The United States reports one of the highest rates of car accident-related deaths in the world, which is about 1 in 93. According to the last published report (2019) from California Highway Patrol, 269,031 people were injured, and 3,737 people died in motor vehicle accidents that year. 196,927 out of the 269,031 motor vehicle injuries involved passenger cars, including taxis.
Suffice it to say that everyone should know what to do if they are ever involved in a minor/major car accident. Most regular drivers have a basic understanding of what they should do after getting injured in a private car. However, the scenario changes when passengers are injured an Uber, Lyft, or taxi accidents. This complete, step-by-step guide to taxi accidents will help remedy that issue.
Call 911 for Help
Not much changes in the first step, as you should always call the national emergency helpline by dialing 911 first. It’s important that you report the incident even if it seems like a minor accident at the time. You will need a police report to file for insurance claims at the very least. The police report will also be necessary later if you seek to pursue the taxi company or driver at fault for further compensation.
If the collision is severe, you should always call 911 before you do anything else. Checking yourself and others for injuries is important, but it must be the second step and not the first. Consider the following common scenarios to understand why prioritizing the emergency call is so important after taxi accidents.
- Depending on the injury and its severity, you may lose consciousness soon after.
- Trying to move too fast and moving too much may also lead to loss of consciousness.
- Discovery of a traumatic injury on yourself or someone else may trigger additional shock and panic reactions.
- Checking on and moving people before the paramedics arrive will only make their injuries worse.
- The longer you wait to call the emergency services, the more time it will need for them to get there.
The only exception to this rule would be the sight of smoke and/or flames. If that happens, get yourself out first, call the number, say a few words as quickly as possible, and then go back to help the others. Do not disconnect the call at any point. If you are unable to talk, just dialing the number and keeping the call connected will allow 911 operators to dispatch help to your location.
Collect Information and Evidence
After calling for help and checking for serious injuries, your next step should be that of collecting information. This is, of course, provided that you are not seriously injured yourself. Try to collect as much relevant information about the cab, the taxi driver, the taxi company as you can. This includes, but is not limited to license, registration, and plate number, names, and insurance details. If there is another vehicle involved in the accident, don’t forget to collect the same information from them well.
You should take several photos and short videos of the scene from multiple angles, highlighting the damage caused by the accident. Whatever it is that the taxi collided with, it should also be photographed as best as possible for evidence. It’s not always another car of course, but you should try to collect as much photographic evidence as you can for later. If available, our auto accident attorneys will use photographic evidence to further accelerate the processing of insurance claim.
Seek Legal Counsel
The annual number of accidents, injuries and deaths has only grown considerably since 2021. Although the relative growth percentage of fatal motor vehicle accidents per year has come down a bit, that’s not true as far as the growth percentage of non-fatal injuries is concerned. If you or anyone you know have been hurt in a taxi accident, Uber accident, private car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, or any other kind of personal injury, book a free consultation with our specialist personal injury lawyers at Custodio & Dubey.
The Statute of Limitations in California for filing personal injury claims is a maximum of 2 years from the recorded date of the accident. Older cases, even if they are within the Statute of Limitations, tend to lose some of their potential merits. So, don’t wait for any longer than you must.
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You are always welcome to visit our office at: 445 S Figueroa Street Suite 2520 Los Angeles, CA 90071.
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