Imagine heading to the airport to take a much-needed vacation. While you are sitting in the taxicab transporting you, there is an accident. Now, you have suffered injuries, you can’t work, and your bills are piling up. What do you do?
The best first step after getting into an accident in a taxicab is to enlist the services of an experienced Florida car accident attorney. Your lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and navigate your options after a traffic accident.
Contact a lawyer today if you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a taxicab accident.
How Often Do Taxicab Accidents Happen?
Taxicab use and ridesharing are one and the same nowadays. Taxicab and ridesharing traffic accidents happen far too often nationwide.
Motor vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death among young people in America. Traffic accidents remain prevalent even with fewer cars on the road because of taxicabs and rideshare.
According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 36 percent of U.S. adults have used a rideshare service. This data was collected over the past several years, but the trend is continuing.
Evidence suggests that the increase in the use of rideshare and taxicab services directly caused a three percent increase in the overall number of fatal traffic accidents each year.
You deserve legal representation after an accident. Contact an experienced taxicab accident attorney immediately if you or a loved one has suffered an injury or been killed in a crash.
Who Is Responsible For Compensating Me After a Taxicab Accident?
There are various potentially responsible parties after a taxicab accident. Determining liability after an accident is often challenging, but getting it right is vital to your accident claim. Contact a personal injury lawyer after an accident. An injury attorney can help evaluate your case and help you understand your options after a crash.
Here are some of the most common defendants in a taxicab accident.
The Taxi Driver
The most obviously responsible party is the taxi driver. A taxicab driver might be liable if they operated the vehicle negligently. Driver negligence can include speeding, failing to stop at a red light, or distracted driving, among many other actions.
The Taxi Company
The taxicab company the driver works for might share liability for the accident. If the driver was working at the time of the accident, taxicab companies might be partially responsible for compensating you after an accident.
Other Motorists
You share the road with a lot of travelers. Another driver might share responsibility for compensating you if they caused the accident.
Pedestrians
If acontributed to the accident, they might also share responsibility for paying your damages.
Cyclists
Thousands of bicyclists are involved in traffic accidents nationwide annually. The bicyclist may be responsible for paying for part of your damages if they contributed to causing the accident.
Government Entities
Government entities might be responsible for compensating you if poor road conditions caused your accident. Poor road conditions or inadequate signage can contribute to accidents, which can lead to liability for local governments and entities. Suing a government entity can be complex. Contact an attorney to learn your rights and options if the government caused the accident.
It is important to speak to an attorney after an accident. Having an attorney working on your behalf only benefits your claim. Contact an attorney immediately after suffering an injury in a taxicab accident.
How Can a Taxicab Accident Attorney Help Me?
The right legal team is a valuable resource after a taxicab accident. An experienced lawyer can help recover the full and fair compensation that you deserve in the following ways:
Maximize Compensation
Having an attorney working for you can help maximize your compensation. An attorney can help maximize your compensation by identifying all potentially responsible defendants, properly calculating your damages, and holding insurance companies accountable for paying out on your claim.
Provide Quality Legal Representation
Your interests after a taxicab accident deserve to be protected. If your case is not settled, it will go to court. Your attorney can represent you and effectively build a case strategy.
Settlement Negotiations
It can be challenging for a person to get the compensation they deserve after an accident without an attorney. Facing a big insurance company can feel intimidating and overwhelming. However, your legal representative can speak to the insurance company and its adjusters on your behalf. Having a lawyer decreases the odds of leaving money on the table during negotiations.
Help Determine Liability
An attorney can help identify parties who might share liability after an accident. Your attorney will also help you understand how responsibility is allocated to each defendant.
Name Each Responsible Party
There are many potentially responsible parties in a taxicab accident. An attorney can help you discover each potential defendant and help bring them to justice.
Provide Legal Guidance And Experience
You will certainly have questions about how to navigate the legal process after an accident. An attorney can use their experience and knowledge to make you feel secure in the aftermath of a crash. Having an attorney means you do not have to guess how to protect your legal interests.
Investigation And Gathering Evidence
Some evidence is hard to gather, but it is beneficial to your claim. For example, many individuals might find it difficult to hire an accident reconstructionist, but their report might provide helpful evidence about the cause of the accident.
Provide Peace of Mind
Having legal counsel gives injured people peace of mind as they pursue the compensation they need to get their lives back on track. A lot of pressure is relieved when you know that a legal professional has your back as you work towards financial recovery after an accident.
Having an experienced attorney can significantly increase your chances of a favorable outcome in your case.
What Should I Do After An Accident With a Taxicab?
The steps you take after an accident are key to the success of your claim. If you suffered an injury in a taxicab accident, here are the steps that you should consider taking:
Seek Medical Attention and Complete Your Treatment Plan
You should seek medical attention immediately after an accident. Getting medical attention protects your physical well-being after a crash. Some injuries are not immediately apparent, so you need a physical examination.
