Colson Hicks Eidson Files Lyft Wrongful Death Lawsuit against Ride Service and Driver Involved in Fatal Miami Accident

November 23, 2015 / 2:09 am

Lyft Driver Failed to Yield the Right Away Killing Motorcyclist

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (November 18, 2015) — Coral Gables-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson, filed a wrongful death negligence lawsuit against Lyft Florida, Inc., a ridesharing transportation service, and one of its Miami drivers who was involved in a fatal crash with a motorcyclist.

The Lyft wrongful death lawsuit, filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, alleges that Lyft neglected to properly train its driver, Pirooz Pakdel, who failed to yield the right of way to the motorcyclist, Loinier Perez, 29, of Miami. The victim is survived by his wife, Poliana, who was eight months pregnant with the couple’s first child at the time of the incident.

According to the lawsuit, Perez was struck on October 31 while Pakdel was carrying a pair of Lyft passengers in his 2003 Jeep Liberty. Pakdel struck the motorcycle, the suit says, while making an improper left hand turn from NE 1st Avenue onto NE 36th Street. Perez was hit with such force that he was ejected from his motorcycle. He was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center.

The accident raises questions about the upstart car service’s ability to properly train and vet the backgrounds of drivers who offer discount transportation under the Lyft name.

Typically, drivers operate their own automobiles as independent contractors and respond to ride requests from customers who register with the company online. According to the suit, drivers can apply to join Lyft by logging into a company app or web-based portal. They provide information about themselves, including their names, phone numbers, home and email addresses, bank information, vehicle registration, insurance and vehicle description.

“It is the responsibility of taxi services to thoroughly supervise and vet the backgrounds of drivers before they get behind the wheel of a car to offer transportation services to the public,” said a Colson Hicks Eidson partner, who represents the Perez estate along with Susan S. Carlson, who is of counsel at the firm. “In this case, Lyft, which isn’t even authorized to operate in Miami-Dade County, fell far short of its obligation to act in the best interests of public safety and an innocent life was taken. We need to enforce stronger regulations and training programs if these ride sharing services are going to be allowed in our community.”

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified economic and non-economic damages for Perez’s wife and for her unborn son, alleges that Pakdel lacked the necessary experience and training to operate as driver for hire.

“Defendant Lyft knew or should have known that defendant Pakdel was improperly trained or suited for the job before the date of this incident,” the suit alleges. “Further, defendant Lyft knew or should have known of the unsuitability and lack of proper training of Pakdel at the time he was hired and before the date of the subject incident, and that such unsuitability would result in injury to others, including decedent Loinier Perez.”

The emergence of Lyft as well as Uber, its principal competitor in major U.S. cities and counties, has posed an array of safety and regulatory challenges for local governments that seek to ensure safeguards for consumers who want cheaper car services than those offered by traditional taxi and limousine operations.

In a campaign highlighting alleged risks associated with Lyft and Uber, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association has raised questions about both firms over safety, insurance, driver background checks and other issues.

In Miami-Dade County, neither Lyft nor Uber is authorized to operate. Officials have used sting operations to issue more than 3,300 citations. They have impounded dozens of cars operated by Lyft and Uber drivers. Both companies have been paying for their drivers’ tickets and impound fees.

Mayor Carlos Gimenez has reportedly said that he hopes to see the county’s taxicab and limousine rules rewritten to legalize both ride services before the end of his year.

In Broward County, Lyft and Uber have been intermittently barred from conducting operations. But in October, county commissioners allowed both companies to operate after resolving a contentious standoff over driver insurance, background checks and other regulatory requirements.

###

About Colson Hicks Eidson

The law firm of Colson Hicks Eidson is a trial firm with more than 40 years of experience handling local, national and international litigation. Partners at the firm have had the distinction of holding the following offices: President of the 60,000-member American Association for Justice; President of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers; President of the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; President of the Dade County Bar Association; President of the Miami-Dade Florida Association of Women Lawyers; United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; and Chairman of the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission. For more information, call 305-476-7400.

About Susan S. Carlson

Susan S. Carlson is of counsel at the firm. She has more than 20 years of experience handling personal injury, wrongful death, product liability, commercial and class action litigation. As a litigation and injury attorney, she has been involved in numerous million dollar personal injury settlements and verdicts.

Trending Stories

February 6, 2025

Latest Updates
and Insights from Colson

Related News & Case Studies

Colson Hicks Eidson was proud to represent Brookfield Properties, owner of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel property in Ft. Lauderdale, during trial in a long-running case brought by David J. Stern, a unit owner in the residential condominium portion of the property, who alleged water intrusion and property damage in his unit. After a three-and-one-half week jury trial in Broward County Circuit Court, the jury returned an across-the-board verdict in favor of our client. 

“Our firm was proud to represent Brookfield Properties in this hard-fought trial, and we are pleased that the jury delivered a clear and decisive verdict in our client’s favor,” Curtis Miner said.

Congratulations to our trial team Curtis Miner, Zachary Lipshultz, Aziza Elayan, and Michelle Roberto, joined by Jodi Kleinick from Paul Hastings.  

