Woman sues Uber after fellow passenger allegedly stabbed her during shared ride

[FrodosNewPet]

Source: Chicago Tribune

Ally Marotti | April 5, 2017 4:00 pm

A Chicago woman is suing Uber and another passenger after she allegedly was stabbed in the face in an UberPool vehicle, highlighting the ongoing safety debate surrounding the ride-sharing platform.

Jennifer Camacho, 25, was out with friends one night in January and called an UberPool for a ride home. UberPool allows multiple passengers who don't know each other to share rides if they're heading in the same direction, resulting in lower fares.

But as soon as Camacho got in the vehicle, the passenger in the front seat allegedly turned around and began slashing Camacho with a 3-inch blade, according to the complaint, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court. Though Camacho was able to fend off the alleged attacker, she suffered wounds to her face that doctors say will likely leave permanent scarring, according to her lawsuit.

Camacho's lawsuit argues Uber should have known that passengers could become violent with one another and states that riders, since they are strangers, have no means of checking each other's backgrounds.

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Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-uber-pool-attack-lawsuit-0406-biz-20170405-story.html

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Most drivers hate UberPOOL, as it is more driving for less money. And it can be inconvenient for a rushed passenger, as you may be taken off course by the need to pick up and drop off additional passengers. But rarely is it dangerous.

Best bet: Spring for the UberX and have the car devoted to your traveling needs. And please don't forget to tip your driver (no, the tip is NOT included). They have a difficult and dangerous job not only dealing with traffic and fatigue, but with demanding, sometimes violent, passengers.

[LisaM]

1. Best bet is to use a cab company that plays by the rules.

Unless it was a life-threatening emergency, I have no intention of using Uber, ever.

[Skittles]

2. I refuse to use Uber

it is truly a disgusting company

[LisaM]

7. They break the law in every market they enter and they treat their drivers like crap

especially by not even admitting they're actually employees. I can't understand, barring a real, true, emergency, anyone would use them.

[Sgent]

16. How is that any different than cab companies?

They treat their employees like independent contractors (same as Uber), and certainly broke the law in every jurisdiction in my area.

[LisaM]

20. They are very different from cab companies, who are very highly regulated.

I don't know where you live, so I can't speak to whether the cab companies are breaking the law, but in Seattle, they are highly regulated, need to purchase medallions,have extensive background checks for the drivers, and regulate the fares(i.e., no surge pricing). Could they do better? Definitely, in Seattle a big issue is that they have a limited number of medallions and sometimes there aren't enough cabs. They also don't have a flat fee to and from the airport like they do in Chicago and New York, for example, and that's sorely needed. But they also line up in order at cab stands, the cabs I've been in are neat and clean, the drivers are pretty nice, and they don't stop dead ten feet in front of a stoplight to look at an app. They also didn't deliberately break the law and then challenge the city to do something about it.

[Sgent]

21. In my area

(New Orleans) the cabs, especially during festivals / activities (keep in mind we have over 200 a year), would refuse to drive outside of downtown / the CBD, although regulations require them to go anywhere in the Parish that a fare wants. They would refuse to pick you up unless you "pre-tipped" say 2-3x the fare during a friday night, etc.

They do the same background checks on Uber drivers as cabbies in my city.

Maybe in other areas they are better, but in my area I can tell you that Uber is much better, and judging by the # of people I know who no longer drink and drive, they agree.

That said, Uber is a shit company, and I've moved over to lyft.

[Blue_Tires]

26. +1

[Honeycombe8]

3. I don't see why this would be Uber's fault.

They don't run background checks on passengers. She booked the UberPool, knowing it was a ride shared with strangers.

No different than the shuttle bus you share going to the airport. Or riding the rail or bus.

[displacedtexan]

4. I love Uber, and I don't expect the company to protect me from crazies.

No one can protect me from a random crazy person. And I live in San Francisco, where we have many random crazies. Uber is way faster than the taxis here, and they got here in 3 minutes when my dog had trouble breathing. The driver flashed all of his lights and honked the horn all the way to the vet's office.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. Agree.

I would like to see the case.

Off the top of my head, the only thing I could think of is IF the passenger was acting erratic or violent before the victim was picked up? Or are they claiming the driver should have done more?

As an aside, the victim was picked up at 3300 north Halsted. That address/area is predominately gay bars. I wonder if the assailant was triggered by that.

[Demit]

8. You're wondering if maybe it was the victim's fault for maybe being gay?

You're very understanding of the assailant's possible motive.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. What. The. Ever. Lovin'. Fuck. Yeah, because I'm gay and live 3 blocks away.

And I thought, hmm I've seen some nasty shit from straight women in that neighborhood.

