If you have been injured in a car accident involving a taxi cab, it’s important that you work with a personal injury attorney such as the ones at Phoenix Car Accident Attorney. They will be able to get you compensation for any injuries sustained during your accident.
Woman Killed by Uber Driver
This February, a woman was killed when she was hit by an Uber driver who was in the process of transporting someone to the airport. Just as car accidents are not uncommon, so are accidents that involve taxi cabs or Uber cars. But what happens if you are involved in an accident that involves a transport car? Is it the driver’s responsibility or the company that is paying him? How are these lawsuits pursued and how can you protect yourself?
Taxi Cab Accidents
If you’ve been injured in a car accident involving a taxi cab, it’s important to know there are two distinctions that are made: 1) an accident in which a taxi cab hits the car that you are in, and 2) an accident in which you are a passenger in the taxi cab.
Legally, the fact that a taxi cab is involved in the car or pedestrian accident will not affect a person’s ability to make a claim for any injuries sustained. Where the fact that a taxi cab was involved comes into play is in the outcome of the claim. This is largely due to the fact that a cab driver is dependent on driving a cab for their livelihood, whereas a person driving a regular car is not. Because of this, a taxi driver might be more inclined to fight a case.
Pursuing Claims
A taxi cab accident is considered a standard two-car accident case when a taxi cab hits the car that you are driving (or riding in as a passenger). In this instance, the person bringing the lawsuit (the plaintiff) would file a negligence case. To win, the plaintiff must prove the following:
- liability - the taxi cab driver was at fault for the accident, and
- damages - how badly the plaintiff was injured. This includes any injuries or damages sustained as a result of injuries, including: lost income for time spent recovering and medical bill.
A taxi cab accident is considered a standard passenger accident case when a passenger in a taxi cab that gets into an accident with another car is injured. The plaintiff in this case will need to show they were injured as a result of the accident. Cases like this are easier to prove in that there in standard car accidents, someone is always deemed liable for the accident.
What Not to Do Following Accident
If you’ve been in an accident, here’s a list of things to NOT do:
- Leave the scene. You are legally required to stop, check on the other person and car involved, exchange all insurance and contact information and report it to law enforcement. Failure to do so means you’ve committed a crime.
- Forget to call 911. Even if the car accident seems minor, if you don’t get an official police report that documents the accident, what proof do you have? Sometimes law enforcement might not respond to collision unless there are injuries, but you always have an opportunity to get a report of the accident. This can help in the claim process, as well as protect you.
- Lose your cool. Try to remain as calm as possible and be polite.
- Admit fault. Do not admit to anything. But doing so, you’re legally admitting liability for the accident. This can expose you to lawsuits or other penalties.
- Forget proper documentation. Documenting any damage done to cars or the scene will provide you with any necessary evidence should the accident lead to a lawsuit. Try to take a few minutes to write down what happened from your point of view. Note time, date, streets, makes models and colors of cars, direction you were heading, contact information, and information from any witnesses that were at the scene. This will all help to build your case and help determine liability
Filing a Claim
If you have been in an accident with a taxi cab and you were a driver in the accident, you will file a claim with the taxi driver’s insurer. If you were a passenger in the taxicab at the time of the accident, you will want to file your claim with the insurers of all of the drivers involved.
Difficult Cases to Settle
Car accidents involving taxi cabs can be difficult to settle. This is often due to the following:
- In a two-car accident where both drivers are liable, the insurers often dispute the extent of each driver’s liability. When this happens, these kinds of cases can go to court, which can be not only costly, but can also draw out the amount of time it takes to settle.
- multiple passenger injury claims can often exhaust the available insurance. The total value of claims can quickly exceed the amount of insurance available so that each injured person has to often settle for less than what his or her case was worth.
Working with a Personal Injury Attorney
If you have been involved in an automobile accident, you should immediately call a personal injury attorney that can help you build your case. They have the experience necessary to ensure you are able to prove your injuries so that you can collect the compensation you are owed.
Working with a Personal Injury Attorney After an Accident
If you or a loved one have been a victim of a personal injury accident, you should immediately contact a personal injury attorney that understands the specific laws around these types of accidents. They will be able to perform a full investigation and build your case. It’s crucial that you work with someone that knows the intricacies of the laws surrounding these types of cases as well as your specific state’s laws. The attorneys at Phoenix Personal Injury Attorney have experience handling personal injury cases such as traumatic brain injuries, elevator accidents, automobile accidents, and slip and fall accidents. They will help build a case to ensure you receive everything you need to recover from your specific accident.