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

MIAMI (January 22, 2025) – Colson Hicks Eidson is thrilled to announce that three of its partners have been named in the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America. This impressive guide selects its lawyers through Lawdragon’s independent journalistic research and submissions process.

Now in its 20th year, Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America recognized Colson Hicks Eidson attorneys Julie Braman Kane, Roberto Martínez, and Curtis Miner for their exceptional work in litigation, plaintiff class action litigation, and white-collar practice areas.

Julie’s work has made a significant difference in the lives of her clients. She has represented plaintiffs in personal injury, commercial, and class action litigation, participating in cases securing hundreds of millions of dollars for clients, including recent resolutions of a data breach class action as well as multiple personal injury and wrongful death matters.

Curtis has tried cases to jury verdicts against auto manufacturers and airlines and has obtained sizable settlements in individual and plaintiffs’ class action litigation, having served as Class Counsel in cases against financial institutions arising out of Ponzi schemes and as part of court-appointed leadership counsel in the Takata Airbags Products Liability Litigation MDL, securing over $1.5 billion in settlements for classes of millions of vehicle owners.

Roberto has secured significant client wins in high-profile cases, including participating in settlements and judgments totaling in excess of $6 billion.

Click here to read the full guide on Lawdragon.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

A federal judge in Florida denied UnitedHealthcare’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a cancer patient seeking coverage for proton beam radiation therapy to treat his tongue cancer. The patient, Carlos Morera, alleges the insurer wrongfully denied benefits under his healthcare plan, forcing him to pay approximately $195,000 out of pocket for the treatment.

Stephanie A. Casey, a partner at Colson Hicks Eidson, represents Morera and successfully argued that the case should proceed.

“We look forward to presenting the merits of this case at trial. Proton beam radiation therapy has long been recognized as the standard of care for these types of cancers,” she said.

The court’s decision allows Morera to continue his fight to recover treatment costs. Read more about this case on Law360 here.

MIAMI (November 20, 2024) – Colson Hicks Eidson has been named to the 2025 edition of the “Best Law Firms” by Best Lawyers®, recognized at both the national and metropolitan levels. Seven of the firm’s attorneys were also named to the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers® across multiple practice areas.

“We are committed to delivering exceptional representation for our clients. This continued recognition of our firm’s core practice areas highlights the success of our efforts,” said Dean C. Colson, Managing Partner of Colson Hicks Eidson.

Best Lawyers® ranks top lawyers and law firms through a peer review process, using feedback from lawyers, clients, and professional references, along with firm data. Rankings are organized into regional and national tiers.

National Tier 2

● Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Metropolitan Tier 1

Miami

● Bet-the-Company Litigation
● Commercial Litigation
● Criminal Defense: White-Collar
● Insurance Law
● Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
● Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
● Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
● Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
● Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs

Metropolitan Tier 2

Miami

● Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

MIAMI (November 12, 2024) – Colson Hicks Eidson announced today that managing partner Dean Colson has been recognized in Florida Trend’s 2024 edition of the Florida 500, a publication highlighting the 500 most influential executives across various economic sectors in the state.

The publication notes that Dean’s credentials include chairing the state university system’s Board of Governors, the board of trustees for Florida International University, and the board of trustees for the University of Miami.

Dean is renowned as a top trial lawyer in the U.S. with 40 years of experience in complex civil litigation, personal injury, product liability, and professional malpractice. He has successfully represented large plaintiff classes and handled multimillion-dollar cases, including high-profile litigation such as the AeroPeru airplane crash and a Ponzi scheme settlement.

Dean has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service through various leadership roles. He has been actively involved with the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, supporting access to the arts. He’s also been president of the Orange Bowl Committee and chaired the Super Bowl XXIX Host Committee. He served on the Florida Commission on Ethics and chaired the Florida Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission. He previously served as President of the Dade County Bar Association and as a distinguished member of the Florida Bar Board of Governors. Most recently, the Coral Gables Community Foundation recognized Dean at its 2024 Annual Gala with the Education Award.

About Colson Hicks Eidson

Colson Hicks Eidson is a renowned law firm based in Miami, Florida, that is recognized as one of the top trial firms in the United States. Built on a foundation of over 50 years of dedication to forging strong client relationships, Colson Hicks Eidson handles local, national, and international litigation, with cases spanning from Miami, Florida, and throughout the United States, to matters in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Europe. Learn more at: www.colson.com.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida has launched a new Whistleblower Non-Prosecution Pilot Program. It reinforces the recent efforts of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s new Corporate Whistleblower Awards Pilot Program.

The local pilot program offers non-prosecution agreements in exchange for the early and voluntary self-disclosures of criminal conduct.  The Department’s pilot program offers financial rewards to a whistleblower who provides original and truthful information about corporate misconduct that results in a successful forfeiture.  

Both pilot programs require the prompt disclosure of truthful and complete information.   

At Colson Hicks Eidson, our attorneys have advised and represented clients across the full range of internal investigations, government inquiries, enforcement actions, whistleblower actions, and civil and criminal trials.  For further information, contact us at 305-476-7400 or info@colson.com.