If you were a passenger in an Uber accident in NJ, you’re in the same situation as any other crash victim. You may suffer similar injuries, face similar legal principles, and go through the same process—just with added complexity because it involves a rideshare vehicle.
These three areas are especially daunting: the physical and emotional impact of the accident, the legal rules governing an Uber accident in NJ, and the fact that, often within hours, the rideshare company has a team of lawyers working to protect its interests.
An experienced local Uber accident in NJ attorney can be life‑changing in all three areas. A lawyer connects injury victims with doctors who specialize in crash‑related conditions and quickly evaluates the case using proven methods to obtain maximum compensation. A North Jersey attorney experienced in Uber accidents in NJ can level the playing field against corporate legal teams.
Passenger Injuries
Frequently, back seat passenger injuries are more severe than front-seat occupant injuries. The back seat passenger seat belt use rate is much lower than the front seat occupant seat belt use rate. That non-use might or might not affect the amount of compensation, because New Jersey’s seat belt defense is very complex. More on that below.
Back seat occupants, whether they buckle up or not, are also highly susceptible to three kinds of head injuries:
- mTBIs: Moderate traumatic brain injuries, or concussions, are very common in low-speed Uber accidents. The violent motion usually damages nerves in the head and neck. That damage causes symptoms like disorientation and confusion. These symptoms are identical to accident shock, a temporary condition that goes away on its own. But traumatic brain injuries, even mild ones, never go away on their own.
- sTBIs: The dead nerves, along with adrenaline from the crash, usually mask more severe injuries, such as a serious traumatic brain injury. The sad saga of Allman Brothers bass player Berry Oakley is a good example. In 1973, Oakley was in a motorcycle crash. He told emergency responders he felt fine and declined treatment at the scene. Less than a week later, an undiagnosed brain injury killed him.
- PTSD: The lack of control that Uber passengers feel in the moments before a crash increases their stress levels. That extreme stress usually causes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A chemical imbalance in the brain (the extreme stress) causes PTSD. The symptoms of this imbalance include anger, hypervigilance, and depression. Like other kinds of head injuries, PTSD is difficult to diagnose and treat.
Doctors who focus on injury-related conditions know how to diagnose and treat accident-related head injuries. But such doctors are few and far between, and these specialists are very expensive.
So, a New Jersey Uber accident lawyer connects Uber passenger victims with top-notch doctors who, in most cases, charge nothing upfront for their professional services.
Liability Issues
These medical bills must be paid eventually. A South Jersey personal injury lawyer works to ensure that the responsible party pays these bills. You break it, you buy it.
Uber accidents don’t happen out of nowhere. Usually, driver error causes these vehicle collisions. This driver error is usually negligence, or a lack of care. People don’t accidentally do things like run red lights and t-bone other vehicles. Such mistakes are intentional, or at least reckless.
Ordinary negligence is basically a lack of ordinary care. All drivers, especially professional Uber drivers, must go out of their way to avoid accidents. If a breach of duty, such as aggressive driving (turning unsafely, speeding, etc.) or operator impairment (driving while sick, driving while fatigued, etc.) causes physical injury or property damage, a nearby NJ Uber accident lawyer can go to court and obtain compensation.
This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages are also available, in some extreme cases.
The same compensation is available in negligence per se matters. According to this legal theory, tortfeasors (negligent drivers) might be responsible for damages as a matter of law if:
- They violate a safety law, and
- That violation substantially causes injury.
Liability is always difficult to prove, because the burden of proof is high. Liability is especially hard to prove in multi-vehicle Uber accidents.
New Jersey’s confounding joint and several liability law often comes into play in these situations. The law is much too complex to fully address in this post, but we’ll hit some highlights.
Assume Frank (an Uber passenger) was seriously injured when Lisa (the Uber driver) collided with Emily (another driver). Depending on the evidence in the case, and a few other factors, Lisa could be fully responsible for Frank’s injuries, partially responsible for them, or not responsible for them at all.
Legally, joint and several liability is a dispute between Uber and Emily that doesn’t technically involve Frank. However, a joint and several liability dispute will almost certainly delay Frank’s settlement and could affect the amount of compensation he receives.850
Advocating for the injured in NJ.
