Hobbsr: Woman Injured in Uber Crash Sues Driver, Uber

Uber has made huge advances in the peer-to-peer driving industry. Between ridesharing, food delivery, and their progress with regard to autonomous cars, the company is worth billions. But despite all that, Uber has recently been caught up in a hearty slate of lawsuits and scandals. In a recent lawsuit, a woman is suing her Uber driver and the company after she sustained serious injuries in a crash.

T-Boned by a 16-Year-Old

Jimena Martinez requested an Uber and was on her way home on the night of June 29 when her driver, Ricardo Melendez II, allegedly ran a red light. Their car was then t-boned by a Jeep driven by a 16-year-old. Her lawsuit lists injuries including a joint separation of her right shoulder (which required surgery), head trauma, and abrasions.

Distracted Driving

The woman's lawsuit claims that Melendez was distracted by his phone and ran the red light, causing the crash. It also says the Uber driver was given a citation for the red-light violation, and that a police report listed the driver's inattention as the only contributing factor in the accident. The complaint describes the driver as negligent and responsible for the accident.

Uber "Guilty of Gross Negligence"

However, the lawsuit also places blame on Uber and the system it uses for drivers. According to the complaint, Uber drivers are required to keep their phones on the dashboard in order to receive notifications for new rides, use maps, and other tools. Drivers receive a text message when a new passenger is requesting a ride and have just 15 seconds to accept the fare by tapping the phone, according to the lawsuit. Martinez claims this system amounts to gross negligence, and also accuses Uber of negligent hiring.

Melendez is seeking more than $1,000,000, but wants to leave the exact damages up to a jury. Her attorney says the woman's medical bills have already exceeded $80,000 and that she was forced to drop out of college for a year and quit her job because of her injuries.

Injuries from a car crash can have enormous physical and financial ramifications, whether Uber is involved or not. Speak to an attorney to discuss your legal options, even if you think you were partly at fault in the accident.

Related Resources: