Taxi accidents are somewhat common in New York City. Drivers and passengers injured in taxicab accidents may experience high medical bills and extensive property damages which can be claimed in a lawsuit.
In a taxi accident in NYC, you can hold numerous people liable for your damages. The taxi driver, other drivers, or even the taxi company may be named as defendants in your lawsuit. Your damages may include economic damages like medical bills and lost property. Your damages may also include non-economic injuries, like mental and physical pain and suffering. You will need evidence to support your claims for damages, including photos, videos, witnesses, and more. An attorney can help you begin your case, file your complaint, and develop an effective legal strategy.
The parties responsible for your taxi collision should be held liable for the injuries they caused. Our NYC taxi accident lawyers can help you get compensation. To arrange a free case review, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083.
Lawsuits After an NYC Taxi Accident
In a taxicab crash in New York City, several parties might share liability. In most cases, the first person plaintiffs examine for responsibility is the taxi driver. Whether you were a passenger in the taxicab or another driver on the road, the taxi driver might be to blame for the accident. Distracted driving or traffic violations like speeding and running red lights are common mistakes made by taxi drivers that cause accidents.
If the taxi driver’s negligence caused your accident, our NYC taxi accident attorneys can help you sue the taxi driver’s employer. The taxi company that employed the taxi driver can be held vicariously liable for its employee’s negligence. For an employer to be held vicariously liable, the taxi driver’s negligence must have occurred within the scope of their employment. Negligence occurring while the taxi driver was off duty or running personal errands outside their job cannot be imputed to the taxi company.
You can also sue other drivers involved in your crash. For example, if other drivers on the road share some blame for causing the accident, you can sue them in addition to the taxi driver. Multiple drivers may be held liable if they all share blame for the accident. If your case is successful, each defendant will pay for your damages in proportion to their share of the overall blame for the crash.
Available Damages in an NYC Taxi Accident Lawsuit
Various damages might be available in your case, and our NYC taxi accident lawyers can help you accurately calculate these damages. Damages may be economic and connected to a specific amount of money, like a bill or invoice. Damages can also be non-economic and have no pre-determined monetary value. Punitive damages may be added to your economic and non-economic compensatory damages as a punishment for the defendant’s bad behavior.
Economic Damages
Your economic damages should include your medical bills after a taxi accident. Plaintiffs are rushed to the hospital for emergency medical care in many cases. Ambulance rides, hospital visits, surgeries, and medication are very expensive. The defendant should be made to cover these damages.
If you were hit by a taxi while driving your own vehicle, the costs to repair or replace your vehicle should also be claimed in your damages. Not only are vehicle repairs very costly, but people rely on their cars to get to work and make a living. Our NYC taxi accident lawyers can help you recover these costs and get your life back.
If you had to take time away from work to recover from your injuries, you might have lost a significant amount of income. Your lost income and any income you anticipate losing in the future should be added to your total damages.
Non-Economic Damages
Not all your injuries come with a financial cost, but they still deserve compensation. Significant sources of discomfort for injured plaintiffs are their mental and physical pain and suffering. Your physical injuries might be extremely painful, and the pain can last long after the accident is over. Car crashes are also very traumatic experiences, and even people who are physically unharmed report feeling anxious, depressed, or scared after the accident.
These experiences can interfere with your ability to live a full and happy life. In some cases, they prevent people from completing ordinary daily tasks like going to school or work. The more your life is impacted by your pain and suffering, the greater your damages.
Evidence Needed for a Taxi Accident Case in NYC
You will need as much strong evidence as you can gather to support your case against the taxi driver and possibly their employer. Immediately after your accident, you should take pictures and record videos of the accident scene if you can do so. These pictures and videos might be the only recordings of the accident scene available after law enforcement clears the scene away.
In New York City, there are security cameras everywhere. Our NYC taxi accident lawyers can track down security camera footage from nearby homes and businesses. Hopefully, one of these cameras caught your accident on video that shows the taxi driver causing the accident.
Witnesses can lend your case credibility and back up your claims against the defendant. The more witnesses who can testify about how your accident happened, the better your odds of success. Additionally, any evidence from the accident site, like the vehicles themselves or details about your injuries, will greatly help your case.
How an Attorney Can Help Your NYC Taxi Accident Case
Our NYC taxi accident lawyers can help you begin your case by drafting and filing a complaint. The complaint is the document that kicks your case off, and it is extremely important. Crucial details about the defendant, you, and how the accident happened must be included. We must also include information about your damages and what kind of relief you want from the court.
An attorney can also help you determine which court in which to file your case. Not just any court can handle your case. The court must have proper jurisdiction over the accident and the parties involved. Jurisdiction is often a complex and convoluted issue, and getting it wrong might mean starting over from square one.
Your lawyer should also help you develop the most effective legal strategies for your case. Proving liability in court requires arguing finer points of law and applying them to the complex facts of your case. Your lawyer has the skills and experience necessary to argue your case.
Call Our NYC Taxi Accident Lawyers
You should not have to suffer in silence after a taxi accident in New York City. Our NYC taxi accident attorneys can help you get your damages paid for. Call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 for a free case review.