Denville Uber Accident Attorneys

Denville’s convenient location on several major transportation routes in Morris County, New Jersey, has earned Denville the nickname “Hub of Morris County.” Many visitors to the area rely on ridesharing services like Uber for transportation. Denville residents may also use Uber to travel to school, work, and other destinations. 

Uber Technologies, Inc., or “Uber” for short, is a transportation network company that connects drivers with people seeking rides. Uber drivers use their personal vehicles to transport riders. In any Uber ride, several parties are involved: The rider (passenger), the driver of the car, and Uber itself. 

Should you be seriously injured in an accident involving an Uber vehicle, determining who is responsible for which losses can be challenging to deal with. Several different insurance policies or theories of fault may come into play. If you’ve been injured in an Uber accident, don’t wait. Talk to the experienced Denville Uber Accident Lawyers at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm today. 

New Jersey Uber Accident Statistics

Uber first began offering ridesharing services in the Jersey Shore area in 2013. Since then, the popularity of the service has grown each year. Users like Uber for its ease in connecting them to available drivers who can transport them to where they need to go: work, school, airports, restaurants, and other destinations. 

Uber may be convenient for both drivers and riders, but statistics on ridesharing and car accidents show that Uber isn’t risk-free. For example:

• Cities with high rideshare usage see roughly 3 percent higher traffic rates than other cities. More cars on the road mean more opportunities for a collision to occur. 
• More vehicles are on the road, and they’re also on the road longer. For every one mile of personal driving eliminated by rideshare use, 2.6 miles of driving are added by rideshare drivers. The added mileage is often the result of Uber drivers traveling from one drop-off point to a new pick-up location between rides.
• Ridesharing increases traffic deaths. In 2017, 1,100 additional deaths occurred during rideshare commutes. 

Requirements for Uber Drivers

Uber drivers are required to meet certain minimum standards when signing up for driving service. For instance, Uber requires a driver to be at least 21 years old and have a minimum of three years of experience driving. The driver’s vehicle must be insured under their name in the state in which they will be driving. Uber performs background checks on prospective drivers, looking for information such as a history of drunk driving, accidents, or criminal charges related to reckless driving or intentional misuse of a vehicle. 

Additionally, rideshare companies, such as Uber and Lyft, must be in compliance with Sami’s Law, a bill signed by the Governor of NJ on June 20, 2019, to provide enhanced protection for ride-share passengers. Specifically, the new law “requires rideshare companies to issue additional identification materials to drivers to help passengers correctly identify their vehicle. First, rideshare companies must issue two identifying markers to each driver to be displayed on the front windshield and rear window. Second, rideshare companies must create and provide every driver with two copies of a two-dimensional barcode or other machine-readable code that passengers can scan to confirm the identity of the vehicle. Third, rideshare companies shall produce and issue two credential placards to be displayed on the driver and passenger side rear windows that include the driver’s name, photo, and license plate number.” If the signage is able to be lighted, it is required to be turned on during darkness and must be visible.

Uber’s standards are intended to minimize the risk posed by drivers. Yet, a driver working under Uber is not the only potential cause of a crash or serious injury on the road. Uber drivers and riders can face risks from other sources as well.

Uber Accident Injuries in Denville

Car accidents can cause severe injuries, including:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI). A TBI injury involves sudden damage to the brain caused by a blow or jolt to the head, and are often associated with motor vehicles crashes. Even a mild traumatic brain injury can cause ongoing challenges with memory, thought, mood, and attention, along with symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Severe brain injuries can cause permanent disabilities. 
• Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries can cause permanent impairment or even paralysis. Injuries to the neck and back can also cause permanent problems with pain and movement. These injuries can profoundly change the way you live your daily life and participate in activities you find meaningful. 
• Broken bones. The forces generated in a crash can break bones. Damage ranging from a small hairline crack or fracture to shattering bone can occur. Many broken bone injuries will require surgery. Screws, rods, and other hardware may be implanted during surgery to hold your bones in place so they can heal. Some of this hardware is permanent; other hardware may require additional surgeries to remove. 
• Amputations. In some crashes, the forces generated can cause amputation immediately. In other cases, injuries to a body part may be so severe that amputation is required to preserve the health of the rest of the body. Amputations permanently change how you move and function in your daily life. While many people adapt to their amputations in various ways, the damage to the body is permanent. 

