Taxi Lawyers in NYC Can Help You Get Compensation
New York City seems to have more than its share of taxis, so it comes as little surprise that they are involved in many accidents. For victims of these accidents, the results can be traumatic and devastating, leading to serious injuries, long-term care, loss of income from inability to work, and even death. When that happens, it can often be difficult to figure out which insurance company is primarily responsible for compensating you, how much coverage is actually available to you, and whether any third parties should bear some of the cost of paying your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and other legal damages.
If you were seriously injured or a loved one has died in a wreck involving a New York City taxicab, the legal team at Kaplan Lawyers PC will aggressively hold the driver or taxi company accountable. We are well-versed in legal and insurance issues and can fight for maximum compensation to pay all of your damages. Over the years we have successfully argued cases and negotiated high-dollar insurance settlements for many people injured by the negligence and recklessness of taxi drivers. We handle cases in all five boroughs and all of Long island and are prepared to work hard to see that you get the compensation you deserve for what you’ve been through.
We offer a free consultation to discuss the details of your case and determine the best way to move forward, and there are no fees to you unless and until we win your case, so call us today at (516) 399-2364.
How Kaplan Lawyers Can Help You After an NYC Taxi Accident
Our Taxi Accident Lawyers in NYC Start Working to Win Your Case Immediately.
With thousands of lawyers to choose from, why call Kaplan Lawyers? The taxi accident attorneys at Kaplan Lawyers have decades of legal experience and are highly skilled. They have a winning track record and provide top-notch client service.
When you have our taxi accident lawyers on your side, we will…
- Listen to your version of what happened, determine if you have a valid case, who the at-fault parties may be, and estimate what a fair settlement should be.
- Make sure you get the medical treatment you need and that your treatments and symptoms are properly documented.
- Take care of all legal matters, filings, deadlines, and court appearances.
- Investigate your case, gathering evidence such as police and medical reports, photos and videos from surveillance cameras, and interviewing witnesses and first responders.
- Hire experts to reconstruct the crash scene and provide testimony as to what happened and experts to testify as to your costs and injuries and their effects on your life.
- Deal with communications and negotiations with insurance companies and their lawyers.
- Take your case to court and handle all aspects of a trial if necessary.
Our skilled team of NYC taxi accident lawyers will be there for you throughout the entire legal process, answering you questions and addressing your concerns.
Call us today to get started at (516) 399-2364.
What Can I Get in a Taxicab Settlement?
Our NYC taxi accident attorneys can win compensation that covers all your monetary expenses, as well as non-economic damages.
Whether you were in an accident while a passenger in a taxi, a motorist or passenger in another vehicle that collided with a taxi, or a bicyclist or pedestrian hit by a taxi, Kaplan Lawyers will work to win compensation for all the expenses you have faced and are likely to experience in the future. These are referred to as “damages,” and include:
Economic damages for your monetary costs, including:
- Medical and rehabilitation expenses – doctor visits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, physical therapy, tests, treatments and medications
- Lost income – past and future for being unable to work
- Property damage
Non-economic damages for costs that do not have a specific dollar value but are just as important because they negatively impact your life, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of quality of life
Amounts of Damage Awards You May Receive
There are a wide range of damage award amounts possible in a taxi accident lawsuit, from thousands to millions of dollars. Amounts vary depending on the factors of the individual case, such as the extent and permanence of the injuries, whether you will need continuing care, whether you will be able to return to work, and whether there is a wrongful death involved. The skill and negotiating power of your attorney are also factors.
Our attorneys know that suing another driver and their insurance company can feel overwhelming, especially if you are injured, going to lots of doctor appointments, and don’t feel well. Let us handle the paperwork and help you determine how much you deserve in damages.
Call Kaplan Lawyers today (516) 399-2364
Dealing With Insurance in a Taxi Accident Claim
The Route to Compensation through a Cabbie’s Insurance Company Is Seldom Easy
In order to be licensed by the city, New York taxicabs are legally required to carry no-fault insurance. It pays for a certain level of damages – medical bills, wage loss and some expenses related to your injuries – regardless of who was at fault. But if you have suffered a serious injury, don’t be surprised if your bills and other losses end up being higher than the no-fault limits. Once no-fault insurance is exhausted, you may be able to seek further compensation from the taxicab company’s liability insurance. Licensed limousine and taxi services in New York City must carry liability insurance policies that pay a minimum of $100,000 to one person and $300,000 for all persons injured in a single accident. But unlicensed “gypsy cabs” could carry as little as $25,000 for one person and only $50,000 for all persons injured in one accident. New to the taxicab scene, Uber and Lyft ridesharing drivers have $1 million in liability coverage. It’s also possible to augment the aforementioned compensation from the other driver in the accident if he or she shares blame for the wreck.
