A Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help Sort Out Complex Cases Like This
As a personal injury lawyer, I know that accidents happen every day, and unfortunately, this Christmas was no different. According to ABC 7, an Uber passenger was killed in a car accident on Christmas Day in Pacifica. The accident happened around 2:30 in the morning on Paloma Avenue and Highway 1. The Uber driver was in a Nissan Altima, and the other vehicle was a Toyota Corolla. The Toyota was going the wrong way on Highway 1 when the force and strength of the collision caused the Toyota to catch on fire, killing the driver and burning them beyond recognition. The passenger in the Nissan was killed due to injuries sustained in the crash.
The accident was so significant that the highway was closed in that area for nearly four hours as crews worked to safely clear away the debris. The Uber driver was the only one to survive the crash and was treated at the hospital for major injuries.
A spokesperson for Uber released a statement saying, “We are deeply saddened by this terrible tragedy. This Christmas Day, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and with the injured driver and his loved ones.”
Call a Personal Injury Lawyer
This is the type of case where anyone involved or their families should seek legal representation. Whenever a vehicle is involved in an accident and that vehicle is owned by a business, that business has potential liability for the wreck. For example, if a distribution company put a driver on the road without giving them sufficient training or making sure that they have their CDL, that distribution company could be partially responsible for any accidents that they are in. This accident highlights one of the challenges with on-demand companies like Uber. None of their drivers are actual Uber employees. They are contractors, which potentially limits their liability. While this particular case appears to be the fault of the other driver, only an investigation will tell for certain. As for Uber, the amount of liability that they could have will be determined by the courts. As a personal injury lawyer, I expect to see more cases involving the company in the future.
If you are ever in an accident involving a company vehicle or driver that is “on the job,” you should call a personal injury lawyer to discuss your case. This will help with determining negligence so the right parties are held accountable for the accident and any injuries you have suffered.