Queens Uber Accident Lawyer
Have you been injured in an Uber accident in Queens? You may be able to recover monetary compensation in a personal injury claim for medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.
The attorney you choose to represent you can make a huge difference in the outcome of your case. Contact Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. at 212-828-4834 to arrange a free phone or video consultation with a skilled and knowledgeable Queens Uber accident lawyer.
Our consultation is free and we are only paid if we recover money for you. We are here to take your call 24/7/365.
How Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. Can Help You After a New York City Uber Accident
The experienced Queens personal injury lawyers at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. have been handling personal injury claims in NYC since long before Ubers or smartphones existed. Having handled Uber accident injury claims as soon as rideshare accidents started happening in New York, we understand the unique liability issues that come up in Uber accidents.
We closely monitor laws and regulations that are relevant to Uber accident litigation. If you hire us, we will do everything we can to maximize the value of your case, including:
- Consult with medical experts to properly document and demonstrate the full extent of your injuries
- Hire top investigators to determine who is responsible for your injuries
- Keep you updated on the status of your case, and promptly respond to inquiries
- Prevent the insurance company or companies from taking advantage of you
- Negotiate the maximum, full, and fair compensation available for medical care, loss of earnings, loss of earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
- Promptly take your case to trial, if a fair settlement cannot be reached.
We aggressively advocate for maximum compensation for a Queens car accident, pedestrian accident, and bicycle accident victims who have been injured in collisions involving Uber cars. After an accident, contact us as soon as possible to discuss your case and your available options to pursue in a personal injury or wrongful death claim.
Types of Uber Accident Injuries
As ridesharing has increased in popularity, so have the rates of accidents and injuries. These accidents can have far-reaching physical, emotional, and financial effects, for months and years. In some cases, injuries from an accident may result in permanent disability. Some of the most frequent types of injuries we see in Queens Uber accidents include:
- Soft-tissue injuries like whiplash
- Chest injuries
- Broken bones
- Arm and leg injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations and cuts.
After an accident, it is critical to understand the full extent of an injury and how it will affect you going forward. Insurance companies will want to compensate you quickly, so that you waive all future rights to compensation. Do not accept any insurance offer for compensation without first speaking to a lawyer.
Contact a Queens personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your immediate medical needs have been met.
Types of Uber Accidents We Handle
We handle all types of Queens Uber accident scenarios:
- A passenger in an Uber vehicle injured as the result of negligence of their Uber driver
- A passenger in an Uber vehicle injured as the result of negligence of a driver in another passenger vehicle, or semi-truck
- A pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist injured in a collision caused by an Uber driver.
- A driver or passenger of a vehicle that was struck by an Uber vehicle
- Wrongful death claims involving Uber vehicles.
Uber’s insurance policy only goes into effect when the driver is “on the clock,” and sometimes this is a disputed point. The Queens Uber accident attorneys at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C. understand the unique nuances that only apply to rideshare accident claims. We can ensure the insurance company doesn’t treat you unfairly.
Is Uber Responsible For Your Injuries in a Queens Uber Accident?
Uber has a $1,000,000 liability policy that is generally “turned on” when the driver is on the app and passengers are in the vehicle. However, if the Uber driver had insurance, this coverage will likely be used first.
Like other transportation companies, Uber has their own legal counsel to aggressively defend claims, and will not hesitate to shift blame and place the burden of proof on their driver. Both Uber and the at-fault driver’s insurance company will do everything possible to pay as little as possible.
As a passenger or a third party, it is important that you take certain steps to preserve evidence and protect your legal rights.
Causes of Uber Accidents in Queens
Every day, hundreds of thousands of people get into cars with strangers in New York City to go to work, school, and to visit popular tourist destinations, like Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Citi Field, Gantry Plaza State Park, Finback Brewery, Norwood Museum, Rockaway Beach, and the Museum of the Moving Image.
