair compensation for your losses.

Ultimately, the best way to understand the potential value of your case is to speak with a skilled car accident attorney in Chicago who can review your medical records, investigate the accident scene, and guide you through the legal process.

Notable Rideshare Accident Settlements We’ve Recovered

While there is no true “average,” our experience with rideshare car accidents shows what’s possible when injury victims have strong legal representation:

Confidential Seven-Figure Settlement for a passenger who was sexually assaulted by a driver who had a history of misconduct. Despite knowledge of prior incidents, the company failed to remove the driver from the app.

$4,000,000 settlement reached for the family of a passenger killed when a driver ran a red light, resulting in a fatal car crash. The case involved extensive wrongful death damages and future financial support losses.

$3,500,000 recovery for the family of a woman fatally shot during a confrontation with her driver. Despite the defense arguing that the driver was an independent contractor, our firm secured significant compensation for the family’s loss and suffering.

$2,855,000 settlement for a pedestrian struck by a rideshare vehicle while crossing a busy city street. The client suffered a severe leg fracture requiring multiple surgeries and long-term rehabilitation.

$2,000,000 settlement for a woman sexually assaulted by a rideshare driver who followed her into her home. This case focused on negligent hiring practices and failure to remove dangerous drivers from the platform.

$1,680,000 recovery for a motorcyclist who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury after being struck by a rideshare car that was dropping off a passenger. The client required extensive therapy and future medical care.

$1,000,000 settlement for a passenger who was injured while exiting a rideshare vehicle. As the driver pulled away prematurely, the woman sustained serious injuries to her hip and foot, requiring multiple surgeries.

$945,000 settlement for a pedestrian who was struck while waiting for a pickup at a major airport terminal. The accident caused significant medical expenses and ongoing mobility issues.

$433,333 settlement for a passenger injured while getting out of a rideshare car. Our client suffered orthopedic injuries that required months of rehabilitation.

$350,000 pre-litigation settlement for a backseat passenger who sustained a herniated cervical disc after the driver rear-ended another vehicle at high speed. The case was resolved before formal court proceedings began, sparing the client further stress.

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we understand the real cost of medical bills, property damage, lost wages, and emotional trauma after a car accident involving a rideshare company. Whether you’re dealing with issues around personal auto insurance coverage, third-party liability insurance, or fighting an insurance adjuster, our law firm is ready to stand by your side.

Our goal is simple: to make sure you receive fair compensation and help you move forward after a rideshare accident disrupts your life. Contact us today for a free consultation and find out how we can help.

Factors Affecting Lyft Accident Settlements

Lyft accident settlements are determined by several factors, as well as how well your lawyer can demonstrate their impact on you. Take a deeper look at these factors to see how your case can be impacted.

Severity of Injuries

How badly you are injured impacts your settlement amount in several ways. In general, more serious injuries result in more compensation. That is because the costs of your medical care tend to be higher since you may need more intensive care and ongoing care options. Severe injuries often require services like physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Severe injuries are often the result of a more serious accident. While the cost of injuries can be higher, more severe accidents also come with other, higher costs. The cost of replacing a car vs repairing one, for example, often comes along with more severe injuries. It’s a compounding effect that raises the overall amount to seek compensation for.

Lost Wages and Earning Capacity

Being in an accident can also mean problems outside of dealing with medical issues. Missing work is common due to physical injuries and losing your car. The missed income can make it much harder to pay bills, let alone afford services to help with your recovery.

More than that, the severity of the injuries can have very long-term effects. In some cases, the victim’s injuries are so great that they cannot go back to work in the same job. This can cause a loss of earning potential, for which you can file a claim.

Pain and Suffering

While damages like medical expenses have a fixed cost, other claims do not. These are called non-economic damages, and the judge determines the value of each claim based on the impact that it has on the victim’s life.

For example, if you are having a significant problem even getting back into a car because of the psychological impact, then you may be able to file a claim for pain and suffering.

The claim involves proving that the accident has had other effects on you and asking for a specific amount of compensation. The judge will determine if that amount is valid and award what they think is right.

