When you take a taxi, you do not expect to end up in an accident that leaves you injured. Unfortunately, taxi accidents in Baytown can happen just as easily as any other car or truck accidents.
Get the legal help you need by contacting a local car accident attorney as soon as possible after the accident. A lawyer could determine who is liable for the damages, negotiate with insurance companies, and then fight for compensation.
Common Reasons for Taxi Accidents
Taxi crashes in Baytown could be caused by any one of these factors:
- Speeding
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Poorly maintained taxi vehicles
- Overworked and fatigued taxi drivers
- Taxi drivers who are distracted by their passengers or their phones
An experienced attorney could carefully investigate the accident, examining photos of the crash scene, police records, medical records, taxi logs, and eyewitness accounts. Finding out who is liable for the damages is a key aspect of a personal injury case because it determines who is responsible for the cost of the injuries and other damages.
Liability in a Taxi Accident
Negligent taxi drivers in Baytown are sometimes liable for damages in vehicle accidents. However, there may be other liable parties involved.
Taxi Company
A taxi company may have hired an incompetent driver or a driver with a history of negligence, making the company partially liable for the accident. If the taxi company encourages its drivers to work long hours, they could be held liable for a crash that occurred because of a drowsy taxi driver. The company may also be held liable if they did not keep their vehicles maintained properly, and the accident was caused by a defective vehicle.
Vehicle Maintenance Company
Vehicle maintenance companies that are hired to keep taxis in safe working condition could be held responsible for an accident if they failed to do their job properly.
Local or State Government
If a poorly-maintained road or broken traffic signal caused the taxi accident, the government entity that is responsible for the road could be held liable for damages. Filing a lawsuit against the government requires different actions, so it is important to work with a lawyer who knows how to do it.
Other Drivers on the Highway
If another driver caused the taxi accident, a lawyer could show the driver’s negligence and help hold that driver responsible for the damages.
Recovering Damages in a Taxi Accident Case
There are two main types of damages in personal injury cases: economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical expenses incurred by the accident, ongoing medical care, loss of wages due to injuries, and loss of the ability to earn wages. Other economic damages may include the cost of repairs to personal property.
Non-economic damages are not as easy to put a dollar amount on, but that does not mean they are less important. They can include pain and suffering, emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and permanent disability.
A lawyer could determine the total amount of damages in a Baytown taxi accident, and then seek full compensation.
Schedule a Consultation with a Taxi Accident Lawyer in Baytown
At Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, LLP, we work diligently to protect our clients’ rights to compensation. Taxi accidents in Baytown do not have to go unnoticed. Get the legal help you need to hold the liable party responsible for your losses.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We are here to help you navigate this legal matter, so you can recover in peace.
