Passenger in Uber Car Accident - Richard Harris Personal Injury Law Firm Las Vegas

Uber Passengers Injured in Car Accident

As we all know we now have Uber and Lyft to get us around when we can’t drive or don’t have access to a car.

These rideshare companies have changed the game of public transportation.

They have made it possible to get home safely after a night out with too many cocktails, or not need to ask your friends to pick you up from the airport.

Most of the time these rides go smooth and safe without incident and are uneventful.

But we have all heard the stories on the news or from someone about a car accident involving an uber driver and another car.

So what happens when you’re involved in an accident while you’re in an Uber?

Since you are the customer of Uber and the driver and are not in anyway responsible for the accident, you are just the passenger, what do you do?

Well as the passenger of Uber you have rights since you are a customer of Uber and the driver who has a duty of care to make sure you arrive at your destination without incident.

After seeking medical care the first thing you need to do is hire an experienced Uber or Lyft accident attorney.

Uber and Lyft are big companies with a large legal team on their side.

Why shouldn’t you have the same representation?

Accidents can happen in a parking lot, at a red light, a dangerous intersection in Vegas, or of course the freeways.

Don’t just sit back and hope the insurance company (James River) is going to come rescue you and write a big check..

Uber Driver Independent Contractors or Employees?

Recently Uber went to court to try and remain in the independent contractor status.

This way they are technically not responsible for accidents or other crimes that occur during an Uber ride.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Uber’s drivers are in fact employees of the company and not independent contractors as they were classified before the ruling.

This means that Uber drivers are representatives of Uber the company and therefore Uber is responsible for the actions of its drivers as well as the driver themselves.

What does this mean if you’re involved in an accident while in an Uber?

It means that if you are involved in an accident while in an Uber you have the legal right to sue Uber as well as the Uber driver.

Even if the Uber driver was not at fault, since you have no responsibility for the accident in any way, you still have rights.

You should contact a lawyer who has years of experience in Uber accident litigation to help you file an injury claim against Uber, the Uber driver and even the driver of the other vehicle if there is one.

If you have been involved in an accident while a passenger in an Uber you should call The Richard Harris Law Firm today, they are the Las Vegas premiere Uber accident attorneys.

The Richard Harris Law firm can file a negligence claim against Uber and the driver.

Proving negligence has a few basic rules to prove:

Owing a care of duty- Uber has a duty to its customers to provide safe and efficient passage in their vehicles. Uber is responsible as a company to ensure that employees meet the Uber company standards via background checks, driving record checks with a clean driving record, and the cars are up to Uber standards and inspected for safety issues. Since Uber drivers are employees they are an extension or representative of the company and the company has the duty of care.
Breach of duty- To prove negligence you must be able to prove that there was a breach of the duty of care by Uber or the representative of Uber the driver. Breach of duty means that Uber placed the customer in an unsafe situation via speeding, reckless driving, texting while driving and any other violation that causes unsafe conditions for the passenger.
The breach of duty resulted in an accident- This for example means that if the Uber driver was texting while driving and hit someone because they were busy texting and not paying attention then this point would be proved since we can assume that if the Uber driver wasn’t texting they would have seen the other car and avoided the accident.
The accident caused physical harm- So if the texting Uber driver gets into an accident while texting and you were harmed as the passenger then all 4 points have been proved. You were injured because they were negligent in your safety and therefore are responsible for the accident and your injuries.

Even if the other party is the responsible party you can still file a claim against Uber as the passenger.

However, it is a good idea to file a claim against the at fault party first to make sure they are held accountable for their actions before you file against Uber.

When filing a negligence claim against Uber, contact The Richard Harris Law Firm today for a free consultation and case review.

call Richard Harris for injuries from an uber accident

Possible Injuries From Uber Accident

As with all car accidents you can sustain serious injuries when involved in a car accident and an Uber accident is no different.

Car crashes are some of the most dangerous incidents to be in and cause long term or life threatening injuries, even death.

Usually when two cars collide one person takes the runt of the accident.

A doctor explained it to me once that two cars head-on going 60 miles per hour equals 120 when they hit and that one person takes the brunt of the accident.

While in an Uber if you were struck in a head-on collision, or rear ended, or side swiped while the passenage in an Uber you could sustain serious injuries.

Some of the most common car accident injuries are:

Broken bones- One of the most common injuries in a car accident. Broken bones are caused mostly by the crushing of the vehicle parts against the body. Broken bones can be as minor as a hairline fracture or as severe as a compound fracture that can leave permanent damage. Broken bones can take months even years to fully heal and can involve casting, immobilization , and physical therapy.
Back and neck injuries- Whiplash is the most common back neck injury after an accident. But seeking medical attention immediately is so important because you might not know you have whiplash without a doctor checking you out, or you might not know until hours or days later. Back and neck injuries can cause a lifetime of pain and in some cases paralysis. Severe back and neck injuries can require severe and painful medical treatments and can take years to heal if at all. Even amputation can happen.
Flesh wounds- These are wounds that are caused by broken glass, loose parts or metal pieces. They are lacerations that need stitches to repair or in some cases this can include severed body parts like a leg crushed below the knee. The leg most likely will not be able to be reattached and the victim will then be an amputee.
Death- This is the most unfortunate outcome of any accident including a passenger in an Uber accident. The family of the victim can file a wrongful death claim against Uber and any other responsible party for the death of their loved one.

If you or a family member has been involved in an accident while the passenger in an Uber in Las Vegas reach out to Nevada’s most experienced Uber accident attorney, The Richard Harris Law Firm.

Uber accident stats are very important to know before you hop in a car as an Uber passenger.