What Should I Do After a Taxi Accident in New York?

Taxi accidents in New York are common, and if you’re a victim, you may not know what to do following the accident. New York personal injury lawyers advise that you contact them as soon as possible after the accident.

They can provide legal counsel on the steps to take and help you file a compensation lawsuit if you sustain injuries due to the crash. Generally, here’s what you should do after a taxi accident in New York:

Ensure the Taxi Stops

The law in New York requires drivers to stop after any accident that involves injury to a person or property damage. It’s a crime for the driver to continue driving if you sustain injuries, regardless of whether they collided with another car or a motorcycle, hit a pedestrian, or rammed into a building.

Collect the Taxi Driver’s Medallion Number

If the situation allows it, get both the vehicle’s license plate and the taxi driver’s medallion number from the taxi receipt. With this information, it’ll be easier to identify the driver later. Ensure to pass the number to your taxicab accident lawyers in New York when you contact them concerning the accident.

It’s also crucial to collect other relevant information from the accident scene. Examples include the following:

  • Contact information of anyone else who was involved in the accident, for example, the other driver;
  • The names and contact information of the witnesses;
  • Photos of the accident scene, including the car damage and your injuries; and
  • Copies of any documents related to the accident, such as police records, medical reports, and medical bills

Get Medical Attention

Accept emergency medical help if you have severe injuries and get to the hospital immediately. However, even if you don’t sustain any visible injuries, seeing a doctor immediately after the accident is crucial. Your doctor will check you to establish if you have internal injuries and bleeding that could worsen if left unattended.

Tell your doctor what happened, and let them document your injuries and the medical treatment you receive. These records will come in handy in supporting your claim when you pursue compensation. Waiting so long before getting treatment could reduce your chances of recovering compensation.

Talk to New York Taxicab Accident Lawyers

Whenever you’re involved in an accident, it always helps to consult skilled personal injury attorneys in New York. They can investigate the case and guide you on the legal steps. They can also answer all your questions and enlighten you on how to recover compensation for the injuries.

Taxicabs must maintain certain levels of insurance for accidents. When pursuing compensation, the experience and skills of personal injury lawyers are crucial in making your claim successful. Legal experts can fight to ensure you get the maximum compensation you deserve.

Is the Taxicab Driver Liable for My Injuries?

Generally, taxicab drivers in New York are liable for the injuries they cause to pedestrians, passengers, or other drivers. Nonetheless, they often try to avoid responsibility by claiming they were not at fault for the accident. Skilled New York taxicab attorneys can fight for your rights by proving the driver’s negligence.

Proving Negligence in Taxicab Accident Cases

Getting compensation in taxicab accident cases is almost the same as if you sustained injuries in a typical car accident. The primary difference is that the taxicab driver may be paid by someone else to drive a car they don’t own.

Your New York taxicab accident lawyers must prove negligence on the defendant or a party who may be at fault for your injuries for negligence. The following are the factors they must prove in court:

  • The defendant owed you a legal duty to act reasonably and provide a safe ride
  • The defendant violated that duty by driving recklessly, speeding, or not adequately maintaining the vehicle
  • The breach is the legal and actual cause of the accident that caused your injuries

The defendants or the parties responsible for your injuries, in this case, could be:

  • The driver who acted negligently, causing the accident. In this case, your lawyer can help you file a claim against their insurance provider.
  • The taxi owner, whether an individual or company, for not properly maintaining the car or failing to conduct due diligence when hiring the driver
  • The manufacturer for selling a vehicle with defective parts like a faulty brake system

In New York we have the concept of vicarious liability which means that the vehicle owner is liable for the negligence of his operator. Under this doctrine, the owner is liable for the driver’s negligence even though the owner might not have been present at the accident scene.

How Much Can I Recover in a Taxicab Accident Insurance Claim?

If you sustain injuries in a taxicab accident, you may want to know if you can recover compensation for the accident and how much. The law requires taxicabs to carry a minimum of between $100,000 in liability insurance coverage. That means you could recover a maximum of $100,000 from the insurance company. If there are two or three injured persons each may recover up to $100,000. That would be a pool of $300,000 with not more than $100,000 to go to any injured person. If there are four or more injured people, then the pooled coverage is $300,000. These insurance limits are popularly known as $100,000/300,000 or 100/300.

In the case of other livery cars, such as neighbor car services, black cars, and ride apps (e.g., Uber and Lyft), the coverage is the same, $100,000/300,000.

An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney Helping You After a Taxicab Accident

You’re entitled to compensation under New York law when injured in a taxicab accident as a passenger. Pursuing legal action against the defendant can be complex and lengthy, and it would be best to work with skilled taxicab accident attorneys in New York. They understand the law and can guide you on what to do for the most favorable outcome.

Our lawyers can collaborate with medical professionals and other industry experts to properly determine how much your claim is worth. Then, we can work toward fighting for a fair compensation amount. We can also fight for you if you lose a loved one in a taxicab accident. Contact us to schedule a FREE case assessment.