Is Uber Responsible for Crash that Paralyzed Victim?

Jan 07,2017

A Dallas woman is suing Uber and Honda after a 2015 crash in the ride-sharing company’s vehicle left her paralyzed. Sarah Milburn, 24, took an Uber ride with her friends in Dallas around 1 a.m. on November 15, 2015. The Uber driver ran a red light and their Honda Odyssey was struck by a vehicle at the intersection.

Milburn, who was buckled into the middle seat of the third row, suffered a broken spinal column. She was left paralyzed from the chest down. Though she has made strides with physical therapy, she is still wheelchair-bound and requires assistance with many basic tasks.

The lawsuit against Uber and Honda claims the companies failed to provide the safety that Milburn reasonably expected when she took the ride. As a result of that negligence, Milburn is now “catastrophically injured” and faces a lifetime of challenges. The lawsuit also names the Uber driver and the owner of the vehicle he was driving.

The Uber driver, 39-year-old Arian Yusufzai, was convicted of misdemeanor charges in 2014 that included drug possession and running a gambling den. According to the lawsuit, Yusufzai was driving an uninsured vehicle that was owned by someone else.

According to Uber’s website, it requires background checks for drivers and will not hire a driver who has been convicted of various offenses in the past seven years. While “alcohol or drug-related driving offenses” are among those offenses, the specific misdemeanors Yusufzai was charged with are not.

“This crash victim’s life will never be the same, and Uber shares some responsibility for hiring the driver whose negligence allowed this to happen,” said Attorney Walter Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured in an auto accident and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.