Getting into the back seat of an Uber or other rideshare vehicle requires a high level of trust in a complete stranger, but knowing that Uber maintains high standards for their drivers, beginning with a comprehensive background check, can help establish this trust. In addition, Uber’s low rate of accidents compared to the total number of rides completed through their platform is a great indication that, statistically, you are unlikely to be hurt while using their rideshare service. However, statistical probability is not a guarantee, and there is always a chance that you may be involved in a crash.
After any car accident, especially one that you did not cause, working with a personal injury attorney is one of the smartest steps that a victim can take. Once there is a lawyer handling your case, you can stay focused on your physical and emotional recovery without taking on the additional burden of navigating a complicated and overwhelming legal process.
Contact 1-800-Injured To Get a Free Consultation With a Personal Injury Attorney
1-800-Injured is an attorney and medical referral service. You can remove a major task from your post-accident to-do list by letting us schedule a free consultation on your behalf with an experienced, proven personal injury attorney who is ready to take your case. You will be able to have a candid and in-depth conversation with the lawyer and conclude your call with a much better understanding of your legal rights and options.
You can read more about Uber’s safety statistics, as well as how a personal injury attorney can help you fight for the money you deserve, in the sections below. Contact us as soon as possible to get started on your unique case today.
Calculating Compensation Owed To a Victim After an Uber Accident
While an attorney will handle many different legal tasks for their client, one of the most important is determining how much money the victim is owed for the damages they have suffered. The damages sought in a personal injury claim are referred to as “compensatory damages” because they are intended to compensate the victim for their losses and expenses. These damages are divided into the two subcategories explained below.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are the compensation for losses that have set and measurable dollar values associated with them. Medical bills are the most common economic damages, but there are others, including lost wages, costs of goods and services relating to the accident and recovery process, repair or replacement costs for damaged property, and much more.
Economic damages are straightforward to calculate since it simply requires adding all of the amounts, but understanding all of the damages that can be included in this category requires a deep understanding of personal injury law and close attention to detail. Something as minor as a prescription copayment can and should be included in this category because you should not be responsible for anyone else’s dangerous behavior.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are much more complicated to identify and quantify when compared to economic damages because they do not have set or measurable values associated with them and can be abstract or subjective. The most common non-economic damages include the pain and suffering that a victim endures as a result of their accident, as well as the emotional impacts that come from suffering serious and life-altering injuries. As you can imagine, calculating a dollar value for something like “post-traumatic stress” is difficult — especially if you are trying to focus on a painful recovery.
There are a number of methods that a personal injury attorney can choose from to calculate these damages.
One of the most common methods is known as the “multiplier” method, in which the entire amount of economic damages is multiplied by a number. That number is meant to indicate the aggregate severity of all non-economic damages, which is why it is so important to include all economic damages in your claim. A non-economic damage multiplier typically ranges from 1.5x to 5x the economic damages.
Uber Safety Statistics
Taken directly from Uber’s US Safety Report, the following information can give you a much better sense of the statistical likelihood of an accident while on a ride with an Uber contractor.
- There were 107 total fatalities in 2017 and 2018 across 97 fatal crashes reported concerning the Uber app.
- The Uber-related motor vehicle fatality rate for 2017 was 0.59 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled; it was 0.57 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled in 2018. For both years, the Uber data is about half of the national rates.
- Approximately 90% of Uber-related fatal crashes occurred in urban areas.
- 21% of the fatalities in this report were drivers using the Uber platform; 21% were riders using the Uber platform, and the rest were third parties.
- Eight of the drivers and riders using the Uber platform were fatally struck while they were outside the vehicle.
- 30% of fatal crashes involved a pedestrian, 25% of which were drivers or riders using the Uber platform who were outside the vehicle.
- Across 2017 and 2018, pedalcyclists were the deceased party in 2% (n=2) of cases.
While these statistics are encouraging and do provide a clear understanding of Uber accident rates, nobody is thinking about statistics while they are recovering from an accident, although knowing that you are part of a small minority of Uber accident victims can add to the frustration of your recovery.
Regardless, working with a personal injury attorney who won’t treat you like a number or statistic is absolutely essential to getting through this process as smoothly as possible while you prioritize your recovery over all else.