Lyft And Hertz Named Co-Defedants In Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuit

Lyft And Hertz Named Co-Defedants In Traumatic Brain Injury Lawsuit

LYFT AND HERTZ NAMED CO-DEFEDANTS IN TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY LAWSUIT
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (April 11, 2019) –

A lawsuit filed today in Palm Beach County Circuit Court alleges Defendants Lyft Inc., and the Hertz Corporation are responsible for damages caused to Plaintiff, Teresa Brookes, a pedestrian who suffered multiple traumatic injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, when she was struck by a Lyft driver on January 4, 2019. The driver was operating a rented vehicle, acquired through a partnership between Lyft and Hertz.

Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa attorneys filed the lawsuit on behalf of Teresa Brookes, an employee of The Breakers Palm Beach, who was struck by the Lyft driver as she was walking in the crosswalk at the intersection of Cocoanut Walk and South County Road in Palm Beach, Florida.
Teresa Brookes commented, “My independence is gone. I may never be able to drive again, or hold down a job, or live on my own. My life has been completely turned upside down and will never be the same because a Lyft driver wasn’t paying attention to the road as I crossed the street in the crosswalk.”
RDCY attorneys stated at the filing, “The Lyft app by design is defective as it causes distracted driving. Lyft designed its app to require its drivers to continuously turn their attention away from the road and to the app while driving in order to be able to accept rides and generate revenue for Lyft. Lyft and Hertz have partnered to put Lyft drivers behind the wheel of Hertz vehicles while using this dangerous app that promotes distracted driving. Lyft and Hertz benefit from this financial arrangement to the detriment of public safety.”
The lawsuit details multiple counts of negligence, as well as product liability claims against Lyft for defective design of the app, and a joint venture claim arising out of the partnership between Lyft, its driver, and Hertz, all of which resulted in Ms. Brookes suffering catastrophic injuries.

Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa is a national civil litigation firm based in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The firm specializes in complex litigation including catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, trucking, and bad faith litigation. For more information, visit www.pbglaw.com or call 561-462-5348.