- Initial Offer: $25,000
- Final Settlement: $350,000
- Increase Secured: 14x
What happened
Our client, a 36-year-old woman from Englewood, was a seat-belted passenger in the back of an Uber when the car was rear-ended while merging onto Route 4 East. The impact was severe enough that emergency medical personnel responded at the scene. The crash left her with herniated discs in her cervical spine, bulging discs in her lower back, and nerve damage that radiated into her arm and leg. After months of physical therapy and four epidural steroid injections that provided only temporary relief, she underwent cervical disc surgery.
Why this case was worth far more than the insurer claimed
The at-fault driver carried only $25,000 in insurance. That was the number the insurance company wanted the case to end at. It did not. Since our client was a rideshare passenger, Uber carried up to $1,500,000 in underinsured motorist coverage that could be accessed if we kept the right parties in the case and built the evidence to justify it. We documented her injuries with precision with the help of our experts. A 36-year-old with permanent spinal damage faces decades of pain, limitations, and costs. Knowing where the real coverage is — and fighting to access it — is what turned a $25,000 case into a $350,000 recovery.
How Sadaka Law built the case
We identified the right defendants from the start. While the at-fault driver's $25,000 policy was quickly exhausted, we kept Uber Technologies, Raiser LLC, and their commercial insurer in the case — unlocking $1,500,000 in available underinsured motorist coverage. We built the medical case around permanency: MRI and EMG studies confirming herniated discs and radiculopathy, extensive treatment records, and an independent evaluation from a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who confirmed the injuries were causally related to the accident and permanent in nature. We also presented medical literature documenting the well-accepted clinical progression from disc injury to spinal fusion — a trajectory that juries understand and that insurers cannot easily dismiss. The combination of clear liability documented permanent injury, and a compelling future damages picture produced a $350,000 settlement — fourteen times the at-fault driver's policy limit.
What this case means for you
If you were riding in an Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare when an accident occurred, your recovery may not be limited to the at-fault driver's policy. Rideshare companies carry substantial commercial insurance and knowing how to identify and access that coverage is the difference between a minimal payout and a result that reflects your injuries. At Sadaka Law, our client found the firm the same way many clients do — searching for a local Englewood attorney who would explain the process, stay in communication, and fight for a real outcome. We look at the complete picture: who else is responsible, what your injuries mean for your life going forward, and what it will take to make sure the right parties are held accountable.
“The at-fault driver had $25,000 in coverage. That is what the insurance company wanted to call the end of the case. We kept Uber in the case, documented our client's injuries from surgery through her likely future fusion and recovered $350,000. When you know where the real coverage is and build the evidence to support it, the outcome looks very different.”
— Mark Sadaka, Founder, Sadaka Law
Results may vary. Prior case outcomes do not guarantee similar results in future matters. This case summary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.