How A Taxicab Personal Injury Claim Can Be More Complicated
Taxicab drivers are very well-trained. However, you may still find yourself in an accident that cannot be avoided while riding as a customer in a taxi. You are able to file a claim even as a passenger in a taxi, but your personal injury claim might have a different outcome, and you may need guidance from a personal injury attorney.
A Normal Accident Claim
Normally, when you are injured in an accident, you will need to file a claim with the insurance provider of the at-fault driver. You will need to prove that the driver is at fault to be entitled to compensation. However, when you are riding with a taxicab driver, there may be additional complications.
Comparative Negligence
If your taxi crashes into another vehicle and you are injured, you may be entitled to compensation both from the taxi driver and the other motorist. Under comparative negligence, each party may be found partially at fault.
The two insurance providers will likely negotiate and try to reduce the settlement amount. However, to be able to agree to the final settlement, you will also need to agree as an injured passenger. Therefore, they may pressure you to settle. If the insurance providers cannot come to an agreement, the case may need to go to trial.
Multiple Injuries
When there are multiple injuries due to multiple passengers being involved, the settlement can become even more complicated. However, the insurance providers involved may not have a coverage limit high enough to cover each passenger. As a result, you will either need to accept a lower offer or you will need to seek compensation from one of the drivers individually.
When seeking compensation from the driver who is at fault, you will need to make sure that they have the assets available for you to collect. This will likely require an investigation by an experienced personal injury lawyer. After you have received a judgment in your favor, you will be able to garnish the wages or levee the bank account of the party responsible for the accident.
However, if one party does not have the assets necessary to cover your damages, you may be forced to accept a lower settlement. One exception is if there are other parties involved. For example, if your taxi driver is partially at fault, you may be able to pursue the assets of the taxi company.
To learn more, contact a personal injury attorney.
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