In spite of the true facts surrounding the accident that injured you, in an attempt to reduce – or completely deny – their liability, taxicabs, their companies, and their insurance carriers (and lawyers) will likely argue that you were partially (or completely) at fault. Other common arguments cabbies use to wiggle out of paying damages include charges that you weren’t wearing a seatbelt or that you were injured after you exited the taxi. That’s why the seasoned taxicab injury attorneys with Kaplan Lawyers PC work with experienced accident investigators to mitigate attempts by taxicab drivers, their employers and insurers to evade liability. Investigators measure skid marks, analyze vehicle damage, locate and interview witnesses, and find video footage from cameras in the area that reinforce your injury claims. If injured in a taxicab accident, you should demand that the police be called and that you be taken to a local hospital for immediate treatment, even if you’re feeling fine.
NYC Taxi Attorneys Must Prove Liability
Taxicab drivers are liable for injuries they cause when they hit other vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists, as well as their own passengers. To win your case, our taxi attorneys must prove that another party, the defendant in the case, was negligent or at fault for causing your accident, and that you suffered damages as a result. Legally this means proving that:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care not to cause harm.
- The defendant breached that duty by actions or failing to act.
- The breach caused your injuries.
- The injuries resulted in actual damages.
New York City taxi accidents can be rather confusing legal proceedings, because there are times when multiple parties can contribute to the accident, such as . . .
- The taxicab driver
- The taxicab company
- Other drivers
- The manufacturer of the taxi or its parts, if these were defective
- The company responsible for maintaining the cab
- Government agencies, where, for example, a poorly maintained road or defective traffic light contributed to the accident.
Our Kaplan attorneys would look to name all liable parties as defendants in your lawsuit, as they all may have insurance or assets that can go toward a settlement.
Our Taxi Accident Lawyers in NYC Answer Your Questions
It’s only natural to have questions after a taxi accident. Here are some answers to questions our attorneys are often asked:
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Do I need an attorney to handle my claim?
No, but it’s likely that the cab’s insurance company employs an army of attorneys, adjusters, and experts. To be fairly compensated you must hire a law firm which focuses on this type of law. Our legal team has decades of experience and a proven track record of maximizing settlements, which places us in the best position to assure you’ll get all you are entitled to.
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What are the time limits for filing a lawsuit after a taxi accident?
New York has a statute of limitations, a time limit for filing personal injury lawsuits. According to the law, (NY Civil Practice Laws & Rules Section 214), you generally must file a lawsuit within three years from the date of the incident, and the time is usually shorter if the defendant is a municipality. Except for some rare exceptions, if you let the deadline expire, the courts are likely to dismiss your case.
Because of this time limit, it makes sense to contact our attorneys as soon as you can after the accident to allow sufficient time to investigate and build a case on your behalf.
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Can I bring a claim even if the cab driver wasn’t 100 percent at fault?
Yes. New York law follows the pure comparative negligence rule. It states that an injured party can be compensated for their injuries in proportion to their percentage of contributing to the accident. So, if a jury believes that a claimant was 10 percent at fault, the “negligent” party must pay 90 percent of the claimant’s damages. Our attorneys will investigate carefully and gather evidence to prove negligence.
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How will my medical bills get paid?
If you were a passenger in the cab, or a pedestrian or bicyclist struck by a cab, your medical bills will be paid by the cab’s insurance company. If you were the driver or passenger in a vehicle that was hit by a cab, your medical bills will first be paid for by the insurance company for the car that you were in. No-fault insurance will also pay for lost wages, prescription costs, transportation to medical providers, and reasonable expenses for household services. It does NOT pay for pain and suffering, for which you need to bring a lawsuit.
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What is the legal definition of a serious injury?
A serious injury is defined under New York law as death; dismemberment; significant disfigurement; fracture; loss of a fetus; permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function, or system; permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member; significant limitation of use of a body function or system; or a medically determined injury or impairment of a non-permanent nature which prevents the injured person from performing substantially all of the material acts which constitute such person’s usual and customary daily activities for not less than ninety days during the 180 days immediately following the occurrence of the injury or impairment.
Call Our NYC Taxicab Accident Lawyer for Help
NEW YORK WORKPLACE INJURY LAWYERS
If you or a family member has been injured in a taxicab accident or a car or other vehicle accident, we offer a free consultation to discuss your case. If you’ve been hospitalized, we will come to see you.
Kaplan Lawyers PC works on a contingency basis, which means we do not collect any legal fees unless we obtain a verdict or acceptable settlement on your behalf. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by having us fight for your rights, so call us today to get started.
Call Kaplan Lawyers PC in NYC at (516) 399-2364