Whether you need a ride to the Miami Beach Convention Center or you’re taking a quick trip to South Beach for a party, calling for a taxi in Miami is one of the most convenient ways to get around the South Florida city. Although hailing a cab represents a popular method for transportation in the city, the fact remains that a large number of taxis in Miami translates into a higher number of vehicle accidents involving cabs.
If a Miami taxi, or any taxi, struck your vehicle, you need to know how to handle yourself in the immediate aftermath of the accident.
What to Do After an Accident with a Taxi
Your first priority after an accident with any type of vehicle is to make sure you did not suffer any serious injuries. If you did sustain injuries of any kind from your accident, you need to seek medical attention immediately. If you came out of the accident in relatively good shape, you need to find a safe area where you can move your vehicle. Unfortunately, Miami is home to dozens of causeways that leave little, if any, room for motorists to pull over into a safe zone to wait. If the accident with a taxi happened on one of Miami’s causeways, you need to call the Miami police department immediately for assistance. The responding officers can set up safety cones and other equipment to block off the scene of the accident.
The responding law enforcement officers will also conduct a thorough investigation of the accident scene. When they finish with their investigation, one of the officers will type up an accident report. Obtaining a copy of this accident report is crucial for you because it represents the official version of the events that took place. Insurance companies mainly base their claim decisions on the information presented in the police’s accident report (a.k.a., the police report about your accident). However, you should still investigate by taking photographs of the accident scene and speaking with witnesses directly after your accident. The sooner you speak with witnesses, the more accurate the accounts of the accident will be, and this will likely give you an advantage when you’re dealing with insurance.
Do You Qualify for Compensation?
All of the work you put into collecting evidence is for submitting an insurance claim. However, if a Miami taxi driver, or any taxi driver, was negligent in causing the accident, then you might have enough evidence to file a civil lawsuit that rewards you with monetary compensation for the damages you suffered. Compensation takes care of medical bills that can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, as well as the cost of repairing any damage done to your vehicle. You also can file a claim in a civil court to receive punitive damages, which are damages that punish the driver of the taxi for committing negligence.
Driver negligence comes in many forms. However, in our contemporary digital age, the use of an electronic device while operating a motor vehicle is quickly becoming the main cause of driver negligence. Cab drivers frequently access the computer secured on the dashboard to confirm fares. They also usually spend a lot of time on their phones talking and texting. As such, your attainment and safe keeping of witness accounts of the accident might reveal that your cab driver was using an electronic device at the time of the crash. Negligence also comes into play when a taxi driver violated one or more traffic laws.
Next Steps: Working With An Attorney
If you have been in a car accident involving a taxi driver in Miami, or any other city, it is important that you consider working with a personal injury attorney that is licensed in Florida. This is because a personal injury attorney can help you gather the compelling evidence—among other important information—you need, as well as assist you in every other aspect of your claim which will ultimately give you the best chance at winning the compensation you deserve. It is important to note that most personal injury lawyers get paid on a contingency fee basis, meaning they will not be paid unless you win your case.
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*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against a Miami taxi, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
