# California man suing Uber, driver after losing both legs due to 'crushing injuries'



## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/04/1...osing-both-legs-due-to-crushing-injuries.html

A 23-year-old California man is suing Uber after losing both of his legs in a traffic accident that allegedly happened while he helping one of their drivers push his stalled vehicle off a highway.

Brendan Brock was in the middle of a trip with the ride-sharing company on March 7 when the Jeep driven by Gregory Raymond Lopez ran out of gas on a freeway in Orange County, a lawsuit filed this week stated.

The lawsuit says Lopez stopped in the middle of one of the lanes and Brock was struck by another driver who lost control of his vehicle while Brock was trying to help Lopez get the Jeep off the road, FOX11 reported.

"Both of plaintiff's legs required amputation due to the severity of the crushing injuries," the lawsuit says, naming Uber, Lopez and the other driver among the defendants.

The station reported the law firm hired by Brock is hoping to get $25 to $50 million from Uber in the case, although the lawsuit says he is seeking unspecified damages.

Brock, in the court filing, accused Lopez of being unfit to operate his Uber vehicle and putting Brock "in a position to be hit by a car.''

Brock has since moved back home with his parents and is receiving daily care from them, FOX11 reported.

Uber said it was not commenting on the lawsuit. But in the past, the company has considered its drivers as independent contractors and stated Uber is not responsible beyond a $1 million insurance policy it offers.


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## wicked (Sep 24, 2017)

This is why you need a dashcam. You need to insist that they do not exit the vehicle on the freeway short of physically restraining them.


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

wicked said:


> This is why you need a dashcam. You need to insist that they do not exit the vehicle on the freeway short of physically restraining them.


This is why you don't do this gig. This driver is screwed. Uber's insurance is insufficient. You're open to great financial loss. Also noted, the million dollar coverage is divided equally to all involved. You're not paid enough to be open to such hardship that will last forever. 99% of drivers don't know the real risk.


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## wicked (Sep 24, 2017)

My State Farm with Umbrella covers up to 1,100,000 which would have been insufficient in a case like this lol.


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## 2Cents (Jul 18, 2016)

What about the person who lost control causing injury?


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

wicked said:


> My State Farm with Umbrella covers up to 1,100,000 which would have been insufficient in a case like this lol.


You're $49,900,000 short of damages he's seeking. He'll go through a million a year with therapy, future surgery and daily care.


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## 2Cents (Jul 18, 2016)

Fùbr is not taking the leash on that one.


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## HotUberMess (Feb 25, 2018)

wicked said:


> This is why you need a dashcam. You need to insist that they do not exit the vehicle on the freeway short of physically restraining them.


Also you need to put gas in your car or it won't go.

I can't see Uber or the driver winning this one. The driver's a total moron and Uber hired him, so.. jury's going to agree with plaintiff on this one for sure, even though pax did exit the vehicle.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

BurgerTiime said:


> http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/04/1...osing-both-legs-due-to-crushing-injuries.html
> 
> A 23-year-old California man is suing Uber after losing both of his legs in a traffic accident that allegedly happened while he helping one of their drivers push his stalled vehicle off a highway.
> 
> ...


The COURT will DETERMINE the Extent of Ubers Responsibility !

Both Legs !
!1 Million will not cut it for duch a young man with his Entire Future ahead of him . . . .RUINED !

Save up Uber!



BurgerTiime said:


> This is why you don't do this gig. This driver is screwed. Uber's insurance is insufficient. You're open to great financial loss. Also noted, the million dollar coverage is divided equally to all involved. You're not paid enough to be open to such hardship that will last forever. 99% of drivers don't know the real risk.


Especially the " part Timers"
" side Hustling" extra Liabilities !



2Cents said:


> Fùbr is not taking the leash on that one.


Uber wont have a choice.

The COURT OF LAW DECIDES !


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## NUBER-LE (Jul 21, 2017)

50 million he will not get. He will need to prove he's at a lose for that money, what were his skills and job. He can ask for a fluffy unicorm, but doesn't mean he will get it. The man went outside of the car on his own. Accidents happen, he's just wanting money. Go after the driver that hit him.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

NUBER-LE said:


> 50 million he will not get. He will need to prove he's at a lose for that money, what were his skills and job. He can ask for a fluffy unicorm, but doesn't mean he will get it. The man went outside of the car on his own. Accidents happen, he's just wanting money. Go after the driver that hit him.


He was planning to attend Harvard Med School to become a Unicorn Docter for Greenpeace.



