What Happens If Lyft Driver Gets In An Accident
If a Lyft driver happens to get in an accident in Michigan and they are at-fault for causing the crash then they could be held liable for compensation and benefits owed to people who were injured, including their rideshare passengers, occupants of other vehicles, and pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists.
What happens if your Lyft driver gets in an accident?
If your Lyft driver happens to get in an accident in Michigan and he or she was at-fault, then the driver may be liable for pain and suffering damages, excess medical expenses and lost wages as well as other economic damages.
Excess medical benefits cover medical bills and the cost of medical care that exceeds the No-Fault PIP medical benefits coverage level that was selected in the auto insurance policy through which an Uber accident victim is claiming No-Fault benefits.
Excess lost wages cover an Uber accident victim’s wage loss that exceeds the monthly maximum and/or beyond the three-year limit on No-Fault wage loss benefits.
When a victim’s accident-related medical expenses exceed the coverage level in the policy under which he or she is claiming No-Fault benefits, the victim has the legal right to sue the at-fault driver for those “excess” medical expense costs. (MCL 500.3135(3)(c))
How much liability insurance coverage is available if your Lyft driver happens to get in an accident in Michigan?
All Lyft vehicles must be covered by liability insurance that provides liability coverage in the following amounts when an Lyft driver causes an accident:
- On-duty liability ($50,000/$100,000) – There must be liability coverage “in the amount of at least $50,000.00 per person for death or bodily injury” and “$100,000.00 per incident for death or bodily injury . . .” (MCL 257.2123(2)(a); 257.518b(1)(a)(i))
- Liability while transporting passengers ($1 million) – There must be liability coverage “with a minimum combined single limit of $1,000,000.00 for all bodily injury or property damage.” (MCL 257.2123(3)(a); 257.518b(1)(b)(i))
This liability coverage may be provided by auto insurance liability policies maintained by the Lyft driver, Lyft or a combination of both. (MCL 257.2123(5) and (6))
Who benefits from liability coverage?
When a Lyft driver happens to get in an accident in Michigan and he or she was at-fault than your Lyft driver’s liability insurance coverage will pay for the pain and suffering compensation, excess medical benefits and lost wages and other economic damages owed to victims of the crash.
Those victims may include Lyft passengers, drivers and passengers of other vehicles involved in the accident, bicyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists who were injured in the Uber accident.
No-Fault benefits
If your Lyft driver happens to get in an accident in Michigan, you can recover No-Fault benefits from the responsible auto insurance company for medical expenses, lost wages, household replacement services, medical mileage and transportation costs and attendant care services.
Here is what you need to know:
- To be entitled to recover No-Fault benefits, you must file an application for No-Fault benefits – which is also called your “written notice of injury” – with the responsible auto insurance company within one (1) year after the car accident. (MCL 500.3145(1) and (4)) If you fail to file your application on time – within ONE YEAR from the date of your automobile crash – then you will forever lose any benefits to which you might be entitled.
- The auto insurance company that is responsible for paying No-Fault benefits to you as a Lyft passenger will be one of the following: (1) your own auto insurance company; (2) the insurance company for your spouse or a relative who lives with you; and (3) if no coverage is available through those sources, then the auto insurance company that insurers the Uber vehicle will be responsible to pay your No-Fault benefits.
Need help? Call Michigan Auto Law for a free consultation
If your Lyft driver happens to get in an accident in Michigan and you would like to speak with an experienced attorney, call toll free anytime 24/7 at (800) 968-1001 for a free consultation with one of our attorneys. Michigan Auto Law attorneys have spoken at seminars both in Michigan and in many other states on the subject of Lyft accidents and ride-share liability, teaching injury lawyers across the nation how to better handle these cases and better protect our clients. You can also get help from an experienced accident attorney by visiting our contact page or you can use the chat feature on our website.
