Introduction
While the development of modern technologies brings some advantages, it also has some drawbacks. The utilization of self-driving cars by Uber can serve as an excellent example of the negative impact of technologies on humans’ lives. The use of automated cars by Uber led to several accidents that resulted in the death of one of the pedestrians in Arizona. Consequently, Arizona’s governor has suspended Uber’s ability to test self-driving cars in the state (Johnson & Fitzsimmons, 2018). When a car accident takes place, it is necessary to apply to legislation to reveal the guilty party and impose penalties through the court system. In this essay, the information about the courts where Uber could be sued, and factors that should be considered in deciding what court to sue will be discussed. Also, government organizations that may be involved in the investigations and how their actions may affect the litigation will be identified.
Main Objectives
There are four primary state courts in Arizona, namely, Arizona Supreme Court, Arizona Court of Appeals, Arizona Superior Courts, and Justices for Peace. There is a federal court in Arizona as well, which is called the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. Traffic cases are heard in the Justice of the Peace Courts, which also have jurisdiction over misdemeanor crimes, collection cases, and more (“Types of courts,” 2020). Another court that may consider car accidents is the Magistrate Court (City of Municipal Court). If the decision of mentioned courts does not satisfy all parties of the judicial process, it is possible to apply to the Arizona Supreme Court and the Arizona Court of Appeals. They are called as the courts of last resort because they review decisions made in other legal institutions.
The primary factors that should be taken into account when deciding in what court to sue include the type of an accident and courts’ jurisdiction. In addition, the costs for filing a claim should be considered, as the sum may vary in different courts. It is also necessary to know what type of claim should be filed. In the described case, a personal injury claim is the best option. It refers to the situation when a human being was injured or killed as a result of a wrongful act of another person (State Bar of Arizona, 2020). Being aware of the mentioned factors will help the claimant to choose the right court.
The primary U.S. government agencies that investigate civil transportation accidents are the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These organizations often conduct analyses of car accidents in collaboration. For example, when a crash that involved a Tesla car and a fire truck occurred in California, two agencies investigated the driver and vehicle factors to examine the situation (“2 federal agencies investigate Tesla crash,” 2018). Even though neither NTSB nor NHTSA has the power to enforce safety recommendations they make, their actions have a substantial impact on litigation. Both agencies work to reveal the causes and guilty parties of accidents. The courts give the participants of cases an opportunity to prove their innocence. However, the litigation is still relied on the analysis of investigative agencies due to their reputation for objectivity and accuracy. In the case with Uber and the pedestrian from Arizona, the agencies concluded that if the car operator was more attentive, she would have enough time to react to the pedestrian (Falcone, Allsop, & Eaton, 2019). It would help to either avoid the crash or alleviate the impact.
Conclusion
Therefore, the Justice of the Peace Courts, the Magistrate Courts, the Arizona Supreme Court, and the Arizona Court of Appeals are the courts where Uber could be sued. The factors that should be taken into account when deciding in what court to sue include the type of an accident, courts’ jurisdiction, and costs for filing a claim. It was also revealed that the primary U.S. government agencies that investigate civil transportation accidents are the NTSB and the NHTSA. The actions of these organizations have a strong impact on litigation due to their good reputation.
References
Azcourts.gov: Arizona Judicial Branch. (2020). Types of courts. Web.
Falcone, J. G., Allsop, J., & Eaton, C. (2019). NTSB determines immediate cause of fatal Uber crash was failure of human operator [Blog post]. Web.
Johnson, L., & Fitzsimmons, M. (2018).Uber self-driving cars: everything you need to know.Web.
State Bar of Arizona. (2020). Personal injury law: What you need to know. Web.
The Associated Press. (2018). 2 federal agencies investigate Tesla crash on 405 Fwy in Culver City. Eyewitness News. Web.