NUBER-LE said:


> 50 million he will not get. He will need to prove he's at a lose for that money, what were his skills and job. He can ask for a fluffy unicorm, but doesn't mean he will get it. The man went outside of the car on his own. Accidents happen, he's just wanting money. Go after the driver that hit him.


The CAR should have NEVER broke down.

TheDriver shpuld have been at Least skillfull enough to SAFELY GUIDE THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER COASTING UNDER ITS OWN POWER !

" LOWER RATES MEAN MORE LEGROOM "!


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

The moral of the story?

Don't let your tank go under half...


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Stevie The magic Unicorn said:


> The moral of the story?
> 
> Don't let your tank go under half...


Dont work for a company that uses YOUR STUFF without compensating for replacement value !


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## NUBER-LE (Jul 21, 2017)

Moral is passengers are liable for their own actions.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

NUBER-LE said:


> Moral is passengers are liable for their own actions.


Im not totally buying that one.
Passenger tried to help.
It Really should have never happened.
Car should have functioned properly.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

BurgerTiime said:


> The lawsuit says Lopez stopped in the middle of one of the lanes and Brock was struck by another driver who lost control of his vehicle while Brock was trying to help Lopez get the Jeep off the road, FOX11 reported.


So Lopez couldn't feel lose of power at freeway speeds when he ran out of gas and coasted to the shoulder or an exit? Homeboy probably freaked out and hit the brakes. What a moron "stopped in the middle of one of the lanes" of an LA freeway. That sounds like rookie driving to me. Brendan got the service he paid for. And that wasn't too bright of Brendan to help push a stalled vehicle off of a LA freeway. Almost reminds me of a recruit looking down the barrel of a rifle. It appeared that neither Gregory or Brendan were smarter than the freeway. In these situations always look for a safe place to coast and stop your vehicle when surrounding traffic is traveling at highway speeds.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

For all of you saying that the driver is at fault, let me ask you a question.

You are giving an acquaintance a ride and your car breaks down and you don't have time to get to either side of the freeway. Your acquaintance gets out and tries to help you push your car and he gets it and loses both legs. Are you saying you're liable for his $2 million dollars of medical care ?


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

uberdriverfornow said:


> You are giving an acquaintance a ride and your car breaks down and you don't have time to get to either side of the freeway. Your acquaintance gets out and tries to help you push your car.


I don't have acquaintances that dumb to attempt to push a disabled vehicle from a travel lane on a LA freeway. Idiot driver is at fault for not keeping enough fuel in his tank at all times during fare for hire driving and Brendan is at fault for not thinking as a reasonable and prudent human being. A 200 lb man is no match for a 5000 lb vehicle traveling at highway speeds.

Rules for a disabled vehicle on a freeway.

1) Always stand at least 30' before the traffic flow of your disabled vehicle. A stationary vehicle that gets hit by another vehicle will move forward.

2) Stand on the opposite side of a barrier from traffic flow if possible.

3) Do not retrieve objects from your vehicle that is disabled in a traffic lane.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> I don't have acquaintances that dumb to attempt to push a disabled vehicle from a travel lane on a LA freeway. Idiot driver is at fault for not keeping enough fuel in his tank at all times during fare for hire driving and Brendan is at fault for not thinking as a reasonable and prudent human being. A 200 lb man is no match for a 5000 lb vehicle traveling at highway speeds.
> 
> Rules for a disabled vehicle on a freeway.
> 
> ...


You missed the part of the story where it said the car was stuck in the middle of the freeway. Should they teleport away from the car ? Perhaps a helicopter should land and pick them up ? When traffic stops, of course the average person is going to try to get the car off the road. This is normal.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

uberdriverfornow said:


> You missed the part of the story where it said the car was stuck in the middle of the freeway.


Then what the hell does this mean?


SEAL Team 5 said:


> a disabled vehicle from a travel lane on a LA freeway.


I'm sure "a disabled vehicle from a travel lane on a LA freeway" is the same as "the car was stuck in the middle of the freeway".

I think you missed the part of school when reading comprehension was taught.



uberdriverfornow said:


> When traffic stops, of course the average person is going to try to get the car off the road. This is normal.


Obviously traffic didn't stop because Brendan is missing both of his legs. You really going to trust that all the drivers on a 6 lane LA freeway are going to stop? Good luck with that one.


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## uberdriverfornow (Jan 10, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Then what the hell does this mean?
> 
> I'm sure "a disabled vehicle from a travel lane on a LA freeway" is the same as "the car was stuck in the middle of the freeway".
> 
> ...


It means any reasonable person would also try to move their car off the freeway.

And the only way someone is going to try to move their car is if traffic slows enough to allow an attempt.

But, clearly some jackass wasn't paying attention and was likely traveling too fast for road conditions and hit him.

