Phoenix Taxicab Accident Lawyer

You are leaving the airport after a grueling flight, and all you can think about is getting home, taking a shower, and going to bed. As you turn to exit the parking garage, a taxicab driver—just as eager to hit the road—slams into your car as he speeds away from the arrivals curb.

You note considerable damage to your front quarter panel before realizing you are not feeling completely clear-headed. You remember your head hitting the driver window upon the impact of the collision. Your car needs repair, and your head might need some work, too.

The question is, who is going to pay for it? And what about the passenger in the taxicab? She is not looking too great, either.

Whether you are the car driver or the taxicab passenger in this scenario, you need to call a taxicab accident lawyer in Phoenix, AZ. Call Zanes Law today at 602-999-9999 for a free legal consultation.

The Elements That Will Determine Your Taxicab Accident Case

The essential components of any car accident also apply in cases where one of the cars happens to be a taxicab. As the driver of the car you have to:

1. Prove liability
2. Prove damages

In the above example, the passenger in the taxicab does not have to worry about proving liability. She can file an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit against both drivers.

What to Do After a Taxicab Hits Your Car

The more information you can get, and the sooner you can get it, the better off you will be when you embark on your pursuit of damages in this accident.

Consider taking the following steps following the incident:

1. Gather names and contact details for all parties involved in the crash,
2. Gather names and contact information for any witnesses.
3. If possible, snap some photos of the accident scene from every angle.
4. Call the police so they can dispatch an officer to compile a police report
5. Do not leave the scene of the accident until a police officer has arrived and finished composing his or her report.
6. See a medical professional to check for injuries—some bodily damage might not be apparent to you but will be to a trained eye.
7. Call a taxicab accident lawyer in Phoenix, AZ from Zanes Law. We do everything from A to Z to recover the damages you deserve.

Determining the Insurance Company for Your Taxicab Accident in Phoenix

The team at Zanes Law will visit the accident scene to gather any evidence, document it, and file it. We will contact any witnesses and interview them about what they saw. Furthermore, we will gather police reports and obtain medical records for use in proving your damages.

That takes us to the next step in your taxicab accident scenario: contacting the insurance company. Zanes Law will do that, too.

In the case where the taxicab driver works for a taxi company, determining the insurer is much more clear-cut than in accidents with rideshare (Uber, Lyft) drivers. Because the taxicab companies own the cars that the drivers use and because the taxi companies employ the drivers, the employers are liable for accidents in which their drivers were negligent. Therefore, any damages resulting from these accidents are covered by the taxicab companies’ insurance.

On the other hand, if the driver owns the cab and operates it independently, he or she is responsible for carrying state minimum liability insurance for his taxi.

In Arizona, for-hire vehicles are required to carry:

• minimum $250,000 insurance policy (2-8 seating capacity)
• minimum $750,000 (9-15 seating capacity)

You should not have to concern yourself with all the grueling details of working with the insurance providers. Let Zanes Law handle it for you.

Proving Liability and Negligence Are Critical to Winning Your Claim or Lawsuit

When it comes to proving liability and negligence—the foundation of your insurance claim (or possibly injury lawsuit)—four criteria must be met.

They are as follows:

1. You must prove that it was the taxicab driver’s duty to behave in a certain manner.
2. You must prove that the taxicab driver did not fulfill this duty.
3. You must prove that the taxicab driver’s failure to fulfill this duty ultimately caused the accident and, in turn, your injuries.
4. You must prove that you experienced financial losses as a result of the accident.

Zanes Law can review all the evidence at hand, along with expert opinions we solicit, and assemble a compelling argument for the taxicab driver’s liability and negligence.

Filing Your Claim with the Insurance Company

Based on all the work done to this point, the next step in dealing with your taxicab accident is to file an insurance claim.

If you hire Zanes Law, we will send to the established insurer a demand letter outlining your damages. A negotiating process follows. Although we often succeed in reaching a fair settlement agreement, in the cases where the insurance company is not budging, we will proceed to file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf.

When the Insurer Does Not Play Ball, a Personal Injury Lawsuit Follows

Our litigation team will take your case, which we have built solid to the core, and present it in a court of law. We will argue the facts of the accident, complete with well-rounded evidence, witnesses’ and experts’ testimonies, and proof of the damages you have suffered at the hands of this taxicab driver.

In the end, a taxicab accident lawyer in Phoenix, AZ will have done everything from A to Z to see that your damages are covered.

Call Zanes Law today for a free legal consultation.  You can reach us at 602-999-9999.