Lyft was recently sued in a California court for the death of a passenger. The lawsuit alleges that the death was a result of the company’s negligent actions in hiring, training, and retaining drivers.
The death occurred when a Lyft driver was called to pick up a passenger in the Los Angeles area. During the ride, the passenger and the Lyft driver became involved in an argument. At some point, the driver pepper-sprayed the passenger and ejected him from the vehicle on the side of the freeway. The passenger was later struck by another vehicle, which fled the scene. The passenger died at the hospital.
The passenger’s parents sued Lyft, claiming that the company owed the passenger a duty to use the utmost care and diligence in transporting him. The lawsuit alleges that the company failed to use a high level of care, which resulted in the man’s death. The lawsuit claims that the company knows that its screening processes to hire Lyft drivers are inadequate and unsafe, which can lead passengers to be exposed to a risk of serious harm or death. All of the hiring processes are done online, and the company uses third parties to do background checks on drivers, which only go back a period of seven years and therefore may not uncover all of the criminal history of a driver.
If you have been the victim of wrongful actions of a Lyft or Uber driver, you should speak with an attorney. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles personal injury attorney, at 310-385-0567. I can help. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation on your case.