No Win, No FeeIf you’ve been injured in a crash while you were a passenger in a taxi or if your vehicle was hit by a taxi, you may be entitled to compensation for any injuries. In this guide about taxi accident claims, we’ll explain how the claims process works and what types of accidents could allow you to claim compensation.
Our specially-trained advisors are on hand if you would like a free initial consultation about your taxi accident. During the call, you can ask questions and you’ll receive no-obligation advice after your case has been reviewed. If we believe you should be compensated and one of our personal injury solicitors agrees to represent you, they’ll do so on a No Win, No Fee basis. That means you won’t need to cover any legal fees in advance which should make the taxi accident claims process less stressful.
To see if we could help you begin a taxi accident claim, please get in touch on 0800 652 1345. Alternatively, please continue reading to learn more about your options.
What is a taxi accident compensation claim?
A taxi accident compensation claim is a request for financial compensation made by the claimant who has been injured in an accident involving a taxi. The purpose of the claim is to seek compensation for personal injuries and other damages, i.e. medical expenses, lost earnings, and other costs that have been incurred as a result of the accident.
Our solicitors could help with a taxi accident claim. That means we could help passengers, taxi drivers, pedestrians, other drivers and other road users claim compensation if they’ve been injured in an accident involving a taxi that was not their fault.
Can I claim compensation for a taxi accident?
Although our personal injury lawyers would like to help all potential claimants, they can only take on cases where there is a fair chance compensation will be awarded. As such, before accepting a taxi accident claim, the solicitor will check whether:
- You were owed a legal duty of care by the defendant; and
- The defendant’s negligence led to an accident involving a taxi; and
- You were injured as a result of the accident.
Proving a legal duty of care is usually quite straightforward in most car crashes as all drivers must drive as safely as possible to avoid accidents because of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This applies to taxi drivers as well as other road users. Additionally, taxi operators will have licencing conditions from the local authority with regard to vehicle safety which must also be adhered to.
Rather than worrying about legislation, you could concentrate on proving how the taxi accident happened, who was to blame and how you’ve suffered. We’ll explain what proof could be used to do this shortly.
Common injuries from accidents involving taxis
Unfortunately, there are a variety of injuries that could result from road accidents. Some common injuries from road accidents that lead to taxi accident claims include:
- Whiplash (soft tissue injuries of the neck, shoulders and back).
- Minor cuts, lacerations and abrasions.
- Mild to severe bruising.
- Fractures of the arms, legs, pelvis and ribs.
- Spinal cord injuries (that can result in paralysation).
- Internal organ damage.
- Concussions and more severe head injuries.
- Sprains, strains and tears (muscles, ligaments, tendons etc).
No matter what type of injury you’ve suffered in an accident involving a taxi, we could help you to claim if the accident was not your fault.
What could I make a taxi accident claim for?
There are several ways that a taxi can be involved in an accident so, in the next few sections, we’ll look at several scenarios that could mean you’re entitled to compensation.
Accidents where the taxi driver is to blame
If you are involved in a car accident caused by a taxi driver’s negligence, you could claim for the injuries you sustained. For example, if the taxi driver was fatigued, intoxicated, or driving carelessly and you were injured as a result.
Usually, the claim will be made against the taxi driver or the taxi firm’s insurance policy. That means that an injured passenger could make a taxi accident compensation claim as could the occupants of any third-party vehicle involved in the accident.
Accidents where another driver is to blame
If you are in a taxi that crashes because of another driver’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation. Importantly, you are able to appoint your own solicitor rather than one appointed by the taxi driver’s insurers. In most cases, claims against 3rd party drivers will be made against their motor insurance provider.
Accidents caused by road and weather conditions
In some cases, an accident can occur without any other driver being involved. This can occur because the taxi driver braked suddenly or skidded on an icy or unsafe road because they were not driving appropriately for the road or weather conditions. Collisions caused by skids can result in the taxi passenger suffering injuries and, as such, could lead to a taxi accident claim against the driver.
In some cases, our solicitors might pursue compensation from the council or local authority if the road had not been maintained properly.
Pedestrians and cyclists hit by a taxi
As with any other type of RTA, pedestrians that have been hit by a taxi could sue for any injuries sustained. In 2022, the hierarchy of road users was altered to try and protect the more vulnerable such as cyclists and pedestrians.
If you’re a cyclist hit by a taxi or a pedestrian and the accident was the driver’s fault, please let us know and we’ll review your options for free.
Hit-and-runs
While hit-and-run accidents are quite rare, they do unfortunately happen. If you’re involved in a taxi accident where the responsible driver doesn’t stop at the accident scene, you might be wondering if there’s any way to claim compensation. Fortunately, all insured drivers contribute a levy to the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB).
The MIB help to compensate those injured in hit-and-run accidents or accidents involving uninsured drivers.
