Nagel Rice LLP has an excellent reputation as a car accident personal injury firm in New Jersey, with a history of successful outcomes in Lyft passenger accident cases. We know all too well how distressing it is to pay for a rideshare to avoid the stress of driving and parking only to end up with a punishing injury as a result of a collision.
If you have been involved in a Lyft passenger accident, you are entitled to the very best legal representation available. This is the time to contact Nagel Rice for a free case review. We will take you on as a client only if we believe we can obtain substantial damages. More than that, we will work on a contingency basis, so you don’t have to pay us anything unless we win your case.
What Makes a Lyft Passenger Accident Different from Other Traffic Accidents
At Nagel Rice, we are aware that rideshare accidents are more complicated to deal with than ordinary traffic collisions, not only because the Lyft company adds another layer of liability, but also because the work status of Lyft drivers is controversial throughout the country. While California courts have just recently determined that Lyft drivers are employees rather than independent contractors, New Jersey and other states have not yet done so.
In addition to leaving Lyft drivers without the labor law protections offered to “employees” (such as minimum wage requirements, unemployment compensation, and paid leave), designating Lyft workers as independent contractors gives the company more loopholes to avoid liability in case of accidents. At this time, Lyft as a company only bears liability if its driver was actively connected by app to the corporation at the time of the accident. This means that the Lyft driver is only covered by his or her individual auto insurance policy unless he or she was, at the time of the crash:
- On the Lyft app, seeking a customer
- En route to picking up a passenger
- In process of delivering a passenger to her or his destination
Even though Nagel Rice, like all New Jersey personal injury law firms, has to follow existing state legislation, the fact that laws around Lyft rides are in flux nationally and even worldwide gives us a certain amount of leverage. You can count on us to work hard and long to negotiate a maximum settlement for intangible anguish as well as economic losses. If our savvy law firm doesn’t feel that the opposing side is behaving reasonably, we will bring our significant litigation skills to bear in a court of law.
Serious Injuries Can Have Devastating Consequences
A broken bone, while certainly painful and inconvenient, may be underrated in terms of long-term effects, but plenty of people with bone fractures are left with limps, chronic pain, and limited mobility even after more than one surgical procedure. In a similar fashion, external bruises may be the outward manifestation of internal bleeding or organ loss; head wounds may indicate traumatic brain injury; and apparent temporary immobility may be evidence of permanent paralysis. The Lyft vehicle need not be speeding for you to suffer a terrible long-term injury — many passengers are severely harmed on congested city streets.
Damages Nagel Rice Will Fight Tooth and Nail to Recover
Though compassionate and gentle with our clients, out Lyft accident attorneys are known to be aggressive with opposing attorneys as we fight to obtain the resources you will need going forward for:
- Medical and rehabilitation costs
- Psychological counseling
- Lost income, current and future
- Replacement of household and childcare services
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent disfigurement or disability
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
If your family has experienced the anguish of losing a loved one to wrongful death in a Lyft accident, we will assist you in reclaiming final medical costs, funeral expenses, and trying to mitigate the ongoing pain of lost financial and emotional support.
Knowing that Lyft has $1 million coverage for each of its drivers, we will not rest until we obtain every dollar of damages you deserve.
Services We Provide to Those Injured in Lyft Accidents
Once we take on the role of your legal representative, Nagel Rice will take over all of the legal and insurance matters that loom so large when you’re trying to relax and recover. We will immediately begin:
- Handling all communications with opposing attorneys and insurance adjusters
- Filing and reviewing all necessary paperwork in a timely fashion
- Checking out and photographing the site of your accident
- Examining police records and medical reports
- Investigating any prior history of negligence on the part of the defendant
- Interviewing and recording witness accounts while memories are still clear
- Consulting (if necessary) with experts who may testify on your behalf
Once we have accumulated all necessary data, we will design an effective strategy to negotiate a worthy settlement and/or to fight for just compensation at trial.
Our Well-Informed Lyft Passenger Accident Attorneys Will Answer All Your Questions
Most accident victims, once they begin to get over the shock of what has occurred, have a great many questions. Knowing that having these questions patiently answered can be extremely reassuring, we are ready to give you our time and attention to discuss issues that may be perplexing, such as:
- How much is my settlement likely to be?
- How long is my case likely to take?
- What if another driver, not my Lyft driver, was responsible for the accident?
- What if the blame was shared by both parties?
- If my Lyft driver was impaired at the time of the accident, is Lyft responsible?
- If I wasn’t wearing my seat belt at the time of the crash, can I still receive compensation?
- What is my injury worsens years from now, after my lawsuit has been settled?
With these and other questions troubling you, it may be difficult to get the rest you need during recovery. We realize our role is not only to provide you with professional advice, but to offer you moral support through this challenging period.
Contact our Experienced New Jersey Lyft Passenger Accident Attorneys to Be Treated with Respect
Nagel Rice is a legal firm known for kindness as well as courtroom success. In our hands, you can expect to receive personal concern as well as outstanding legal guidance. Contact our office today to schedule an initial consultation.
Nagel Rice LLP helps their clients with their Lyft passenger injury claims throughout New Jersey including Bergen County, Essex County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Passaic County, and Sussex County.