Late last month, ridesharing giant Uber found itself at the center of a new legal dispute, after a passenger injured in a February 2017 collision filed a hefty personal injury lawsuit.
The case involves a Houston-based musician who was contracted to play an event in Amarillo. According to the lawsuit, the victim hired Uber to take him to dinner before the event. However, the driver soon became lost and stopped the vehicle in the center of the roadway to check his app. The Uber vehicle was then rear-ended by another vehicle traveling at high speed.
The impact was so severe that it fractured the victim’s neck and caused a number of other serious injuries. The legal claim alleges that these injuries were so severe that they made it difficult for the victim to perform, essentially derailing his career.
In total, the lawsuit has requested $1 million in damages to cover lost pre-booked engagements, as well as medical bills, physical injury, and mental anguish.
How to Protect Against Ridesharing Injuries
Unfortunately, collisions like this are not uncommon in cities across the country where ridesharing is utilized. As a result, the state of Nevada has recently established guidelines that companies like Uber and Lyft must follow to help prevent injury-causing incidents. These guidelines include:
- Requiring that all drivers obtain a Nevada business license
- Mandating that any cars used to transport passengers be less than eight years old
- Prohibiting drivers from spending more than 16 hours in driver mode within a 24-hour period
- Requiring that all drivers acquire a Transportation Network Company (TNC) decal that must be visible on the vehicle’s windshield at all times
Although these guidelines are meant to emphasize passenger safety, there are never any guarantees. That’s why it is important for passengers to take some precautionary steps to help prevent collisions or other incidents that cause personal injury. Such steps include:
- Asking that a driver not use the app while driving, unless absolutely necessary
- Getting the driver’s information, including name, license plate and photo in the event of an incident
- Keeping a mobile phone charged and ready in case of an emergency
If you have been injured while using a ridesharing service, it is important that you seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Only a qualified medical professional can assess the extent of any personal injury and make a recommendation for treatment or recovery.
Working With a Personal Injury Attorney
If personal injury is involved, you will also want to enlist the expertise of an attorney who specializes in personal injury matters, including ridesharing injuries. That’s where the skilled legal team at Bertoldo Carter Smith & Cullen comes in.
Because companies like Uber and Lyft hire their drivers on a contract basis, cases involving ridesharing injury can often grow complex, especially when there are disputes regarding employment or insurance coverage. Our firm’s expertise in this legal arena is unparalleled, and we can provide the strong legal guidance you need in your recovery.