An Uber driver has filed suit against his passenger and Uber Technologies for negligence after his passenger crashed his vehicle. The incident occurred when the Uber driver was hired by the passenger to drive him from Philadelphia to the Bronx. The two-hour drive proved to be too much for the Uber driver to handle, as he became too tired to continue driving. Instead of ending the ride, the Uber driver allowed his passenger to drive while he took a nap.
Police attempted to pull over the vehicle when the passenger started going 86 mph in a 65 mph zone. However, the passenger refused to stop and continued to speed down the highway with the police chasing him. When the passenger exited the highway, he collided with a guardrail and drove off the road. The chaos woke the Uber driver, who allegedly told the passenger to stop the car.
After the crash, both the Uber driver and the passenger were taken into custody, but the Uber driver was released shortly thereafter. The passenger was charged with fleeing police and driving without a license.
The Uber driver alleges that he suffered multiple injuries in the accident and that he has become sick and disabled as a result of what happened. He claims that his negligence had no part in the accident.
The lawsuit alleges that the Uber driver drove a leased vehicle under the direction of Uber and that his lease payments were taken out of his Uber paychecks. Uber has not commented on the lawsuit but a spokeswoman for the company confirmed that both the driver and passenger are banned from using Uber.
Negligence behind the wheel can cause devastating accidents that lead to catastrophic injuries. If you have been involved in an accident caused by a negligent driver, you may be able to recover damages for your injuries and lost wages.
Source: Philly.com, “Suit: Sleepy Uber driver gave rider wheel, awoke to high speed chase,” Stephanie Farr, Jan. 13, 2017
