Woman Killed in Uber Car Accident

A pedestrian who was hit by a car while trying to cross the road last week has passed away from her injuries after a brief hospital stay. Chantel Lynch of Windsor Locks was attempting to cross Ella Grasso Turnpike in a largely commercial area when she was struck by a car driven by Mohammed Ahsan, an Uber driver in route to Bradley International Airport with a passenger. Paramedics quickly performed CPR on Mrs. Lynch before transporting her to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, where she unfortunately passed away from her injuries shortly after arrival.

Uber’s Safety Record

While Uber has been in operation for a number of years at this point, safety data about their operation is still somewhat sketchy. Uber operates as an organized service for what is commonly referred to as “gypsy cabs”—unlicensed, unregulated, and in many areas illegal operations that avoid many of the safety requirements that are in place to protect consumers by operating through cell phones and the internet. The company itself does not claim to be any sort of transportation business, but rather claims that they merely provide a service that matches interested parties.  Because of the nature of the service, hard statistical data is largely unavailable regarding the potential additional risks involved with using Uber as opposed to other forms of public transportation, but the uncompiled reports of issues with Uber drivers have been piling up quickly.  While not as common as reports of assaults and sexual violence, Uber drivers across the country are involved in vehicle accidents on a disturbingly regular basis.

Causes

The root cause of the majority of the problems that occur involving Uber, and the similar ridesharing service Lyft, stem from the fact that their hiring practices do not require the same kind of substantial background and driving record checks that are needed before a person can become employed as a taxi driver or other similar occupations. Uber does not use fingerprints or law enforcement sources to run background checks on potential new hires, and because of this they fail to weed out employees who can and do pose a hazard to the public. It is very possible that Uber employs people with serious criminal records and who are simply unsafe drivers. And perhaps because of this, members of the general public, some of whom are simply motorists and have nothing to do with Uber itself, are involved in automobile accidents that never should have had a chance to happen in the first place.

Your Uber Litigation Attorneys

The insurance situation with Uber and its drivers is excessively convoluted and needlessly complex, and because of this, successfully recovering for damages when you have been in an accident with an Uber driver requires an attorney that has knowledge and experience specific to these matters.  At Rowe and Hamilton Attorneys at Law, our top-notch legal team are skilled in helping people get the restitution they deserve when they are injured by ride share operators. If you or a loved one has been hurt by an Uber driver, you deserve to be made whole again. Contact one of our experienced Indianapolis auto accident attorneys today for a consultation.

 

Read More Related Articles