A taxicab accident is a common occurrence in Los Angeles California. This is because taxis are a popular form of transport in California cities especially among workers and students. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of taxicab accidents in Los Angeles.
Here are a few highlights on the taxi accidents:
• The income of a taxi driver is directly proportional to his or her taxicab accident crash rate. This means that if you are a high income taxi cab driver, the chances of you getting into a taxicab accident is low. On the other hand, low income taxi cab drivers are more prone to get into an accident.
• A taxi cab driver with many years of working experience and works full time is more likely to have few crashes, violations, and complaints, compared to a new cab driver that is just starting out.
• Part-time cab drivers or inexperienced cab drivers are 5 times more likely to violate traffic rules and have a poor driving record compared to full time experienced drivers.
• Cab drivers who text while driving are 20 times more likely to get into a taxi crash compared to other drivers who do not text while driving.
If you live, work, or drive in Los Angeles California, having access to the right legal team will help you act accordingly in case you get involved in a taxi accident. At JT Legal Group, we have taxi accident lawyers that have represented countless taxi accident victims in legal matters successfully. Our main aim is to ensure that you receive fair and just remuneration from the taxicab company or insurance companies of other parties responsible for the accident. JT legal Group has the finest taxi accident lawyers and personal injury attorneys that are ready to help you pursue damages in a taxi accident case, especially if you sustain any taxi accident injuries.
What to Do When You’re In a Taxi Accident
The aftermath of a taxi accident can be filled with confusion, panic, and anxiety. Although everything may happen too fast and leave you bewildered, knowing what to do after the accident can help you protect your legal rights.
Below are some important things that you should do in case you get involved in a taxi accident. They include:
• Take note of the driver’s license number and insurance proof from all the drivers and/or motorists involved in the crash. If you do not have a pen and paper, use your phone to take pictures of the license numbers and proof of insurance coverage.
• Get the following information from the driver: Name of the taxi driver, the registration plate number of the vehicle, the name of the taxi company, and the contact information of the driver.
• You need to take detailed pictures of the accident scene because you will need to proof that you sustained taxi accident injuries. If you have serious injuries, you can have another person at the accident scene take the pictures for you. Ensure that you also capture any property damages in the picture. If your car, motorcycle, bicycle, or any other property is damaged because of the crash, be sure take good pictures so that you can get fair compensation from the insurance companies.
• If there are any witnesses at the scene, take their contact details. The testimony of the witnesses will come in handy when proving who was at wrong in a taxi case.
• After getting all the necessary information from the taxi driver, witnesses, and any other third parties involved in the accident, call the police. Involving the police is mandatory especially if you want to file any insurance claim. Also, ensure that you get a copy of the police report on the accident.
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible after getting involved in a taxi accident. Although you may not have any visible injuries, you may sustain serious internal injuries after a collision. Do not worry about medical expenses because once we help you file the insurance claim; it will cover all the costs.
• Call taxi accident lawyers to set up a consultation about the accident. We highly recommend that after calling the police and seeking medical attention, you get in touch with us. We will help you review the details of the accident such as: Were you wearing any seat belts? Was the taxi driver sober? Was the driver driving while distracted e.g. texting?
Items You’ll Need to Build a Strong Case If You’re In a Taxi Accident
In most cases, a taxi accident in Los Angeles, California may seem like a case of negligence. However, without expert legal representation from taxi accident lawyers at JT Legal Group, you may not be able to prove is to blame for the accident. The thought of getting in touch with the insurance company may cross your mind, but we strongly advise against it. Instead, reach out to one of our lawyers for advice before signing any legal papers or accepting any form of settlement from a specific insurance policy. The insurance company may take advantage of your case if they realize you have no legal representation and offer payment that is too little to cater to the costs and damages caused by the accident.
There are several items that you need in order to build a strong case against the taxicab company. They include:
• Pictures of the accident scene- the photos will show in detail the extent of damage to your property as well as any physical injuries you may sustain.
• An accurate police record of the accident- when the police arrive to the accident scene, make sure that you give them an accurate account of what happened. If you are not sure about something, be honest about it. Do not guess or speculate any facts when filing the police report because this may hurt our insurance claim.
