If you ever find yourself the victim of a motor vehicle accident involving a taxi cab, it’s likely to occur in one of two ways: (1) you or your vehicle are struck by a taxi cab; or (2) the taxi cab you are riding in as a passenger is involved in an accident that is either caused by the driver of the cab or another driver on the road.
(How Personal Injury Damages Result from a Head-On Collision)
As with other kinds of personal injury claims, when a taxi cab hits the car you are riding in, it’s incumbent upon you to show fault and damages. As the cab driver represents a commercial enterprise (likely with commercial insurance), you may have to counter claims that you were the negligent party, and therefore responsible for your own damages.
If you were the passenger in a taxi cab that was involved in an accident, any injuries you suffered would have to be clearly established in your claim. The question, however, becomes whom to sue for damages? Was the cab driver at fault? Was it another driver on the roads? Determining the answer to that question is a must if you’re going to recover damages for injuries and other losses that result from the accident.
What to Do After You’ve Been in a Taxi Cab Accident?
In the aftermath of a traffic accident involving a taxi cab, it’s incredibly important that you secure the contact information of any witnesses who can provide testimony about the conditions at the scene and the events that led up to the accident itself. Getting their names, phone numbers and addresses, if at all possible, is very important for your claim. As a passenger in a taxi cab, it’s likely that at the time of the accident you are not in a position to see exactly how the accident occurred. Such passengers are often preoccupied with browsing on their mobile devices or some other distraction during their ride. So, having the unbiased testimony of a witness to the scene can be crucial for proving liability in your claim.
If you are able, you should try to take photos of the accident scene, including vehicle damage observed from a variety of angles. If you cannot move or are severely injured, perhaps a witness at the scene might take photos for you and email or text them to you thereafter. Photographs of the scene will help in reconstructing the scene and support expert testimony as to the accident’s causes, if possible.
You will want to file an accident claim with the taxi company following the accident. Obtaining the counsel of an experienced personal injury attorney who has a specialty in motor vehicle accidents is an important way to secure the highest award damages possible in your claim. Personal injury attorneys understand the complications of both proving liability in your claim and defending against claims of negligence against you by the at-fault driver’s insurer. Investigating the accident’s cause, reconstructing the accident scene, developing witness testimony and acquiring expert witnesses in support of your claim are all extremely important elements of your case. Personal injury attorneys who have experience in these areas are crucial components of a winning claim. And when they are experienced in the negotiation tactics of insurers, they don’t settle for small awards.
If you’re looking for an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer to help navigate your personal injury claim, we will fight assiduously for your right to the compensation you deserve. Call Bizzieri Law Offices at 773.881.9000. The case evaluation is free, and we never charge a fee unless we recover damages for you.