Getting injured in a car accident is the last thing people want when they are on the road. The hassle of filing a compensation claim and attending hearings can be too much. The situations become even more complicated when there is a taxi cab involved.
There are two types of taxi accidents: one where you are injured as a passenger in a taxi and the other where a taxi cab hits your private vehicle. Both cases can be challenging to manage without a Lehi, UT car accident lawyer. If you were hurt in such an event, keep reading to find out who is liable for your damages.
What happens if a taxi cab hits your private vehicle?
If you were injured by a taxi cab while driving your own private vehicle, you might be eligible for filing a compensation claim against the taxi driver. For this, you must establish that the defendant owed you a duty of care and failed to do so and thus, caused your injuries because of their negligence. You will need to gather the necessary evidence to prove the taxi driver’s liability. These may include photos and video footage of the accident, witness statements, medical reports, and other non-economic damages.
What to do when you get injured as a taxi passenger?
If you were traveling in a taxi and got injured due to a collision, you can file a third-party claim against one or both drivers and get compensated for your injuries. In such cases, you would not have to worry about proving liability. Instead, the two drivers will have to sort out the issue in court and prove who is guilty. Whoever comes out as guilty pays for your damages.
Do taxi cab companies pay compensation?
In the USA, all drivers are required to carry insurance. Therefore, if a taxi cab driver is found to be at fault, they are legally liable for paying for your injuries. However, some bigger taxi companies insure their drivers and, in some cases, are responsible for paying the victim’s damages.
The taxi cab company can be vicariously or directly liable for the accident. Vicarious liability means that the company takes full responsibility for their employee’s actions and negligence. Direct liability means that the collision was caused because of something specific that the taxi cab company had done. These may include not keeping up with the maintenance of the vehicles in their company and not conducting proper background checks on their driver employees.
What to do after a taxi cab accident?
To maximize your compensation, you must do the following after meeting with an accident.
- Call an ambulance and seek medical help.
- Talk to witnesses if possible and take their contact information.
- Take pictures of the accident scene.
- Call 911 and inform them about the mishap. A police report comes in handy in court.
