Uber is backing a California ballot measure that would cap how much attorneys can collect in car crash lawsuits, which may set up a high-stakes fight with some of the state’s most powerful trial lawyers.
According to reporting by the Los Angeles Times, the ride-share company is gathering signatures for an initiative that would limit attorney fees in vehicle collision cases to 25 percent. Uber argues the change would ensure accident victims keep more of their settlement money and curb what it calls inflated medical billing driven by “predatory” legal practices.
Personal injury attorneys strongly disagree, warning that the proposal would gut their ability to take cases on a contingency basis, especially for smaller or more complex claims. They claim it will leave many victims unable to find legal representation. Trial lawyers have already raised more than $40 million to defeat the measure, including nearly $1 million from high-profile firms such as Sweet James and Jacoby & Meyers, the Times reports.
Under the proposal, legal costs like expert witnesses and depositions would be calculated before attorney fees are split, a shift lawyers say could force them to absorb medical and case expenses and potentially walk away with nothing. Uber counters that nothing in the measure prevents victims from hiring lawyers or doctors and says it targets abusive billing practices, not legitimate claims.
The dispute comes amid escalating tensions between Uber and prominent Southern California law firms. Uber has filed federal racketeering lawsuits against Downtown LA Law Group and attorney Jacob Emrani, alleging schemes to inflate medical bills, claims the firms deny.
The battle is expected to intensify ahead of the November election, with dueling ad campaigns and competing ballot measures now shaping what could become one of California’s most expensive legal and political fights this year.
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