What happens when you are involved in an accident with a Taxi ?
Taxi cabs are extremely convenient for many individuals who need to get somewhere in a hurry. The yellow vehicles are easy to spot around Philadelphia and the surrounding areas and can be extremely useful for both travelers and commuters in the city. But unfortunately, accidents involving taxi cabs are common and can occur with some regularity. Anyone who hails a taxi ultimately is trusting the taxi driver to keep them safe during your ride. Although taxi drivers are required to have a certain kind of license and specific training, some drivers are not diligent or careful on the road. In these cases, a negligent taxi driver can cause serious accidents that can lead to injuries for their passengers.
Reckless Driving is a Major cause of Taxi Accidents
In many cases, taxi cab drivers are very confident on the roads because of the amount of time they spend driving around the city. This may in fact make them overconfident behind the wheel, which may prompt them to take questionable routes and to drive more aggressively than they otherwise would. And the passengers may exacerbate the situation by insisting that they are in a hurry, and so the taxi operator may drive more negligently or recklessly to try to get you there on time. If the driver is not driving safely, the taxi could easily be involved in an accident with other vehicles on the road, especially if traffic is bad as it often is in big cities like Philadelphia. A person who is injured one of these accidents should get in touch with a qualified Philadelphia taxi accident lawyer.
Passengers are most likely to be injured in a taxi cab accident
Taxi cab passengers are the most common types of individuals who are injured in taxi accidents. However, other parties may also be seriously injured in these types of accidents. For example, if the taxi collides with another car, the driver or passengers of the other car could suffer injuries. Additionally, if the taxi hits a pedestrian, bicyclist, or motorcyclist, the person who was hit could also become injured as a result of a taxi cab accident. And as with any type of vehicle or traffic accident, injuries from a taxi accident can be very serious. Victims could suffer from cuts and bruises, blood loss, broken bones, concussions, whiplash, head or spinal injuries, loss of limbs, permanent disabilities, or even fatalities in the most severe cases.
Negligence equals responsibility
A negligent or reckless taxi cab driver who causes an accident is responsible for any injuries caused in the accident. The kinds of negligent errors that often cause taxi cab accidents include speeding, driving distracted, failing to yield, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, weaving between lanes, making illegal U-turns, or taking dangerous shortcuts.
Committing any of these errors means that the driver is responsible for compensating accident victims for their expenses related to their injuries. This is because taxi cabs are considered to be a part of a certain class of vehicle called a common carrier, or a vehicle that carries members of the general public in exchange for money. Common carriers must exercise the highest standard of care in regards to their passengers safety. This means that taxi cab drivers must use the highest amount of care to keep their passengers safe and injury free, or they will be liable for any behavior that deviates from that high standard of care.
This high standard of care, however, only applies to passengers of taxi cabs. A taxi driver owes other people on the road, like pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers, only the standard of care that any driver would owe to others on the road. If the taxi driver was driving recklessly or especially negligently, an accident victim may still be able to hold the taxi driver liable for their injuries. However, for passengers of taxi cabs, it is sometimes easier to pursue a claim against a taxi driver because any kind of negligent error on the part of the driver is sufficient to make the driver liable for any injuries from the accident.
Our attorneys are ready to deal with your personal injury claim
Having a taxi accident attorney assist you with your case can be invaluable. Instead of having to worry about gathering evidence for your case while you are in the hospital or healing at home, your lawyer can handle that process for you. Your attorney will represent you when discussing a settlement with the taxi drivers insurance company to ensure that you are fully compensated for your injuries and are not taken advantage of.
Our attorneys provide free consultations to review your case, so do not hesitate to contact us right away if you have been hurt in a taxi cab accident.