For decades, taxi cab drivers have provided a necessary service to the community. Just because you don’t have a car doesn’t mean that you don’t need to get around. Whether it’s a trip to the store, work, or the doctor’s office, taxi cabs take people where they need to go. Even as Rideshare Apps like Uber and Lyft mean a shift away from taxis, there are still millions of people who rely on taxis.
In addition to the normal issues that arise when someone is in an accident, having a taxi involved can create even more headaches.
Taxi InsuranceMost taxis operate on slim margins. Drivers have to pay for the car, pay to repair the car, pay for gas, and even pay the local government. Therefore, drivers often try to take all steps possible to reduce their expenses. One way this is done is to reduce the cost of insurance.
In Massachusetts, most insurance coverage that a car has is optional. There are only a few parts of the standard insurance policy that are required. As you can imagine, carrying on the mandatory minimum insurance can be risky, as there are many types of accidents and injuries that are simply not covered.
At the same time, many taxi owners and drivers skip having insurance altogether. Instead, they operate as a “self-insured,” meaning they will pay for injuries out of their own pocket. To do this, they simply purchase a surety bond and start driving. This leads to all sorts of problems.
The biggest problem is that self-insured cabs usually don’t have enough money to cover all of the damages. Adding salt to the wound, most cab companies are set up to ensure that an owner won’t have to pay out of his own pocket if there’s a crash. Long story short, injured passengers fight an uphill battle to get the compensation they deserve.
Injured Taxi Cab DriversWhen a taxi driver is injured in a car crash, one of the most important things to figure out is whether the driver was working for someone else. If the driver was indeed an employee of someone else, he/she will be entitled to Workers Compensation benefits. This coverage can pay for the drivers medical bills and compensate them for some of their lost wages.
If the driver rents a cab or owns the cab himself, he/she is most likely not going to be considered an employee. The driver then would simply be entitled to the Personal Injury Protection benefits that are contained in the car’s auto insurance.
Regardless of whether the driver is an employee or independent contract, compensation for pain and suffering will still be available if another car is at fault for the accident.
You Need an Experienced AttorneyWhether you were driving the cab or were a passenger in it, there are many variables when you pursue a claim. An experienced attorney will know what insurance coverage is available and will know how to obtain it.
Whether we’re pursuing Workers Compensation benefits, Personal Injury Protection benefits, Uninsured Motorist benefits, or going directly against the at-fault driver, the attorneys at Marcotte Law FIrm have the experience necessary to get you the compensation you deserve.
If you were injured in a taxi cab collision, call the experienced lawyers at Marcotte Law Firm for a free consultation.