NYC’s most popular destination among Uber riders in 2019 was the Queens Center Mall.
Uber drivers are subject to the same risks and hazards that drivers of passenger vehicles are subject to, with some additional contributing causes. There are two primary causes of Uber accidents that we see in Queens are:
- Distracted Driving: Drivers can easily be distracted by their app, GPS, scanning traffic for waiting passengers, or from passengers interrupting them or telling them where to turn.
- Fatigued Driving: Fatigue is also a common contribution to car accidents, with many drivers spending long days and hours behind the wheel, or getting in their car to drive after working a full day at another job. Although rideshare driving apps have limits as to how long a driver can drive on the clock, there is nothing to prevent them from switching between apps.
Other, less common causes of Uber accidents in Queens include:
- Reckless driving, such as speeding through intersections, or turning without looking for pedestrians
- Driving while intoxicated or impaired by medications
- Vehicle defects or deferred vehicle maintenance
- Road construction defects.
Uber accident personal injury claims are often complicated by disputes over who was at fault, and who is liable. Sometimes, more than one party contributes to an accident. Of course, as a passenger, it is extremely unlikely that you were at fault. However, if you were a passenger in an Uber vehicle that collided with a passenger vehicle in an intersection, a dispute may ensue over who was to blame.
It is much easier to gather evidence and witness collections in the immediate hours and days following an accident, than months later. Talking to a lawyer as soon as possible following an accident can give your claim the best possible chance of recovering the maximum compensation available.
A History of Uber in New York
The term “rideshare” refers to Uber’s initial undertaking, a means for people going the same direction to share a car. However, the reality of rideshare apps today, is that more cars are on the road, and most Uber drivers are not looking to share their commute, they are working to make an income.
Uber first launched in NYC in 2011 and in a few years, was driving more people in New York than taxis. Widely known as a disruptive technology, Uber took on the highly regulated taxi industry, experiencing some growing pains as it expanded rapidly. At one point, a local news outlet reported that the massive number of rideshare drivers sitting around in the “cell phone lot” at JFK airport in Queens created a so-called “bathroom crisis.”
In 2018, NYC capped the number of for-hire rideshare vehicles allowed in NYC, with the goal of reducing the time drivers spent driving around passenger-less, waiting for passengers to hail a ride.
How Often Do Uber Accidents Occur in Queens?
It is difficult to get accurate information on Uber accident statistics because Uber does not release statistics involving injury crashes. Only fatal accidents are revealed by Uber, and those numbers are relatively low.
In 2017, 49 Uber-related fatalities were reported. In 2018, 58 Uber-related fatalities were reported. But Uber doesn’t say how many people are injured and survive, and that number is likely much, much, higher. A law enforcement accident report may not even include information that identifies the vehicle as a rideshare vehicle.
Ubers Contribute to Congestion in New York City
NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has had to “halt” the issuance of new for-hire vehicle licenses, (with exceptions for fully-electric or wheelchair accessible vehicles) and “cap” the amount of time drivers can travel empty in Manhattan below 96th Street.
Legislation was proposed in 2020 that would put yellow taxi and Uber requests in a single app, potentially leveling the playing field between Uber and taxi companies.
Uber Accidents at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport and LaGuardia Airport
John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport and LaGuardia Airport are both located in Queens. These two airports are frequented by thousands of Uber drivers every day. Airports are unfamiliar environments for people and drivers, with drivers cutting across traffic to pick up and drop off passengers, and passengers rushing to get in and out of vehicles.
If you are struck by an Uber, or injured in an Uber vehicle on airport property, do not delay in contacting our firm to discuss your potential case.
Get a Free Consultation With a Queens Uber Accident Lawyer
At Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C., we offer a free consultation to discuss your potential case and answer your questions. If we represent you in your Queens Uber accident case, we will be with you every step of the way, and under our contingency fee agreement, you will owe nothing unless we recover money for you. Call us today and put our extensive experience to work for you.