Liability and Comparative Negligence

Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116.

Comparative negligence policies assign fault to each party involved in the accident and adjust compensation accordingly. If you are found to be more than 50% at fault for an accident, you cannot collect compensation. If you are only found to be 20% at fault, then your overall compensation is reduced by 20%.

It’s a way of taking into account both parties’ actions. Still, it shows how important it is to ensure that the other party is liable before beginning proceedings and working with your lawyer to provide all of the evidence needed.

Insurance Policy Limits

Another possible issue with collecting fair compensation after a Lyft car accident is that all insurance policies have policy limits. These limits can limit the maximum amount of a settlement since they limit how much you may be entitled to. Policy limits can constrict how much compensation is paid.

This is why your lawyer may suggest a lawsuit against Lyft directly after dealing with the insurance if you have a case that requires a very large amount of compensation. However, the process often starts with negotiating with the insurance company to see if you can come to a reasonable settlement agreement.

Lyft’s Liability Insurance Coverage

If you’re injured in a rideshare accident, Lyft’s insurance coverage may provide an important avenue to seek compensation. In Illinois, under the Transportation Network Providers Act (625 ILCS 57/1 et seq.), Lyft is required to maintain specific levels of liability insurance coverage when a driver is logged into the app or transporting passengers.

When a Lyft driver is actively transporting a passenger or en route to pick someone up, Lyft’s insurance policy provides up to $1 million in third-party liability coverage.

This can cover costs such as medical expenses, property damage, and bodily injury caused during the car accident. It also includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage up to $1 million, protecting passengers if another driver is at fault and lacks sufficient insurance.

If the driver is logged into the app but has not yet accepted a ride, Lyft offers a lower tier of insurance coverage, providing:

• $50,000 for bodily injury per person,
• $100,000 for bodily injury per accident,
• $25,000 for property damage.

Outside of these periods, when the driver is offline, their personal auto insurance must cover any accident. Lyft’s policy does not apply if the driver is not actively using the app.

It’s important to understand that Lyft’s insurance does not automatically pay for your medical bills up front through medical payments coverage. Instead, injured passengers and others involved must pursue claims for medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses through the regular claims process, typically requiring negotiations with insurance adjusters.

While Lyft’s $1 million liability limit sounds substantial, it may not always cover the full extent of serious injuries or emotional distress. Settlement negotiations are often necessary to ensure you receive fair compensation that accounts for all economic and non-economic damages.

Navigating the insurance claims process after a rideshare accident can be complex. Having an experienced car accident lawyer handle your claim can make a major difference in protecting your rights and maximizing your accident settlement.

Maximizing Your Lyft Accident Settlement

You want to get the most compensation out of your settlement as possible, which means you need to negotiate or win your case in court. There are several things you can do to maximize your Lyft accident settlement.

Document Everything

Make sure you have documentation to support everything, no matter how big or small. Credible documentation goes a long way toward helping your case and is likely the primary way you can present evidence.

Keep records for every expense, every doctor visit, and every event related to dealing with your accident. That way, you have enough documentation to show how you were impacted by the accident and can support each claim.

Seek Medical Treatment and Follow Through

It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you don’t think you are injured. Prompt medical treatment close to when the accident occurred not only ensures that you receive the care you need but also documents any injuries you do have. That way, they can be easily connected to your accident.

When you receive instructions from a medical care provider, make sure you follow those instructions closely. Straying from those instructions can give the insurance company a reason to argue your injuries are not as severe as claimed. Don’t give them that chance and make sure to follow your doctor’s orders to avoid creating problems in your ridesharing accident case.

Consult with a Lawyer Early On

You can get support from a lawyer early in the process, which can help you avoid problems that diminish how much you collect in compensation. More than that, your lawyer can handle negotiations to fight for more compensation, which can significantly increase your total compensation.

Types of Damages in Lyft Accident Settlements

One reason Lyft has insurance is the potential damages you can incur in a Lyft car accident. Certain damages, like medical bills and future medical expenses, can result in millions in compensation, and multiple accidents can damage Lyft as a company.

