Motorcyclist Killed When Lyft Driver Disobeys City Ordinance

On behalf of Lovett Law Firm posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Thursday, May 19, 2016.

When your loved one is killed in a motorcycle accident, your life is turned upside down immediately. There’s nothing you can do to reverse what happened, and things you had planned for the future are suddenly in limbo. Your financial stability could be threatened due to high medical bills and lost wages. Because of the loss you’re suffering, it’s important to make sure you seek compensation from the negligent driver who caused the accident.

That’s what one widow is doing in Austin; her lawsuit claims the driver of a Lyft vehicle caused the fatal motorcycle accident that killed her husband. She is now seeking a lawsuit for $1 million against the company, stating that the driver of the vehicle caused the accident when stopping for passengers while in a traffic lane, in violation of a city law.

The woman’s husband, a 31-year-old motorcyclist, died when he swerved, lost control, hit a curb, and collided with a utility pole. The man had to swerve to avoid the Lyft driver, the lawsuit claims. The motorcyclist had been behind another vehicle, but the driver had to swerve into another lane to avoid the stopped vehicle, leaving the motorcycle rider no time to stop. Swerving out of the way was the only option; unfortunately, it proved to be fatal.

In Austin, it is illegal for ride-hailing drivers to stop in any travel lane to pick up or drop off passengers. This accident shows why that can be so dangerous; stopping in the middle of a busy road without enough notice can cause serious collisions and fatal injuries.

Source: Statesman, “Lawsuit against Lyft blames driver for fatal motorcycle crash,” Philip Jankowski, April 29, 2016