Let me know if you need anything else put in layman's terms for ya.


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## rman954 (May 31, 2016)

Is that you Lieutenant Dan?


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## Asificarewhatyoudontthink (Jul 6, 2017)

uberdriverfornow said:


> For all of you saying that the driver is at fault, let me ask you a question.
> 
> You are giving an acquaintance a ride and your car breaks down and you don't have time to get to either side of the freeway. Your acquaintance gets out and tries to help you push your car and he gets it and loses both legs. Are you saying you're liable for his $2 million dollars of medical care ?


Yup. If Your vehicle is why you were stopped in lanes of traffic you have some level of culpability.


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## NORMY (Jan 2, 2017)

I generally do not do nice things or help others. FYI I got two legs


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## THE MAN! (Feb 13, 2015)

BurgerTiime said:


> This is why you don't do this gig. This driver is screwed. Uber's insurance is insufficient. You're open to great financial loss. Also noted, the million dollar coverage is divided equally to all involved. You're not paid enough to be open to such hardship that will last forever. 99% of drivers don't know the real risk.


Actually a million $ policy is standard. Not sure if any insurance company would insure over that unless for a premium? Example motor coach 50+ passengers requirement years ago was only 5 million. No one is ever going to insure the most unlikely.


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## XPG (Oct 4, 2017)

Uber must be held responsible for hiring inexperienced individuals to drive people for living!
Uber must be held responsible for not training the inexperienced indiviuals for such extreme cases.

Uber driver (employee) was supposed to call 911, stay in the car, and wait for the CHP to stop the traffic. He must sue Uber for ruining his life as well. He was supposed to be told what to do while being stuck in the middle of the highway.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

XPG said:


> Uber driver (employee) was supposed to call 911, stay in the car


That is a horrible idea. You don't even stay in a stopped vehicle on the freeway when it's on the shoulder.


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## XPG (Oct 4, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> That is a horrible idea. You don't even stay in a stopped vehicle on the freeway when it's on the shoulder.


 It's not an idea, that's what you do if your car breaks down on a highway in the middle lane. He was not on shoulder, he stopped in the middle of the 6 lane highway. You leave your car, you die.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

XPG said:


> He was not on shoulder, he stopped in the middle of the 6 lane highway.


You can stay in your vehicle if you want. I'm not going to put my trust in 6 lanes of bonehead drivers whom are texting, looking at Google maps, smoking weed, drinking, not paying attention, unaware of there surroundings, answering rideshare pings all while they're driving.

If your car breaks down on the highway in the middle lane and you can't control the coasting of the vehicle to the shoulder that means you were traveling at a very slow speed with the flow of traffic. If you can't safely exit the car with a very slow traffic flow and get to the shoulder then that's your fault.

Driver ran out of gas. At highway speeds a vehicle that runs out of gas will coast enough for a driver to safely merge completely right to a safe area. Driver and pax were both boneheads. Not thinking, not analyzing the situation at it occurs. Seems to me the driver and the pax had no business being on the road. If I were the pax and felt the fluttering of the engine starving for gas then I would be yelling at my driver to pull right. Uber has bonehead non thinking drivers that freak out in common situations.


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## XPG (Oct 4, 2017)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> You can stay in your vehicle if you want. I'm not going to put my trust in 6 lanes of bonehead drivers ..


 Next time you see a police car zig-zag on the highway across 6 lanes, remember this procedure. Just call 911, they will tell you what to do.


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## Fed truck (Nov 9, 2017)

uberdriverfornow said:


> For all of you saying that the driver is at fault, let me ask you a question.
> 
> You are giving an acquaintance a ride and your car breaks down and you don't have time to get to either side of the freeway. Your acquaintance gets out and tries to help you push your car and he gets it and loses both legs. Are you saying you're liable for his $2 million dollars of medical care ?


I've blew 2 transmissions on the freeway did I stop in the middle of the road... No I bo guarded my way to the shoulder and coasted the shoulder as far as I could get made it off the freeway once other time just coasted until the car stopped.


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## dmoney155 (Jun 12, 2017)

Wow, I guess that's why I will never be a millionaire. I would never think to sue someone cuz I decided to play engine/towtruck in the middle of the highway. I'm siding with all the people who blame the pax and driver (more blame on pax cuz sometimes you can run out of fuel, but deciding to start pushing your car?! that's just dumbest thing ever). Safety rules and common sense dictate to remove yourself from the highway. Or at least use the disabled vehicle as a barrier as someone mentioned.