Economic Damages

Any damages you suffer that have a fixed cost are considered economic damages. Good examples of this are car repair bills, medical bills, and the cost of replacing your damaged clothes.

Filing claims for economic damages is one of the first things your lawyer will work on, as it sets that baseline for the compensation you can seek. You can calculate the total amount you can expect if all of the damages are awarded by adding them together. Then, add other damages you want on top of that to see what your settlement amount could be.

Non-Economic Damages

Damages that are not associated with a fixed amount are called non-economic damages. Examples of these are pain and suffering, loss of consortium (loss of familial relationship benefits), or loss of potential income.

Your lawyer estimates an amount for each, basing it on the impact on your life. The judge will decide the exact value, and you can use it as a stronger negotiating point if you negotiate a settlement out of court.

Punitive Damages

In cases where the liable party acts in a very negative way, the judge may award punitive damages. The entire goal of punitive damages is to punish the other party for their actions. They are not awarded in every case and cannot be counted on. However, punitive damages can significantly increase the amount of compensation in a settlement.

Determining Liability in Lyft Accidents

Rideshare companies have taken a position on liability that makes it difficult to file claims. To successfully file a claim, your lawyer has to target the right party. In this case, Lyft would be the target of the claims.

However, Lyft has made this difficult by claiming that its drivers are subcontractors, meaning they are individual businesses with their own liability. Because of this, it is hard to determine if claims should be filed against the driver or Lyft.

In Illinois, whether someone is classified as an independent contractor or an employee can impact liability, and courts often look to standards outlined in the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (820 ILCS 115/2) when making these determinations.

In other cases, it is clear that a lawsuit should be filed against the company and not just the driver. The company may have some liability for the driver and must handle the lawsuit if it pushed the driver to violate regulations or created a working situation that led to the accident.

Lyft tries to place liability on the individual drivers by saying that they are independent contractors using their own vehicles. This would make the drivers liable, and you would have to go through their insurance instead of Lyft’s insurance. If you file a claim against Lyft, your claim may be denied.

Lyft’s ability to place liability on drivers has been contested in court many times. In some cases, the courts ruled that Lyft is, in fact, liable for its drivers since they act as employees of the company.

It is important to work with a lawyer to establish liability against Lyft since Lyft has the insurance and resources to pay fair compensation to help with your recovery. Despite what the company says, it is one of the primary parties involved in their drivers’ accidents. Don’t hesitate to take legal action to secure the compensation you deserve from the company.

Lyft Accident Claim Process

Lyft accident claims follow a process similar to other accidents. You must follow the process as much as possible since deviating can create issues that delay or derail your claims.

Reporting the Accident

Under 625 ILCS 5/11-401, Illinois law requires drivers to immediately report any accident involving injury, death, or significant property damage to law enforcement.

First, report it to emergency services so EMS and police can be sent out to respond quickly and document the situation. The police also collect valuable evidence, such as witness statements, and create police reports.

Dealing with Lyft’s Insurance Company

Once you’ve sought medical treatment, the next step is to report the accident to Lyft’s insurance company. They will investigate and offer you a settlement. Before you talk to anyone from the insurance company, contact a lawyer.

You can have a lawyer help you through the process, which may be in your best interest. The insurance company will try to offer you as little as possible. Having a lawyer helps you fight for the compensation you deserve by negotiating on your behalf.

Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation

Lyft is a big company with a lot of influence, which means it has the resources to fight claims. Lyft’s insurance company has a vested interest in reducing your settlement. Taking on the two of them to seek compensation for an accident can be a big task alone. Fortunately, you can receive help from the Lyft accident lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers.

Seeking legal representation from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is one of the best ways to protect yourself after a Lyft accident. We handle personal injury cases, including ones against large companies like Lyft. We specialize in filing a personal injury claim on your behalf and negotiating to raise the value of the average settlement for our clients.

Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers for a free consultation by filling out our contact form or calling toll-free at (888) 424-5757. Let us help by filing car accident claims on your behalf and fighting to get the compensation you deserve.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.