Make sure that you complete your treatment plan after an accident. Insurance companies will jump on any excuse to avoid making a payment on your claim. Not completing the treatment plan is the perfect excuse for not paying you the compensation that you deserve after an accident.
Contact An Attorney
You should contact an attorney after getting into an accident with a taxicab driver. A lawyer will help protect your legal rights for financial compensation. Consider speaking with an attorney who works with taxicab injury victims.
Gather Evidence and Share It With Your Attorney
You will need proper evidence to prove your case. Accessing some types of evidence can be difficult. You will need legal representation to get the proof you need for your case. Share pictures, repair vehicle damage estimates, medical records and bills, and other important evidence with your attorney.
File An Insurance Claim
Most insurance policies require the insured to file an insurance claim immediately after an accident. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may file a claim against the taxi driver’s insurance, the taxicab company’s insurance, and your insurance policy. Speaking to an attorney before you speak to any insurance company is advisable.
Report The Accident
After a crash, you should notify the taxicab company and local authorities about the accident. It is important for documentation and potential claims.
Speak to an attorney about your strategy for collecting compensation after an accident. Your taxicab accident lawyer is your best resource after a crash. Contact a lawyer immediately if you have suffered an injury in a taxicab accident.
Common Injuries In Taxicab Accidents
Taxicab accidents can result in various injuries, often depending on the circumstances of the crash. Common injuries include:
Lacerations and Contusions
Lacerations and contusions are cuts and bruises that result from a taxicab accident. The victim might receive these injuries from broken glass or contact with hard surfaces inside the taxicab.
Psychological Injuries
Victims are entitled to recover from the psychological issues that they face as a result of the accident. Medical conditions like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression can develop after experiencing a traumatic accident.
Chest Injuries
Bruising or fractures to the face can occur from hitting the dashboard, steering wheel, or other parts of the car.
Facial Injuries
Cuts, bruises, or fractures to the face can occur from hitting the dashboard, steering wheels, or side windows.
Fractures
Fractures are broken bones. Depending on the nature of the impact, broken bones can happen in the arms, legs, ribs, or pelvis.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries can cause long-term discomfort to the victim. Sprains and strains in the neck, back, and limbs due to the sudden force of the accident are soft tissue injuries. The true impact of soft tissue injuries can be challenging to prove. Work with an accident attorney to ensure you collect full and fair compensation after a soft tissue injury.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are severe and can have lifelong consequences. A head injury can include concussions or more serious traumatic brain injuries, especially if the driver or passenger hits their head during the accident.
Back Injuries
Back injuries can result from a taxicab accident. Back injuries can range from minor strains to serious injuries like herniated discs, particularly if the impact is severe. A back injury can seriously decrease the quality of your life. Speak to an accident attorney immediately after suffering a back injury in a taxicab accident.
Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the most common neck injuries. Whiplash is a common neck injury caused by sudden acceleration or deceleration, leading to neck muscles and ligaments.
It is important that you speak to an attorney after suffering injuries in a taxicab accident. You can begin advocating for yourself by contacting an attorney.
How Long Do I Have To Sue After a Taxicab Accident?
You do not have unlimited time to sue after a taxicab accident. All plaintiffs must comply with the applicable statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is the deadline set by law that limits the amount of time that a plaintiff has to file a lawsuit.
Working with an attorney can ensure you comply with the statute of limitations and other important procedural rules.
What Damages Are Available After a Taxicab Accident?
There can be compensation available after a taxicab accident. The compensable losses you might be entitled to depend on the circumstances surrounding the accident. Here are some examples of damages available after a taxicab crash.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are available in most accident cases. Some common examples of economic damages include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- The cost of rehabilitation, physical therapy, and long-term care
- Current and future lost income
- Lost earning capacity
- The cost of hiring domestic help
- Property damage
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages are available in most accident cases. Non-economic damages include intangible losses that the victim might face after the accident. It can be tough to prove a non-economic loss, so having an attorney working for you is the best way to get the compensation you deserve. Examples of non-economic damages include:
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disability and inconvenience
- Emotional and mental anguish
- Pain and suffering
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are rarely available in accident cases. Courts typically award punitive damages to victims if the defendant’s actions are outrageous. Speak to your attorney about the availability of punitive damages in your case.
Contact a Taxicab Accident Lawyer Today
Start building your legal team today. Do not hesitate to call an experienced Florida personal injury lawyer immediately after a crash. You deserve quality legal representation. Contact an attorney to get started today.
James Wayne Holliday
James Wayne Holliday has been practicing law since 1995. He has been named as a “Best Attorney” Lifetime Charter Member in Florida, an honor awarded to less than one percent of the nation’s lawyers.
Mr. Holliday has earned a reputation as a relentless trial lawyer because of his outstanding work ethic and thorough preparation of his cases for trial.
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