As you can see, taxi accident claims are possible for many different types of accidents. In many cases, it may not always be clear who was to blame. If you’d like us to review what happened and explain your legal options for free, please contact us today.
How much taxi accident compensation can I claim?
If you are injured in a taxi crash, you could be awarded compensation for any suffering you endured. This is called general damages and is based on the severity of your injuries. Additionally, if you’ve been left out of pocket because of the accident, special damages could be claimed to recoup your losses.
As such, if you make a successful taxi accident claim, you may receive compensation to cover:
- Physical pain, discomfort and suffering.
- Psychological damage caused by anxiety, distress and similar forms of mental harm.
- Any negative effect your injuries have on your normal activities (loss of amenity).
- Loss of income because of the taxi accident. For longer-term injuries that reduce your ability to work, future losses could also be claimed.
- Damage to your personal property.
- Medical expenses including private hospital treatment.
- The cost of a professional carer or supportive friend or family member.
- Travel costs including alternative transport arrangements.
- Quality of life improvements to your home if you’ve suffered a permanent disability.
How does my solicitor know how the taxi accident has affected me?
The amount awarded as general damages in a successful taxi accident claim will be based on your level of suffering. As part of the taxi accident claims process, this will need to be verified during an independent medical assessment. At your appointment, a specialist will examine your injuries, discuss their impact on your life and review your medical records. They’ll then forward a report about your injuries to your solicitor and the defendant’s insurers.
As you can see, there is a lot to think about before you file a taxi accident compensation claim. If you decide to take on representation from one of our solicitors, they’ll get a full understanding of how you’ve been affected so that they can try and ensure you’re fully compensated.
How to prove fault in a taxi accident claim
If you are unfortunate enough to be injured in a taxi-related accident, you’ll need as much proof as possible to try and prove what happened, who was at fault, and how you suffered as a result. This can include:
- Information about the taxi and its driver. This should include the local authority licence number, the taxi’s registration plate, the driver’s contact details and insurance details.
- Medical records. After any type of RTA, it’s best to get your injuries x-rayed and checked at a hospital. Later on, your medical notes could be used to prove the extent of your injuries.
- Witness details. Always speak to anybody who stopped at the scene of the taxi accident and take their contact details in case your solicitor needs to ask them for a statement.
- Dashcam footage. If footage of the accident was captured on a dashcam, ask for a copy as quickly as possible.
- Accident scene photographs. If you can do so safely, try to take pictures of the taxi accident scene before any vehicles are moved away.
After your accident, the next step might be to seek legal advice about claiming taxi accident compensation. Before you do, it’s a good idea to write down as much as you can about what happened so that it’s clearer when you speak to your solicitor.
If you have collected any proof to support your claim, please try and have it ready if you can when you call.
What if I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt?
By law, you must wear a seatbelt if you’re a passenger in a taxi or any other type of car (with a few exceptions). You may think, therefore, that if you’re injured in a taxi accident, you wouldn’t be entitled to compensation. However, if your solicitor can prove that you’d have sustained the injuries even if you had been wearing a seatbelt, it may still be possible to claim for your suffering.
Taxi accident claims time limits
If you were injured in a taxi accident and want to claim compensation for your suffering, you’ll have 3-years to do so. For most taxi accidents, this will start from the date of the accident. However, please ask our advisors to be sure in your own situation.
If a child is injured in a taxi accident, their time limit does not start until their 18t birthday. For this reason, parents, guardians or adult relatives could claim on the child’s behalf at any time before then by applying to become a litigation friend.
We would suggest that you don’t wait too long to start the claims process as it’s usually much easier to find proof to support your claim if you start sooner rather than later.
No Win, No Fee claims
We understand that paying legal fees to be represented by a solicitor can put you off from claiming compensation for a taxi accident. However, we believe that you have a better chance of winning a fair settlement if you’re represented by a specialist injury solicitor. So, to reduce your financial risk and to try and improve your chances of being compensated, our solicitors work on a No Win, No Fee basis for any taxi accident claim they handle.
If you make a claim with us, your solicitor won’t ask you to pay any legal fees upfront. You also won’t need to pay for their work if the claim is lost. Should there be a positive outcome to your claim though, your solicitor will deduct a success fee of up to 25% (legally capped) of your settlement to cover the cost of their work.
Your success fee will be listed in your No Win, No Fee agreement so it will be clear from the start.
Start a taxi accident claim today
Our team are ready to answer any questions you might have about taxi accident claims so call today on 0800 652 1345 to get started. During your no-obligation review, you’ll receive straightforward advice about what to do next after your case has been reviewed.
We’ll reiterate that your solicitor will handle all aspects of the claim on a No Win, No Fee basis so you won’t have to pay any legal fees unless compensation is awarded.
Our live chat service is available if you’ve any more questions about taxi accident claims process so please feel free to get in touch.
