Taxis can be a convenient method of transportation in Louisiana’s metropolitan areas, and passengers entering a cab expect to be taken to their destination safely. While many taxi drivers are skilled and follow road rules, accidents happen, and people may get injured, suffer permanent disabilities, or even die.
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a taxicab accident, you may be able to get compensation through a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Sometimes the crash is at the fault of the taxi driver, and sometimes it may be at the fault of another driver who hit the taxi. Whatever the situation, injured parties may want to seek legal advice on how to get compensation.
The Alexandria taxicab accident lawyers at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers are available to review the circumstances of your case. You can concentrate on your recovery while we handle all legal and insurance matters to fight for the restitution and justice you seek.
There are time limits for filing a lawsuit in Louisiana, and evidence evaporates quickly, so do not delay. Our car accident lawyers in Alexandria provide a free consultation to evaluate your case, and there is never an attorney’s fee until we win your case. Call us today to get started.
Determine if You Have Grounds for a Taxicab Accident Lawsuit
Because taxis are commercial vehicles, taxi drivers have a duty of care to drive safely and take reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of their passengers. Drivers and cab owners have a duty to keep their vehicles in a safe condition and obey traffic rules while transporting passengers. Our Alexandria personal injury lawyers will investigate the circumstances of the crash and determine if negligence played a role.
If a taxi driver or another responsible party did something that caused a crash and you got injured, you may have grounds to get compensation from:
- The driver
- The taxi company
- The insurance company
- The manufacturer of the taxi or its parts
- Drivers of other vehicles who may have caused the accident
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientCauses of Taxi Accidents That May Entitle You to Compensation
Taxi drivers are used to navigating traffic, dealing with passengers and other drivers, and getting to destinations quickly, but they can still make mistakes that result in accidents. Common causes of taxicab accidents include:
- Driving while distracted by passengers, phones, texts, vehicle controls, etc.
- Driving while impaired or fatigued
- Not obeying traffic signals
- Speeding, tailgating, or not following other rules of the road
In cases where another driver caused the accident, the taxi driver may not be at fault. In other cases, the fault may be with the taxi company that hired a driver without proper background checks or failed to do proper maintenance on the cab. Other cases may point at the vehicle itself if there was a manufacturing defect in the vehicle or its parts, such as with brakes that failed.
Determining the cause of the accident is important, as our attorneys want to include all negligent parties in the lawsuit.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientDetermine Who Was Negligent When Filing Your Lawsuit
In your lawsuit, your attorney must be able to prove that another party (the defendant) was negligent, at fault for the accident, and therefore liable for your damages so that you may receive appropriate compensation. Your lawyer may argue that the following factors exist in your case:
- Duty of care: The defendant owed you a duty of care, such as driving safely or properly maintaining the vehicle.
- Breach of duty: The defendant breached that duty by certain actions or failure to act.
- Causation: This failure led to the crash that caused your injury.
- Damages: You suffered damages as a result.
So that all negligent parties are named in the lawsuit, your legal team may need to investigate and examine the circumstances of your accident to see if the taxi driver, the company that employed the driver, or the manufacturer of defective auto parts could be liable.
This can be done by interviewing witnesses and first responders, examining and photographing the accident scene, acquiring police reports, obtaining medical records, and reviewing video footage from traffic or CCTV cameras. In some cases, your lawyer may use accident reconstruction experts as additional testimonies in your case.
Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today at (337) 777-7777 for a free case review with one of our team members and learn how an Alexandria taxicab accident lawyer may be able to help you with your case.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientYou May Be Entitled to Different Types of Compensation
The compensation you may receive depends on the circumstances of the accident, the extent and permanence of your injuries, and the insurance coverage of the negligent parties. Taxis are required to carry more insurance than regular drivers, but insurance companies will attempt to settle for the lowest amounts possible. Our attorneys are aware of the tactics insurance companies use, which is why we approach negotiations seriously and fight hard for fair compensation.
In Louisiana, the types of compensation you may receive are called special damages and general damages.
Special damages are for quantifiable monetary losses and expenses, such as:
- Cost of medical and rehabilitative bills
- Loss of wages and future earnings
- Loss of property and vehicle loss or repairs
General damages are for losses that may not have a monetary value, such as:
- Physical and emotional anguish, or pain and suffering
- Physical disfigurement
- Loss of quality of life
In cases of extreme negligence, such as a drunk driver accident, you may also be awarded punitive damages, which are meant to discourage such behavior from happening again.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientLouisiana Laws to Know Before Filing Your Lawsuit
Louisiana has several laws that may affect your case. Be aware of the following:
- Statute of limitations. Louisiana Civil Code 3493.1 imposes a deadline of two years from the day of the injury or damage to file your case, or it may be dismissed.
- Comparative fault. Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2323, if you are partially at fault or have contributed to the accident in some way, such as by arguing with or distracting the taxi driver, your damage award may be reduced in proportion to the percentage you are found to be at fault.
Call Us for Help With Taxicab Accidents
If you have been involved in an accident involving a taxi in Louisiana, the Alexandria taxicab accident lawyers at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers are prepared to fight for the compensation you may be entitled to.
Call us at (337) 777-7777 for your free case evaluation to examine the facts of your accident so that we can determine the best way to move forward.