So yeah, I could totally picture some drunk asshole getting in an Uber out in front of a Wrigley bar and freaking out when they ended up swinging through the strip to pick up another passenger.

But that's speculation.

Several years ago, I was standing on that street, about 4 blocks north outside a bar. Corner of Roscoe and Halsted. Talking to a friend. And I hear from out of nowhere and not very loud - a woman's voice - "faggot, faggot" Before I knew what was up, my buddy, "Big Bill" walked over to the car and stuck his head all the way in the driver's window and said "honey, you better shut your mouth because I'm bigger than both your boyfriends in the back seat." The look on her face was priceless.

Another time, someone tried to run me down on that same corner and yelled "almost got you!"

After Cubs games wer always the worst. Lots of cars full of drunks sitting in traffic.

[Honeycombe8]

13. Really? That's still going on?

I shouldn't be surprised, I guess. I don't know about that area you speak of, but guys going thru a gay area gay bashing was a thing by certain people a loooong time ago. I thought we were past that.

[pnwmom]

15. We don't allow people to sell defective products that can cause injuries. What's the difference?

[Honeycombe8]

23. Big difference. Uber did not sell the other passenger....

and didn't warrant the mental health of the other passenger.

When a business sells a product, that's business/commerce laws, which includes laws regarding warranty. The business can then sue the manufacturer for a defective product.

[AngryAmish]

17. They are common carriers

As common carriers they have the highest duty of care for their customers. Uber will deny this, they will lose. It is like being a jitney cab.

[former9thward]

22. Is a city bus a common carrier?

Yes they are. If you get attacked by a passenger on a bus is the city responsible? No and Uber is not either.

[Honeycombe8]

25. Ah, I see. BUT...doesn't mean Uber is liable. Uber just has to show it used the

required highest duty of care. If, for example, the first passenger acted normally, showed no violent tendencies, didn't say or do anything to indicate he'd harm anyone....that might be enough.

I can't imagine what higher duty of care there is to safeguard riders against another rider. If there is nothing else that is reasonable that the driver could have done, then what he did was the highest duty of care.

[ProudLib72]

5. I'm more interested in the driver

No way would I ever be an Uber driver, but I have a few students who are. After such an experience did he/she continue being an Uber driver? What does that do to someone, having an attack like that occur in your own car?

[IronLionZion]

9. I prefer Lyft, but some cabs are using apps too now

Uber needs competition. Yes, they are usually cheaper, but sometimes I'm willing to pay more for a better experience. Some cities have Ubertaxi if you want a cab.

And I have encountered crazy people on trains and buses many times. One woman had to be taken away by cops for screaming nonsense at everyone. I recently had a teenage girl spit on me as soon as I boarded, for no apparent reason. All part of living the liberal dream (city living).

[IronLionZion]

11. DC Taxi App has been out for a year

I actually used Uber pool one time and a taxi showed up. The driver told me about the app

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/02/11/the-d-c-taxi-app-has-arrived/

https://www.dctaxi.com/

They tout their experience and background checks but I can verify that taxi drivers are certifiably insane which comes from doing it all day every day instead of once in a while.

I actually got a Lyft driver to work once who actually works in the same office campus as me and does it on his way to work to get some extra cash.

[christx30]

18. I was reading a story on Reddit yesterday

where a female Uber passenger was freaking out on her driver because he didn't have a cell charger for her. She was screaming and kicking at the seats, and threatening to call the police and falsely report sexual assault.
Smart of him to videotape the whole thing.
"Why didn't he just call the police?" Well, he would have had to stop recording to use the phone.

[Quackers]

19. Dash cam is a must when doing that.

They have models that record the inside and outside of the vehicle at the same time.

[IronLionZion]

24. Video at link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4385938/Passenger-threatens-falsely-accuse-Uber-driver-RAPE.html

Uber/Lyft drivers have been attacked, beat up, and robbed before. It's a brave new world.

And it happens on transit so often that the bus I take to work in a very impoverished and violent neighborhood in DC has a metal cage to protect the driver.

"Go back to your country. Donald Trump says get the F out"

[Honeycombe8]

27. Wow. Trashy, horrible, violent people. Looks like she hit the bus driver first.

So he hit her back and decked her. Good for him. But then he should call the police and not continue arguing with her.

What is that woman thinking of? Why is she yelling at the bus driver? He's stuck there doing his job, so he can't get away.

[mopinko]

10. daughters use uber a lot. had one driver

that went off on a homophobic rant. 1 daughter is gender queer. she was about to have a meltdown when her sister dragged her out of the car at a red light.
i hate to think what would have happened if her sister wasnt there.

[phleshdef]

14. People get attacked on public transportation all the time

I'm just saying the fact that it was an Uber doesn't really mean anything