• Details about the taxi driver- as we stated earlier, you need to have the correct information about the taxi driver. This goes for their name, the number plate of the taxi, the driving license number of the driver, and their contact information. The information will help the authorities determine if the driver has any prior complaints or traffic violations, thereby helping you win the case.
• The insurance company details- if the cab driver works for a specific cab company, get the name of the cab company, the insurance provider of the company, and the insurance claim number.
• Contact information of the witnesses- after an accident, no party wants to admit that it’s at fault. We mentioned earlier that you need to get the contact details of any witnesses at the scene. In order to win the case, you will need the witnesses to vouch for you and prove that you were not breaking any traffic rules and that the cab driver was at fault.
Factors to Consider for Taxi Accident Case Compensation
After a taxi accident, you have a three-year limit to file for compensation by the insurance company that is responsible for the claims. When filing for taxi accident claims, there are several factors that you need to consider. They include:
Types of Accidents
Which type of accident did the crash involve? The most common taxi accident types include:
• Collision of the taxi with another vehicle, and the taxi driver is at fault
• Road traffic collisions whereby the taxi driver is to blame
• Injuries to the taxi passenger as a result of the taxi driver skidding on the road
• Taxi accident where a pedestrian is hit by a taxi
• Hit and run taxi accident where the taxi driver is liable
Injuries
The amount of compensation you receive is also affected by the type of serious injury you or a loved one sustained. The most common taxi accident injuries include:
• Concussion
• Broken bones
• Whip lash
• Cuts and bruises
Damages
There are two types of damages that you can claim after a taxi crash. Common causes include include:
General damages
These damages provide compensation for:
• Mental trauma and brain injuries
• Physical suffering and pain
• Any serious injury that may result in disability
Special damages
The special damages are for specific financial problems and they also provide future funding. Special damages cover the following:
• Medical bills
• Loss of employment
• Future loss of earnings as a result of injuries
• Transport costs
• Future medical bills
Contact us today and schedule a consultation with our taxi accident lawyers so that you can be legally prepared for any taxicab accident.
Personal Injuries From Taxi Accidents
Rush hour traffic and other obstacles to quick transportation are a major concern of Los Angeles city. These are some of the reasons that owning a car can be more trouble than its worth. Some folks choose to use public taxi companies that operate in populous cities daily. In cities like Los Angeles and New York, there are often thousands of taxis operating around the city on any given day and each of them should behave responsibly. This means treating each passenger respectfully and not driving with negligence. Unfortunately, many taxi accidents happen in Los Angeles and many are unaware of their rights or legal options.
Taxis may cause auto accidents and even fatalities, just like any other major mode of transportation. A major contributor to taxi accidents is a scenario where a taxi driver is driving with negligence and recklessness.
This could include something like distracted driving where they text and drive at the same time, drowsy driving where they knowingly drive when they are too tired and even drunk driving when they get behind the wheel and cause an accident after drinking too much. Passengers of both the taxi and a regular vehicle on the road can hold the taxi company responsible for this kind of negligent driving.
Who To Sue
Many people are often unaware that cab companies are often required to carry millions of dollars in insurance. This is so these taxi companies may cover the negligent driving decisions of their cab drivers. Moreover, suing the cab driver alone isn’t always your only recourse. You can sue the cab company itself, whether you were a passenger in the taxi or you were a passenger in a vehicle that the taxi hit during an accident.
Seeking Justice With The Best Taxi Accident Attorneys
If you’ve been injured due to a taxi company’s negligence, contact our personal injury lawyer team immediately. We have many combined decades of experience in assuring our clients get the maximum compensation that is owed to them. As a Taxi Law Firm that helps people who have suffered from a severe taxi accident, we work diligently to defend your rights. Many people who have suffered injuries, suffer through tremendous pain and suffering, lost wages, as well as a reduced quality of life. It’s our job to defend you and ensure that the person, and/or people responsible, pay financially for what they’ve done. For any questions, you may have, or for immediate assistance with your taxi accident matter, contact us immediately. Take advantage of a free consultation today.