Our attorneys have been assisting the Orange County and Southern California communities for over 40 years.
If you were in a Lyft accident here in Orange County, you are probably wondering who is supposed to pay for everything and how to get started. These crashes can be confusing, especially when there is a big company and more than one insurance policy involved. We are here to help you get answers and figure out what comes next.
Your Orange County Lyft accident lawyer with DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo has handled cases like yours for years, and we know how tough it can feel at first. With over 40 years of combined trial experience, we know what to look for and how to make the process easier.
Your Orange County car crash lawyer is ready to talk things through, take the pressure off, and help you feel supported. Just reach out when you are ready.
One of the most confusing parts of a Lyft accident is identifying the liable party that is responsible for paying for your damages. Unlike a typical crash between two personal vehicles, rideshare claims involve layered policies and shifting responsibility. That is why we take time to determine exactly what phase the rideshare driver was in and who else could be involved.
Lyft provides different levels of coverage depending on what the driver was doing at the time of the crash. If the app was off, the driver’s personal insurance is usually the only coverage available. If the app was on and the driver was waiting for a request, Lyft provides limited third-party liability coverage. Once the driver accepts a ride or has a passenger in the car, a higher level of coverage kicks in.
Your Orange County Lyft accident attorney with DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo looks at the full timeline of your crash to deduce which coverage applies. We review the rideshare logs, trip history, and all available documentation to pinpoint exactly when the accident happened. That way, we know whether Lyft’s policy is involved, and we can push for the full compensation you are owed.
Not every Lyft crash is caused by the rideshare driver. Sometimes another car, a commercial truck, or even a second rideshare vehicle is involved. These crashes are common in busy areas where drivers are rushing, distracted, or unfamiliar with the road. When more than one driver is responsible, it makes the claim process more complicated.
In these situations, multiple insurance companies may get involved, and no one wants to take the first step. That is why these cases often take longer and come with more delays. Our team sorts through who was at fault, what coverage applies, and which companies need to pay.
Some Lyft accidents happen because a driver made a mistake. Others happen because of where and how these rides take place. Knowing what tends to go wrong helps us look at your crash from the right angle and figure out what needs to happen next. Common hazards in Lyft-related collisions include:
Rideshare drivers face pressure from both sides of the car. They are dealing with passengers in the back seat, GPS directions on the screen, and unpredictable drivers around them. When one of those factors leads to a crash, our job is to establish who made the wrong call and whether they should be held responsible. In cases involving impaired drivers, your Orange County personal injury lawyer will also look at California Vehicle Code § 23152 to see how DUI laws may affect the claim.
Lyft and Uber accidents can look like any other car crash at first glance. Once you try to file a claim or talk to the insurance company though, you quickly realize things work a little differently. That is because rideshare companies have their own policies, their own data, and their own rules for when they get involved.
One of the biggest differences in a Lyft accident case depends on the status of the app. Whether the driver was online, waiting for a ride, or mid-trip affects which insurance policy applies. Lyft logs driver activity in real time, including pickup times, ride start and end points, and trip routes. These records can help show what the driver was doing and who may be financially responsible.
Getting access to those logs can be tricky, especially with privacy rules in place. The standards for how personal data must be stored and shared are set by California Civil Code § 1798.81.5, which can create delays when we request these records.
Lyft drivers are not classified as employees, which changes how liability works when something goes wrong. Lyft classifies its drivers as independent contractors, and they often argue that they are not directly responsible for a crash. That argument can affect how claims are handled and how much support you are offered after you were hurt.
This is especially important in drunk driving crashes or cases where the driver was behaving recklessly. Even if Lyft tries to distance itself, our team looks at whether they had reason to know the driver was unfit or if a pattern of behavior had been ignored. These details matter when deciding whether the company should be part of your claim or not.
Your Lyft accident attorney in Orange County from DiMarco | Araujo | Montevideo will take the time to hear your story and assess what needs to happen next. We look at the Lyft trip data, the crash reports, and anything else that helps explain how it all unfolded.
Whether you were riding in the back seat, walking nearby, or driving your own car when it happened, we know how to help you feel a little less stuck, so contact us today to schedule your free consultation.