As with any injury, seek medical attention right away if you’ve been injured in an Uber accident. If you haven’t already visited an emergency room or haven’t scheduled an appointment with your doctor, do so as soon as possible. If you are already receiving medical treatment for your injuries, follow doctors’ instructions as best as you can. Attend all follow-up appointments. Ask questions if you’re unclear about what you should do to take care of yourself after an injury. 

What to Do After an Uber Accident

If an accident occurs, take the following steps to the best of your ability. 

Safety First

Call 911 after a crash occurs. Do not move a severely injured person; doing so could make their injuries worse. Use vehicle hazard lights, flares, and other tools to make the accident site more visible to oncoming traffic. 

Collect Information

If possible, get contact information from the driver of the vehicle and from anyone who witnessed the crash. Use a smartphone, camera, or pen and paper to document the scene: Take photos or draw a diagram of what you see. 

Communicate What Has Happened

Stay on the scene so that you can talk to police and first responders as needed. Report the crash to Uber as soon as possible. Also, consult with an experienced New Jersey Uber Accident Attorney at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm as soon as you can. Their attorneys will explain your legal rights and outline how your case may proceed, should you wish to file a claim. 

See a Doctor – Even If You Don’t Feel Injured

In the first moments after a crash, your body produces adrenaline and other chemicals that help you focus, function, and stay alive. Yet these chemicals can also reduce your ability to notice pain or other injuries in those first few moments. 

As a result, you may not notice certain symptoms for hours or even days after the crash. For instance, you may feel fine in the first few hours after the accident, only to discover later that you’re experiencing pain, dizziness, numbness, or other issues. Seeing a doctor as soon as possible ensures that your injuries are diagnosed promptly and that you have the help you need to recover from the harm you’ve experienced.

Track and Document What’s Happening

Gather all the paperwork related to the crash and your injuries into one location. If you don’t have paperwork from an emergency room or doctor’s visit, contact the provider and ask for a new copy. 

Save copies of all medical bills, as well as receipts for money you had to spend because of the Uber accident. If you were injured due to your vehicle being crashed into by an Uber driver, similarly, save all your medical bills, and receipts related to towing and repairs. If you had to miss work due to your injuries, save copies of paperwork that shows how much time you missed or how much of your typical salary or wages you couldn’t earn because you were off work. 

Finally, start a log of conversations related to your crash. Every time you have a phone call with a medical provider, repairperson, or someone else about crash-related topics, write down the date, time, who you spoke to, and one or two sentences describing what was said. Keep this log with your other paperwork. Maintaining a documented record of your treatment, medical records and doctor visits also helps substantiate your legal claim. 

Talk to an Experienced New Jersey Uber Personal Injury Lawyer Now!

If you suffered a serious injury in a New Jersey Uber or Lyft accident, or sadly, lost or a loved one in an Uber or Lyft accident, the dedicated Rideshare Accident Injury Lawyers at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm are here to help. For more than 30 years, we have been helping clients who have been seriously injured in all types of accidents. We are a five-star rated law firm, recovering a total of more than $100 million on behalf of our clients. We will do our best to hold the negligent driver fully accountable for their actions and get you the justice you deserve.

We recognize the challenges you face as a result of a serious motor vehicle crash and are uniquely positioned to protect your rights and help you through the recovery process. To learn more and to schedule a FREE consultation, give us a call today at 973-920-7900. You can also connect with us through our online form. There is never a fee unless we win your case. We have two conveniently located offices in Denville and Morristown, New Jersey.