Taxi accidents are unique because they involve the driver and the company employing them. You may be confused about how to seek compensation if you experience an accident as a passenger in a taxi, limousine, Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare company.
There are a number of different companies offering transportation services in the Fishers, Indiana, area. These include AAA Hoosier Cab, Airport Taxi, AAA Indy Taxi, Lyft, Uber, Indy Airport Taxi, zTrip, and Freedom Cab.
If you were injured in an accident on a trip in a taxi or rideshare vehicle, a Fishers taxi accident lawyer can help ensure you get just compensation to cover your injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other expenses you incur as a result of the incident.
Here is what you need to know if you have been in a taxi accident in Hamilton County, Indiana.
Causes of Car Accidents in Hamilton County
In 2020, Hamilton County had 6,196 accidents and 26 fatalities. The whole state of Indiana saw 813 fatal accidents during that same year. Though accidents are rare, they do occur whether you are driving a passenger in a taxi, limo, or rideshare vehicle.
What are the causes of these accidents?
- Driving under the influence. Of traffic deaths in the country, 30% are drivers under the influence. In Indiana, you are too drunk to drive if your blood alcohol content is 0.08% or higher. However, the limit for commercial drivers is 0.04%. Drunk drivers have slow reaction times and poor decision-making abilities, which is why they cause so many serious accidents.
- Speeding. Of all fatal accidents, 29% involve driving too fast over the posted speed limit. Drivers can lose control or take too long to react when their vehicle is traveling at high speeds. Rollovers, crossing the median, and other dangerous incidents are possible when traveling at high speeds.
- Inattentive and distracted driving. Drivers using their cell phones, eating, or fiddling with their radios caused 3,142 fatal accidents in the US in 2020. There are actually laws to protect people from such incidents. In Indiana, you cannot use your cell phone while driving unless it is in voice control or another hands-free mode.
- Poor road conditions. Fishers sees plenty of rain, snow, ice, and high winds over the course of a year. Drivers are responsible for adjusting their speed and following distance to account for conditions. However, sometimes accidents still happen.
If you are in a taxi, you may suffer whiplash or bump your head due to an abrupt stop or have a taxi sideswipe you, run over your foot, or hit you as a pedestrian crossing the road. In all these cases, the driver is liable, and a Fishers car accident lawyer at an Indiana personal injury law firm can help you get compensation from the taxi company’s insurer or a personal injury case.
What to Do After a Taxi Accident in Fishers
There are several steps you should take after being involved in a taxi accident. The evidence or information you collect at the scene can help you and your taxi accident attorney build a case if needed.
Here are what you should do after a taxi accident in Fishers, Indiana:
- Seek medical help or provide first aid if needed, and call the police.
- Obtain driver’s licenses and insurance proof from every driver involved in the accident.
- Note the taxi company, taxi car number, and other identification numbers. You should also be able to get a number to contact the taxi company directly.
- See if there were any witnesses. You can obtain their contact details so that your Fishers personal injury lawyer can ask questions to help build your case.
- Take pictures of the scene if it is safe to do so. Use your phone’s camera to document the damage to vehicles and any injuries you suffered. You can take photos of the accident site as well. These may capture some details that could be important later. Photos can also show things that escaped your notice at the time.
- After it becomes available, you can get a copy of the accident report from local law enforcement. This evidence will be important to your case.
- Get a medical checkup. Even if you do not need emergency care, you should get a medical checkup. The doctor may find injuries you didn’t notice because of the adrenaline rush after the accident. They can also furnish your taxi accident lawyer with a medical report to back up your injury claims.
After you have collected evidence and documented your injuries, the next step is to work with an auto accident attorney to figure out who is liable for the accident.
Who Is Liable in an Indiana Taxi or Limousine Accident?
Someone is liable for an accident if their actions or lack of action caused the incident to occur. In other words, they acted negligently.
This concept seems pretty straightforward, but there are a few things to consider.
First, taxi drivers rely on their licenses, low insurance premiums, and their vehicles. They may fight negligence claims if they are at fault for the accident. A taxi or rideshare accident lawyer can help you prove your case to the insurer or a civil court.
The taxi could hold the insurance policy and be partially or fully liable for covering your injury costs. Companies and commercial insurers may try to limit payouts by offering you a quick settlement or trying to prove that you were partially to blame for the accident. If you were a passenger, you are not likely to be liable for the accident itself. However, they could use the comparative negligence law in Indiana if, for example, you were not wearing your seatbelt or if you were crossing the street outside of the crosswalk when the taxi hit you.
The comparative negligence law assigns a percentage of fault to the case. You are responsible for that percentage of the cost. So if you are 25% responsible for your injuries because you did not wear a seatbelt, you will receive 75% of the total award amount from the court.
This is why it is always a good idea to have a car accident injury attorney help you with your case.
In addition to taxi and rideshare companies like AAA Hoosier Cab, Airport Taxi, AAA Indy Taxi, Lyft, Uber, Indy Airport Taxi, and Freedom Cab, an auto accident attorney can help with collisions involving limousine companies. These companies can include Indy Executive Limo, Top Shelf Tours, Pride Executive Car Service, Elan Limousine Service, Aadvanced Limousines, and Classic Touch Limousine.
Understanding What Expenses Qualify for Compensation
There are different categories of compensation you could qualify for if you were the victim of a taxi accident. Your car injury attorney can help you decide which types of claims you can pursue.
- Medical bills. Indiana is an at-fault state. This means that the liable driver or their insurance company has to pay medical bills for any victims of their negligent driving.
- Recovery and physical therapy. In addition to acute treatment, the settlement can cover ongoing care and therapy necessary for a full recovery. This could also include any equipment necessary for mobility due to a life-altering injury, such as the loss of a limb.
- Property damage. Insurance should cover any property damage as a direct result of the accident.
- Lost wages. If you cannot work due to injuries received during the taxi accident, the insurer should cover this income until you are able to work again.
- Disability. They may also cover care costs and lost income if you are permanently disabled.
- Pain and suffering. In some cases, you may also receive compensation for mental and physical pain suffered as a result of the accident.
- Wrongful death. A car crash lawyer can also work with the family of someone who died as a result of a taxi accident. The payout for this type of case can cover funeral expenses, loss of companionship, loss of income and support, and pain and suffering.
It might be difficult to decide what compensation you qualify for, and the insurance company may question certain claims. A car wreck lawyer can help you sort out the details and use evidence to support your claims.
Taxi Accident Attorney in Fishers, Indiana
Our injury law firm can work with victims of taxi, limousine, and rideshare accidents in Fishers, Indiana, and the wider Hamilton County area. We can help you support your claim, negotiate with the insurance company, deal with challenges from the drivers, and take your personal injury case to court if needed.
At SLG, our personal injury lawyers do not pursue a high volume of cases. Instead, we focus on each client so that we can help them pursue the best possible outcome for their case. With our team and personalized service, you can feel confident that your case is in good hands. This will allow you to focus on your recovery instead of on the stresses of dealing with lawyers and insurance companies.
If you were involved in a taxi accident in Fishers or Hamilton County, contact our legal experts today for a free, no-obligation consultation. You won’t have to pay fees unless we win your case.
Some of the locations around Fishers which our attorneys serve include Carmel, Noblesville, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Gary, Highland, Munster, East Chicago, Hammond, Lawrence, Westfield, and the greater Hamilton County area.
Additional Resources and FAQs
What Does A Car Accident Lawyer Do?
How Much Is a Car Accident Settlement Worth?