Florida Court Clears Uber of Liability in Driver’s Fatal Accident

A Florida appeals court has upheld a ruling that ride-hailing company Uber is not liable for a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a 2017 incident. Orlando Baez Castillo, an occasional Uber driver, was not logged into the app at the time he struck and killed his former partner, Arlevys Molina. The court found that Castillo was using his personal vehicle for a private errand when the accident occurred, ruling out Uber’s vicarious liability.

The wrongful death claim was filed by the Molina estate, which argued that material disputes existed about Castillo’s app usage. However, Uber’s internal records confirmed he had been logged off for nearly five months prior to the accident. Florida law states that employers are not liable for actions of employees outside the scope of employment.

This case aligns with other recent legal victories for Uber, including a New Jersey court ruling on app-related user agreements. The Molina estate may appeal to the Florida Supreme Court for further review.