All motor vehicle accidents are damaging and stressful. When you are involved in an accident involving a cab, however, it can be even more complicated. Here is what you need to know about taxi company liability and whether you can file a claim against the company that hired the driver for your medical bills.
Taxi Company Liability
After an accident with a cab, you may be wondering who to file your claim against. Is the driver responsible or is the cab company? While you can file a claim against the driver and his or her insurance company, you may also have a case against the company itself.
If the driver is on the clock and currently working for the company, then the company may be liable for his or her actions. In some instances, you may even sue both. In order to figure out if the company is liable for your injuries, you have to understand the responsibilities that the cab company has to provide.
Taxi Company Responsibilities
The cab company’s responsibilities are what lend to the liability. Taxicab companies have certain responsibilities to keep the roads safe and to ensure that their drivers are safe while transporting passengers. The duties that a company may perform would be to inspect the cab, ensure that it is safe and to have regular maintenance performed.
If a taxi hits you because it has faulty breaks or a faulty gas pedal, then this could be the fault of the taxi cab company. If the company did not have proper inspections or maintenance performed on the cab and it led to an accident, this is a clear breach of the company’s duty. In addition to maintenance and repairs, the company has to conduct background checks on all drivers and to make sure that every driver has a clean record and will comply with the ethical code. Passenger safety and the safety of other drivers have to come first.
If it comes to light that the cab company hired a negligent driver and allowed the driver to continue to work for the company, then you may have a clear case of negligence against the company itself. When you file a lawsuit against the company, you may be able to still file a claim against the driver too.
When it comes to taxi cab companies, you will want a car accident lawyer, like a car accident lawyer in Chicago, IL, to help you. Negligence and car accident lawsuits are complicated when only two passenger vehicles are involved. It is more complicated when taxis are involved.
Thank you to the experts at The Law Offices of Konrad Sherinian, LLC, for their input into car accidents and the law.
