Car Accident

In a paper titled “The cost of convenience”, a researcher at the University of Chicago was able to conclude that there was a rise in accidents in around 1100 locations whose data was analyzed, and in these areas, Rideshare, Uber and Lyft ride-hailing services were available. This rise in accidents can be attributed to these ridesharing services, and roughly cost over $10 billion in losses to the economies annually.

The common assumption was that with the ride-hailing services present, there would be a decrease in car accidents since there would be less drunk driving, driving while tired or any other form of distracted driving. However, in the areas surveyed, an increase of 2-4% in car accidents was observed. The reason for this increase in car accidents is that there is a vast number of vehicles on the roads.

The ride-hailing services require many vehicles so as to satisfy the demand of customers traversing the territories, which in itself increases the chances of accident occurrence. Although there are merits to having ridesharing services, these advantages are canceled out by the disadvantages of having many vehicles on the road.

Rideshare & Safety

Further, the ridesharing services are not entirely safe; the drivers rely on GPS and mobile phone applications so as to operate, which involves taking their eyes off the road every now and then. These drivers are always on the rush to their next destination, and also stop abruptly on roads to pick and drop off passengers, and this may also contribute to the occurrence of the increased accidents.

Around the United States, there have been many accidents that involve ride share, Uber and Lyft ride-sharing services. For instance, a woman was struck and killed by an Uber driver in North Philadelphia in the wee hours of the morning.  In another incident in Florida, an Uber passenger was killed when the car he was riding in ran a red light and struck a police car that was speeding through the intersection. In an accident involving a Lyft vehicle, a passenger was killed in Sacramento, California, after the vehicle veered off the road and hitting a tree.

With the incidence of accident on the rise, it is therefore important for passengers, pedestrians and other road users to know what to do in the event they are involved in an accident. The Rideshare, Uber and Lyft apps do not explicitly give instructions on what passengers should do when an accident occurs, other than giving the basics to their drivers; calling 911 and ensuring that the passengers are okay.

Rideshare Companies And You as a Passenger

As a passenger, it is important to gather as much information about the crash as possible. First, it is important to get the Rideshare, Lyft or Uber driver’s name, their address and phone number, which may already be available on the app. Second, it is important to get the other driver’s name, address, and phone number as well. Third, one should collect insurance information from both drivers, and their vehicle information-car license plate numbers, car make, color and so forth. It is also important to collect the names, phone numbers, and addresses of any witnesses.

If possible, the passenger should take pictures and notes regarding any car damage, injuries and any other relevant aspect of the accident. Having this information goes a long way in resolving the accident and ensuring that adequate compensation is received.

You should seek immediate medical attention if you are injured in an accident. Then contact Vanguard Attorneys to ensure that all your rights and options are protected moving forward. Vanguard Attorneys is a local Tampa, FL law firm that has been serving the community for years. Call now for your free consultation with an attorney.

On Friday, September 20th, an early North Tampa car accident held up morning commuters and resulted in a single fatality. Two cars collided head-on at Morris Bridge Road and Pictoral Park Drive.

According to information provided by detectives, the head-on collision took place early in the morning around 4:00am. A Honda Accord headed northbound on Morris Bridge Road when it drifted off the road, crossed the safe zone median, and entered oncoming southbound lanes. The Honda struck a southbound Ford Explorer head-on.

Hillsborough County Fire Heavy Rescue Unit crews worked to cut the driver out of the wreckage. The vehicle’s sole occupant, Rita Marie Sutliff of Zephyrhills, was pronounced dead on the scene by emergency responders.

The driver of the Ford Explorer, Kunjummen Arun Babu, was taken by paramedics to a nearby hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries. As Hillsborough County detectives worked to sort through the accident scene details, Pasco County deputies arrived to help control Friday morning traffic.

County detectives told reporters that both drivers had been wearing their seat belts and that each car was travelling at about 50 miles per hour. According to accident report details, authorities had ruled out any impairment from drugs or alcohol and determined they were not a contributing factor in the crash.

Authorities were unable to determine whether the deceased driver fell asleep at the wheel or experienced any health complications in the seconds leading up to the collision. The cause of the crash is pending further investigation.

References:

WFLA Tampa

Faulty accelerator pedals have recently forced Kia Motors to recall approximately 209,000 cars in the United States. The cars recalled are solely Soul compact cars, whose accelerator pedals have been reported to break or bend with increased pressure over time.

A correspondent closely linked with Hyundai Motors, the proprietor of Kia Motors, reported that the 209,000 cars recalled were from the 2014 and 2015 electric and gasoline lines of the Kia Soul. Due to the lack of support that the specific cars have received involving the malfunctioning accelerator pedals, Kia issued a recall. According to the U.S. national Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the pedals caused drivers problems with acceleration of the vehicle and maintaining speed. The problem undoubtedly increases the likelihood of a car accident.

“If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash,” said NHTSA in a summary of the recall.

Twelve different claims had been reported to Kia as of February 24th, but even sooner had Kia already sent some of the fractured pedals to South Korea for evaluation. Although no accidents due the malfunctioning pedal have yet been reported, the tests concluded that the pedals needed proper adjustments. Kia plans to add a supporting rubber beneath the accelerator pedal at no costs, which can be taken care of at local Kia dealerships.

The recall officially began on March 24th. So if you or anyone you know happens to own a Kia Soul manufactured within the last two years, please make a scheduled appointment with the Kia dealership. Any other information regarding the recall or Kia specific can be taken care of by contacting Kia’s customer service line at 1-800-333-4542.

Source: autoworldnews.com

To fully evaluate how much a personal injury case is worth, whether suffered through a car accident or some other injury, one must consider the significance of the damages due to the injury. These damages relate to the amount of money, whether monetarily, physically, or mentally, the victim loses or will lose because of the injury. In most injury cases, the victim, or plaintiff, receives compensation by those found legally responsible for the accident. Usually, a damage reward is agreed upon after negotiations between the insurance companies and attorneys, or is ordered by a judge after a court trial.

Because most personal injury lawsuits are classified as “compensatory”, which implies that the injured plaintiff will be compensated monetarily for the injury, most of the time is spent looking for a nominal amount to partially rectify the damage. Although some of the components are easily quantifiable, such as bills for property damage or medical treatment, others such as mental anguish or physical limitations are difficult to define in money.

There are different types of compensatory damages that are common in these cases. The first, medical treatment contains all the medical care costs associated with the injury, whether it is treatment you have already received or treatment you will receive. Another deals with the amount of income the victim will lose because of his or her inability to work due to the injury. Property lose also come into play during a personal injury case. Vehicles, clothing, or other items irreparably damaged during an accident will likely be compensated. Although there are a myriad of other potential damages, the last major factor deals with emotional suffering ranging from loss of enjoyment to emotion distress. The ability to calculate in dollars the fear, anxiety, and depression correlated with personal injuries can be understandably difficult. The degree of damage is taken into consideration, and luckily, the array of details is carefully factored into the equation when considering the extensive damage done to a victim’s life.

Lastly, there are extenuating circumstances such as punitive damage or the plaintiff’s actions that could further the case’s compensation. When the defendant’s conduct during the accident seems apparently egregious or offensive, the plaintiff may be awarded more money. This is done to act as a type of deterrent to the defendant, who should be punished so the same accident won’t happen again. The victim’s actions during the accident must also be taken into consideration. If instances such as comparative or contributory negligence have been awarded against the plaintiff, then the final compensation will undoubtedly reflect that award. Also, if the victim purposefully neglects any potential steps to mitigate the cost of damage then his final award will be reduced.

Source: nolo.com