Possible Defenses
Injury matters often involve affirmative defenses, like comparative fault. Uber passenger injury matters often involve another affirmative defense.
As mentioned, the back seat seat belt compliance rate is rather low. In New Jersey, victims who do not buckle up could be legally responsible for their own damages if:
- The victim deliberately wasn’t properly wearing a seat belt, and
- The failure to wear a seat belt substantially caused the victim’s injuries.
Passenger Injuries in an Uber Accident in NJ
As a passenger in an Uber, you face many of the same injury risks as drivers and front‑seat occupants—but certain risks are heightened. Back‑seat passengers, for example, have lower seat‑belt usage rates than front‑seat occupants. That non‑use may—or may not—impact your compensation, as New Jersey’s seat‑belt defense in an Uber accident in NJ is highly complex.
Back‑seat passengers—whether they buckle up or not—are also at elevated risk of three serious head injury types:
mTBIs (mild traumatic brain injuries): Common even in lower‑speed Uber accidents in NJ, where rapid jerking of the head and neck can damage nerves. These injuries cause symptoms like confusion and disorientation, which are often mistaken for “accident shock.” But unlike shock, mTBIs do not always resolve on their own.
sTBIs (serious traumatic brain injuries): These go further. Nerve death and adrenaline mask the severity of the injury. For example, in 1973 a well‑known musician declined immediate treatment after a crash, then died days later from an undiagnosed brain injury.
PTSD: The sudden loss of control experienced by a passenger in an Uber accident in NJ often triggers post‑traumatic stress disorder. PTSD symptoms include depression, hypervigilance, anger, and trouble sleeping. Diagnosing and treating such conditions is difficult—and expensive.
Attorneys experienced in Uber accidents in NJ often connect crash victims to doctors who specialize in brain and nerve injuries—often with no upfront cost for the victim.
Liability Issues After an Uber Accident in NJ
Medical bills begin stacking quickly after a crash. Your job is to ensure the responsible party pays them. In an Uber accident in NJ, that often starts with the driver’s negligence.
Most Uber accidents don’t happen out of nowhere. They happen because of driver error—negligent actions like running red lights, speeding, turning unsafely, or driving fatigued. These actions show a breach of duty and may form the basis of a claim for compensation.
In an Uber accident in NJ, compensation usually includes economic losses (medical bills, lost wages) and noneconomic losses (pain and suffering). In extreme cases, punitive damages may apply.
Under the doctrine of negligence per se, if a driver violated a safety law and that violation caused the injury, the injured passenger in an Uber accident in NJ may have a stronger claim.
Liability becomes especially complex in multi‑vehicle Uber accidents because of New Jersey’s joint and several liability laws. For instance, if an Uber driver collides with another driver and you’re the passenger, both may be liable, which complicates your compensation in an Uber accident in NJ.
Possible Defenses in an Uber Accident in NJ
One common defense in Uber accidents in NJ involves seat‑belt use. For back‑seat passengers in particular, a defendant might argue:
- The victim deliberately failed to wear a seat belt
- That failure substantially caused or increased the injury
New Jersey allows the seat‑belt defense if both conditions are met. Because seat‑belt compliance and effectiveness vary widely, proving the connection to injuries is nearly impossible in many Uber accidents in NJ.
Injury victims should count on a tough‑minded attorney who understands this defense and knows how to prepare around it.
Why Hiring Skilled NJ Counsel Matters for an Uber Accident in NJ
As a passenger in an Uber accident in NJ, you’re entitled to compensation—but navigating the legal and insurance hurdles is not simple. You need an attorney experienced in rideshare crashes and New Jersey law.
CourtLaw NJ PI Lawyers represent injured victims of Uber accidents in NJ in areas such as Perth Amboy, Jersey City, New Brunswick, Roselle, and East Orange.
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to an Uber accident in NJ? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing.
Right now, you need a local Uber accident personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled injury attorneys at CourtLaw NJ Personal Injury Lawyers represent clients injured in accidents in Perth Amboy, Jersey City, New Brunswick, Roselle, East Orange, and throughout New Jersey. Call 732-442-5900 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 163 Market Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 as well as offices in Jersey City, New Brunswick, Roselle, and East Orange.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