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## Cableguynoe (Feb 14, 2017)

NUBER-LE said:


> 50 million he will not get. He will need to prove he's at a lose for that money,


He does not need to prove loses. That's not how these kind of lawsuits work.
It's called pain and suffering.
That is up to a judge's discretion. Another term used is rough justice.


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## JTTwentySeven (Jul 13, 2017)

First, rider had no obligation to get out of the car and help.
Two, why are you doing a trip with less than a quarter tank of gas.
Three, unless you are stuck in traffic, you have time to get your car to the side when you hear that it's running out of gas.
Four, why go after Uber when you go after the guy who hit you? Dude probably volunteered to help push the car, therefore, not the driver's fault (as far as getting the car off the rode).

Now...if the driver ended the ride before the pax got out of the car, wouldn't the pax just be a bystander helping at that point? No lawsuit!


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## Cableguynoe (Feb 14, 2017)

BurgerTiime said:


> This is why you don't do this gig. This driver is screwed. Uber's insurance is insufficient.


The insurance being insufficient is irrelevant. Getting the 1 million for the insurance is easy. But if they want more that's what courts are for.

Also, If the judge finds that both the driver and Uber are at fault, that does not mean the driver will get sued.

The lawyer can chose to only go after one and not the other.

Not much different than if say a hospital or collection agency is suing the parents of a kids medical bills, they dont have to sue both for 50% each. They can go after one for 100% of it. Then that parent can sue the other if they choose for their part.


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## JMlyftuber (Feb 24, 2018)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> So Lopez couldn't feel lose of power at freeway speeds when he ran out of gas and coasted to the shoulder or an exit? Homeboy probably freaked out and hit the brakes. What a moron "stopped in the middle of one of the lanes" of an LA freeway. That sounds like rookie driving to me. Brendan got the service he paid for. And that wasn't too bright of Brendan to help push a stalled vehicle off of a LA freeway. Almost reminds me of a recruit looking down the barrel of a rifle. It appeared that neither Gregory or Brendan were smarter than the freeway. In these situations always look for a safe place to coast and stop your vehicle when surrounding traffic is traveling at highway speeds.


I was doing 70 on the interstate when my hood opened and blocked my windshield. I couldn't see a thing and still made it safely to the shoulder. Running out of gas shouldn't have been too difficult to handle.


SEAL Team 5 said:


> I don't have acquaintances that dumb to attempt to push a disabled vehicle from a travel lane on a LA freeway. Idiot driver is at fault for not keeping enough fuel in his tank at all times during fare for hire driving and Brendan is at fault for not thinking as a reasonable and prudent human being. A 200 lb man is no match for a 5000 lb vehicle traveling at highway speeds.
> 
> Rules for a disabled vehicle on a freeway.
> 
> ...


My pax try to enter and exit the vehicle while it is still in motion. Not sure they can handle all these complicated rules.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

JMlyftuber said:


> I was doing 70 on the interstate when my hood opened and blocked my windshield. I couldn't see a thing and still made it safely to the shoulder. Running out of gas shouldn't have been too difficult to handle.


You're lucky the hood didn't rip off the hinges and decapitate a motorcyclist. JK. Good job of not freaking out and slamming on the brakes.


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## Cableguynoe (Feb 14, 2017)

JTTwentySeven said:


> First, rider had no obligation to get out of the car and help.
> !


Obligation is irrelevant. That's the situation he was in. It happened



JTTwentySeven said:


> Two, why are you doing a trip with less than a quarter tank of gas.


Why is irrelevant. It happened.



JTTwentySeven said:


> Three, unless you are stuck in traffic, you have time to get your car to the side when you hear that it's running out of gas.


Sounds like what most would do. Again, why he didn't or why he couldn't is irrelevant.



JTTwentySeven said:


> Four, why go after Uber when you go after the guy who hit you? Dude probably volunteered to help push the car, therefore, not the driver's fault (as far as getting the car off the rode).


Because Uber is where the money is.
Lawyers know exactly what they are doing. I'm bet he's got a very big firm in his corner with a team of lawyers, not just one. 
They don't want the pathetic insurance money. They want the lawsuit money.



JTTwentySeven said:


> Now...if the driver ended the ride before the pax got out of the car, wouldn't the pax just be a bystander helping at that point? No lawsuit!


Completely false. A driver pushing the "end ride" button doesn't mean everyone is off the hook.


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## JTTwentySeven (Jul 13, 2017)

Cableguynoe said:


> Obligation is irrelevant. That's the situation he was in. It happened
> 
> Why is irrelevant. It happened.
> 
> ...


FAKE NEWS


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## XPG (Oct 4, 2017)

JTTwentySeven said:


> Four, why go after Uber when you go after the guy who hit you? Dude probably volunteered to help push the car, therefore, not the driver's fault (as far as getting the car off the rode).


