Car Accident Lawyer
During the pandemic what we have seen is an increased usage of delivery services. More specifically, apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Postmates have all seen an uptick in traffic and that dense user traffic has translated to denser (and unsafer) automobile traffic in real life. This, one family suggests is what led to the accident in which a DoorDash driver killed their loved one.
The pedestrian woman was struck by the driver who was heading east, a relative of the pedestrian rushed to her side while another relative attempted to keep the driver at the scene of the accident who then drove away striking him and the already injured woman again in the process. It was said by police that the driver left the scene to find a safe location to report their part in the accident considering a crowd was beginning to form at the scene. Though in the end, the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver and DoorDash as the pedestrian woman succumbed to her injury. There were also plans to sue the city as well regarding inadequate signage and lighting.
The investigation is ongoing, but the question now is what was the cause of the collision? DoorDash like many other delivery and rideshare app services refer to its drivers as contractors rather than employees to reduce liability, but the family’s attorney said that it’s system puts a great deal of pressure on the drivers. Flooding specific areas with drivers, it encourages them to make speedy deliveries which the attorney argues, results in more auto accidents. In order to get an idea of the company’s promoted work ethic and conduct, one only needs to look at the name. The drivers themselves are usually from out of state and are unfamiliar with the area they’re “working” with the added pressure to work hard to meet delivery speed goals just to make a living. With this in mind the attorney is suing DoorDash for neglecting it’s responsibility to the driver’s that are bringing them income and creating an unsafe work environment with that “environment” (while larger than the average workplace) being the roads themselves. The unsafe work environment itself being a probable cause of the pedestrian’s death.
DoorDash just so happened to be named in another lawsuit in the same area and within the same year. With these cases being ongoing, their decisions will likely alter the rules regarding rideshare and delivery services in personal injury law.
If you or a loved one were in a motor vehicle collision with a delivery service driver, speak with an experienced car accident lawyer, like one from the Hernan Law Firm right away for guidance.
