Taxi Accident in Philadelphia
Taxis are an integral part of commerce and means of transportation in cities such as Philadelphia. As integral as they are to managing the city, not all Philadelphia taxi drivers should have taxi licenses. Cab drivers earn their income from fares based on mileage.
As a result, taxi operators often drive at high speeds and disregard traffic laws to maximize their income. This type of incentive to get the passenger to his or her destination as quickly as possible, coupled with the narrow one-way roads of Philadelphia, increases the likelihood of being involved in an accident.
Major metropolitan cities like Philadelphia have an established taxicab system with hundreds, if not thousands, of cabs throughout the greater Philadelphia area. Therefore, a tremendous amount of Accidents that take place involve taxicabs.
Taxicab drivers owe their passengers the highest standard of care. This means they are responsible for ensuring that you get from point A to point B safely. Driving a paying customer requires the cab driver to follow all the rules of the road, and avoid roads that may jostle, jolt, or shake their paying fares. Cab drivers must pay special attention to others on the road and maintain the safest operation possible.
Problems arise routinely in taxicab accidents, most often because the cab driver violates some rule or code in the way they are driving. Remember, they are held to a higher standard than you would be if you drove a friend to a movie.
What Can I Recover if I Sue a Cab Driver for Negligence?
This is the bad news. Most of the time, only a 15/30 insurance policy covers Philadelphia cab drivers. Therefore, if you were the only passenger in the accident with your cab, you would be limited to $15,000.00 as a recovery. However, sometimes people take cabs, not because they do not have a car, but because it’s simply more convenient.
If you are in an accident while occupying a cab, you could be able to claim your own company’s Underinsured Motorist Coverage. This way, you may achieve a settlement for more than the mandatory Pennsylvania minimum (which has been the minimum since the 1970s).
Taxicab accidents are difficult to handle because cab insurance companies tend to view their minimum policy as indispensable. This means that many attorneys in the area do not get their clients the full value deserve from a company that only allows for a 15/30.
Who Pays My Medical Bills?
If you do not own a car or reside with a resident relative, the cab must pay your bills. But, you must also remember that you are capped at the policy minimum for medical at $5,000.00.
At The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C., our injury attorneys, and staff are well versed in handling cab accidents, from when a new client is involved in a motor vehicle accident to trial in front of a jury.