Because the customer Brandon trusted $72 billion worth transportation company, and put his life in Uber driver's (employee) hands.

Safety depends on always being prepared and having knowledge for anything that might go wrong during the ride. Obviousy Uber hired a random employee who received no safety training at all.

Uber is guilty for not providing the safe and reliable ride.


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## mrpjfresh (Aug 16, 2016)

Tragic but totally avoidable. I think it is a good rule of thumb to not ask your passengers to do anything _for_ you. Needless liability. Sometimes you even have to save your pax from their own stupidity.

I ran over a glass last summer some drunk threw in the road and got a flat tire within a block downtown. My drunk rider was riding on someone else's account (no phone) so I offered to call him another Uber on my dime. He flat out refused and wanted to "help". I told him he could stand back and hold the flashlight while I changed the tire as the light kept wobbling around... Protect them from themselves.



rman954 said:


> Is that you Lieutenant Dan?


I feel bad for laughing but you definitely win this thread. I'm trying to imagine the conversations for this guy a few years down the road...

" Whoa! Bro. What happened to your legs? Are you a war vet? Shark attack while surfing? Freak infection?"
" Nah. I got out to push my Uber driver's car on the freeway because he was too stupid to pull over to the shoulder"
" ...." or even better " What the f is an Uber??"


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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)

How is


Cableguynoe said:


> The insurance being insufficient is irrelevant. Getting the 1 million for the insurance is easy. But if they want more that's what courts are for.
> 
> Also, If the judge finds that both the driver and Uber are at fault, that does not mean the driver will get sued.
> 
> ...


 how is it irrelevant if he proves medical bills, pain and suffering due to driver negligence? You can sue any party involved. I had an aunt lost her bar over a fight where the bouncer punched a patron and caused brain damage. Her insurance paid out and he sued her in top of that. If it wasn't for family she would have lost her house. The bouncer fled the state and I do t have any idea what happen with his status. This was years ago. But don't say they can't go after the driver cause that's 100% false. You're an independent contractor. If you were an electrician and wired up someone home wrong and it burned down to the ground and someone had serious injuries you better lawyer up. Insurance only covers you so much. Plenty of cases proves that. You can google thousands. People even take others to court on Judge Judy when the insurance don't cover the total damages. Just watch a little TV.


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## Stevie The magic Unicorn (Apr 3, 2018)

I've been thinking about this..

Had this been a breakdown i would have far more sympathy for the driver.

But it's not..

It's an "out of gas" situation.


Between years as a cab driver, all the driving in the army... Plus all the personal miles i've driven,

I've been stuck roadside more than a few times,

But never in my life has it been because i ran out of gas...

Never..

That's what.. GASP... Fuel gages are for.


And if i was that man, or his family had he died... I'd be suing the crap out of uber.


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

BurgerTiime said:


> You're $49,900,000 short of damages he's seeking. He'll go through a million a year with therapy, future surgery and daily care.


No he won't

But he WANTS to, knowing America loves its big pain and suffering payouts... also, being a multi-millionaire would do a lot to make his life NOT suck

It sucks to be him, sure, but that was bad judgment on his part

Flashers on, dash to shoulder, call cops and tow truck to sort it out.

Now it he HAD stayed in car because driver told him to / made him, and THEN gotten injured, that would be more clearcut driver negligence


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## UberLady69 (Feb 5, 2018)

uberdriverfornow said:


> For all of you saying that the driver is at fault, let me ask you a question.
> 
> You are giving an acquaintance a ride and your car breaks down and you don't have time to get to either side of the freeway. Your acquaintance gets out and tries to help you push your car and he gets it and loses both legs. Are you saying you're liable for his $2 million dollars of medical care ?


He ran out of gas, so yeah it's his damn fault!


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## Older Chauffeur (Oct 16, 2014)

Fed truck said:


> No I bo guarded my way to the shoulder


That would be "Bogarted," after Humphrey Bogart.


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## XPG (Oct 4, 2017)

Did Uber take any lesson from lat year's accident? Obviously not! 
https://abc7.com/uber-passenger-fatally-struck-by-chp-vehicle-on-101-fwy/5617493/


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## jlong105 (Sep 15, 2017)

BurgerTiime said:


> This is why you don't do this gig. This driver is screwed. Uber's insurance is insufficient. You're open to great financial loss. Also noted, the million dollar coverage is divided equally to all involved. You're not paid enough to be open to such hardship that will last forever. 99% of drivers don't know the real risk.


This is why you watch your gas tank and make sure your vehicle runs good enough to transport pax.


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