This is a unique Lyft wrongful death lawsuit in that this Los Angeles-based wrongful death lawsuit does not arise because of a deadly car accident like you may think but rather when a Lyft driver left a passenger on the side of a freeway and he was fatally struck by another vehicle. The family of 24 year-old is suing Lyft as well as the driver (former driver, that is) for the wrongful death of their son after he was pepper-sprayed by his diver, left on the side of a busy freeway and eventually fatally hit by another car.

NBC 4 reports on the details of the Lyft wrongful death suit, “Justin Lavelle, 23 of West Hollywood died January 31 after being struck by a car on the 110 Harbor Freeway. He was left on the freeway shoulder after his driver allegedly stopped on the freeway, pepper sprayed him and ejected him from the car.” For his part, the driver maintains that Lavelle was heavily intoxicated and trying to take the drivers’ wheel from him and was asked to move to the back of the car, not necessarily get out of the car.

Lyft drivers are not employees of the ride-sharing company but independent contractors which is a legal employment classification that changes the nature of many things, including legal liability. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Lyft is off the hook. The reason many Los Angeles personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits also list the companies and employers more loosely connected to deaths and serious injuries is that those are the ones with the deep pockets, able to pay out large settlements if found guilty.

Wrongful death lawsuits are always tragic for the obvious reason that there was an avoidable death involved. In the wake of a tragedy many families either don’t realize they have this important legal option or they don’t have the emotional energy to take on a legal case. While we will work hard on informing potential clients of their rights, here are some important things to know about that second important misconception about Los Angeles wrongful death lawsuits:

• It’s very little work for you: hiring a great wrongful death lawyer is much less work than you think. Generally, it’s an initial consultation so we can talk about what happened, your legal options and what we need from you to get started. If it is a wrongful death case, you need to get medical bills and other bills associated with the death and we will also want statements– all these things take very little time and once you get it for us, we take it from there.
• It costs you nothing upfront: We take all our cases on a contingency fee basis meaning that you do not pay us a penny until we get you paid. When your case is settled, you will find our fees extremely reasonable and worth it!
• Potential for a large financial recovery: Depending on who the defendant is and the nature of the death or accident, these cases can be worth a lot of money which can help you emotionally and financial adjust to your new reality.
• Emotional closure: Many of our clients are amazed by the emotional closure they feel when they file a Los Angeles wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit with Walch Law. Why? Because it provides a sense of closure and justice for what is undoubtedly an unfair situation.

At Walch Law, we are here to help with your California wrongful death and serious personal injury needs. Available 24/7 with a stellar success rate and an unbeatable personal approach to all our cases, we are the team of talented attorneys you want fighting for you and your loved ones. Get in touch with us now.