Lawsuit Claims Negligent Uber Eats Driver Caused Pedestrian Death In Manchester

MANCHESTER, CT — A lawsuit is claiming that a negligent Uber Eats driver was responsible for the death of a man crossing Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester back in March.

The crash took place at 9:56 p.m. on March 24, along the 300 block of Buckland Hills Drive.

Responders located Jaime Cordero, a 45-year-old Manchester resident, lying in the road, according to a crash report. Life-saving measures were administered, but he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later, according to the report.

The driver of the involved vehicle, then identified as 18-year-old man, remained at the scene and has been cooperating with the investigation, police said.

The lawsuit was filed in Hartford on behalf of the family by the New York-based firm of Morgan & Morgan claims the 18-year-old was working as an Uber Eats delivery driver. He was traveling “well above the speed limit” and the car in use was not registered, not insured and had a "non-functioning" fog light.

A statement accompanying the suit said, "On the evening of March 24, Mr. Cordero was a pedestrian walking across Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester, Connecticut, when he was hit by the defendant driver allegedly traveling well above the speed limit. At the time of the incident, the driver was performing a food delivery for Uber Eats in a vehicle that was allegedly unregistered, uninsured, and had a non-functioning fog light, all in violation of Connecticut law. Tragically, the impact caused fatal injuries and Mr. Cordero was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later."

The suit continued, "Suddenly and without warning or reason, (the driver's) vehicle collided violently with the Plaintiff’s Decedent on the front corner of the vehicle with smashing points of impact on the left front driver’s side A pillar corner and windshield and throwing Plaintiff’s decedent multiple feet onto the asphalt pavement on 360 Buckland Hills Drive. Due to the impact, the Plaintiff decedent was killed."

The complaint claims that if Uber Eats had done its due diligence, "it would or should have seen how the defendant driver was not qualified and unsuitable to perform the food delivery service on its behalf. As a direct result of its alleged negligence, Mr. Cordero was tragically killed."

Defendants named in the suit are the driver, along with Uber Eats and Uber Technologies Inc.

“We believe the tragic death of Jamie Antonio Cordero was entirely preventable. Our complaint alleges that Uber Eats allegedly failed in its duty to properly vet, supervise and ensure the safety of its delivery driver," the suit says. "By allegedly allowing an 18-year-old to operate an unregistered and uninsured vehicle on its behalf, it disregarded the safety of the public and our client lost his life. The family of Jamie Cordero has endured an immeasurable loss and we will fight to seek accountability and systemic change to ensure no family has to suffer such a senseless tragedy again."

Claims in the suit claim wrongful death and it seeks compensation for:

• Medical, hospital, ambulance and nursing services
• Funeral expenses
• Economic and non-economic (pain and suffering) damages
• Punitive and exemplary damages
• Double or treble damages
• "For any other, further and different relief this Court deems just in law and equity"

Neither Uber Eats or Manchester police could be reached for immediate comment.