Hopatcong Borough Uber Accident Attorneys

Sussex County Uber Accident Lawyers Fight to Protect Your Rights After a Crash

Hopatcong has long been a popular tourist site due to its location on Lake Hopatcong and its proximity to New York City. Hopatcong residents, workers, businesses, and visitors travel through the area daily as they carry out their busy lives. 

Many people who travel in or around Hopatcong rely on ridesharing apps like Uber to get rides. Uber can be a convenient way to travel. However, serious injuries can result when an accident occurs in an Uber vehicle.

If you’ve been involved in an Uber car crash in Hopatcong or in Sussex County, talk to the experienced Hopatcong Uber accident lawyers at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm. We’ve aggressively represented injured clients throughout Sussex County and New Jersey for over 30 years. We’re here to help you understand your legal rights after an Uber accident.

Hopatcong Uber Accident Statistics

The US rideshare market is dominated by two companies: Uber and Lyft. Of the two, Uber has the largest share of that market. Uber currently provides about 71 percent of all rideshare trips nationwide. 

Uber quickly became popular after the company’s launch in 2009. Users embraced its streamlined app design, enjoying the ability to schedule a ride whenever and wherever they needed one. Drivers also liked Uber because it allowed them to offer rides and make money on their own schedules, sticking to cities, boroughs, and townships where they felt comfortable driving. Both sides found Uber a refreshing alternative to traditional taxi services. 

Like all young companies, however, Uber has faced challenges. One ongoing issue Uber faces is the fact that its drivers give rides on public roads, entering the flow of traffic. Uber’s 131 million monthly active users are out on the roads with other traffic – and they face the same risks other traffic faces, including the risk of a serious crash. 

Statistics from Uber’s US Safety Report reveal that:

• 101 people died in 91 Uber crashes between 2019 and 2020. 
• 20 people died due to “fatal physical assault” linked to their Uber use in 2019 and 2020. 
• 3,824 people reported suffering a sexual assault during an Uber ride in 2019 and 2020. 

In its Safety Report, Uber claims that “99.9% of trips on the Uber platform end without a safety incident.” The report does not mention, however, how many total trips Uber examined to come to this number. The report also does not give specific numbers on injuries suffered in accidents involving an Uber vehicle. 

Uber: More Dangerous Than Driving?

For those who choose Uber, ridesharing may feel safer than driving themselves. These riders may be unfamiliar with Hopatcong’s roads and wish to trust a local driver. They may worry about how they’ll travel safely at night or in bad weather. Or they may not have a vehicle or license of their own, preventing them from taking the wheel at all. 

Yet Uber’s presence on New Jersey roads may actually be making those roadways more dangerous for everyone who uses them. Several facts in Uber’s own Safety Report point to the conclusion that Uber is more dangerous than driving. For example:

• Uber is most popular in dense urban areas with heavy traffic. It makes sense that people in dense urban areas with lots of traffic would rather not drive themselves. Yet the percentage of those using Uber and Lyft in urban areas is more than twice as high as in rural areas. This higher percentage also makes it more likely that a ridesharing vehicle will be involved in any given crash. 
• Uber doesn’t “replace” other cars on the road – it adds to them. Uber adds to the total number of cars on the road in two ways. First, most Uber drivers are out specifically to pick up Uber customers. Without Uber, these drivers wouldn’t be on the roads. Second, Uber’s research shows that a large percentage of rideshare customers only use Uber when the weather is too bad to walk or bike. These riders wouldn’t be in other vehicles without Uber – they’d be on foot or on bicycles. They’re also more likely to drive up demand for ridesharing services in precisely the sort of rainy, snowy, or foggy weather that makes driving more difficult. 

Both Uber drivers and riders open their Uber app intending on a safe trip. Yet the overall presence of ridesharing vehicles may make that goal more difficult. One study by the University of Chicago, for instance, found that where ridesharing apps are most popular, total vehicle crash rates increased three percent. 

More cars on the road means more risk for everyone on the road – not only Uber drivers and passengers, but other motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists as well. 

When an Uber Crash Happens, Who is At Fault?

Who is at fault in a vehicle crash? The answer depends on several factors. When two drivers hit one another, or when a driver hits a pedestrian or bicyclist, the question is usually limited to the people involved in the collision and their respective insurance companies. 

When an Uber crashes, however, that question can get complicated quickly. Parties involved in an Uber crash claim may include:

• The driver of the Uber. Everyone connected to the accident will have questions about what the Uber driver saw and did in the moments leading up to the collision. 
• The passenger(s) in the Uber. Passengers will also be asked what they remember or what they were doing when the crash happened. If passengers were creating a commotion or distracting the driver, they may be found to share responsibility for their injuries. 
• The driver or passengers in any other vehicle involved in the crash. These parties will also need to recount their actions and memories leading up to the collision. If their story differs greatly from others’, additional evidence may be needed to determine which accounts most closely align with reality. 
• Witnesses and injured parties who weren’t in any vehicle. A pedestrian or bicyclist may be injured in a collision with an Uber vehicle. There may also be witnesses to the crash who were standing on sidewalks or in parking lots or who were inside their own vehicles at the time. 
• The Uber driver’s auto insurance company. Uber drivers are required to carry auto insurance that meets New Jersey minimum requirements in order to drive in Hopatcong or other New Jersey locales. These companies can set their own terms for covering rideshare-related crashes, however – which means every party involved will need to understand the terms of the Uber driver’s auto insurance policy. 
• Insurance companies for anyone else injured in the crash. New Jersey insurance law allows those injured in a car crash to turn to their own insurance for coverage in some situations. Understanding these situations and where coverage applies is also essential in the aftermath of an Uber crash. 
• Uber’s insurance. Uber provides several types and amounts of insurance coverage for its drivers. Exactly which types and amounts of coverage apply, however, will depend on the details of the accident – including exactly what the driver was doing when the crash occurred. 

These parties may be involved in any Uber collision. Some crashes call in even more parties. For example, an Uber might crash not because the driver or someone else was at fault, but because a hidden defect in the vehicle itself caused the driver to lose control of an essential system like the steering or brakes. In cases like these, the automaker, dealership, or mechanic may be at fault. Those injured will need to involve these parties to ensure they receive full and fair compensation – and to hold negligent actors accountable. 

Because Uber provides insurance in addition to its drivers’ own auto insurance policies, it’s easy to assume that riding in an Uber is safer than driving one’s own vehicle. More insurance means better protection, right? 

In fact, more insurance can mean more complications after a crash happens. Involved insurance companies seek to protect their own bottom lines. They don’t want to pay for any losses unless they have to. When multiple insurance companies get involved, they may spend weeks or months trying to pass off responsibility to one another – while your unpaid bills grow. 

An Experienced Hopatcong Borough Uber Accident Attorney Can Help

After an Uber accident, your life may be turned upside-down. Work, family plans, and even lifelong aspirations like travel are put on hold as you deal with insurance companies, fill out paperwork, travel to doctor’s appointments, and heal from your injuries. Meanwhile, your claim may drag on, complicated by the many parties and insurers who all seem determined to avoid paying their share of your costs. 

If this sounds familiar, you don’t have to fight alone. The experienced Hopatcong Uber accident lawyers at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm know how challenging it is to deal with Uber accident claims. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing the representation our clients need. Call us today at 973-920-7900 to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation with a Hopatcong Uber accident lawyer.