When involved in a taxicab accident, it is often difficult to identify who is at fault. Taxicab accidents can often result in serious injuries, and without proper compensation, it can be hard to get your life back on track.
At the 1Law Salt Lake City office, we have helped countless cab accident victims identify the liable party and recover compensation after an injury. Our experienced taxicab accident lawyers in Salt Lake City are familiar with how blame can be shifted around in these cases, and we know how to dig deep and find the truth.
When involved in a taxicab accident, determining liability can be tricky. Whether you are another driver who gets in a collision with a taxicab or a passenger riding inside the taxi, there are many parties that could potentially hold a level of liability for your accident. Potentially liable parties include:
The list above is far from exhaustive. Determining who is responsible for your damages on your own can be challenging. An experienced lawyer will have a much greater chance of sorting through who is at fault and building your compensation case against the liable party.
As mentioned, your taxicab accident attorney in Salt Lake City will help you determine who is liable for your damages. They will accomplish this by launching an independent investigation into your accident. In addition to proving liability, this investigation will focus on gathering evidence to support your compensation claim.
Upon completing their investigation, your attorney will consult with you on how to proceed and then either submit a claim to the insurance provider for the liable party or file a lawsuit with the court. If filing a lawsuit, your attorney will begin the pretrial process while preparing to eventually represent you at trial.
While your lawyer will fight your case in court, if necessary, it is critical to realize that most taxicab accident lawsuits never go this far. Throughout the process, your attorney will negotiate with opposing counsel to try and end your case through a fair settlement.
Under Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307, taxicab accident victims have four years to file a lawsuit against the liable party in most cases. However, you should be aware that special circumstances may apply to your case and affect this timeframe. For example, if the at-fault party is a government agency, you will have a greatly reduced window in which to file.
The best way to ensure that you meet all deadlines is to hire an experienced lawyer shortly after your accident. Doing so will have the added benefit of putting your attorney in the best position to build a strong case on your behalf. By starting early, they can collect evidence and record witness testimony that might not be available or reliable in the future.
Personal injury lawyers work on a different payment system from most other types of attorneys. Rather than charging you based on how many hours they spend working on your case, personal injury lawyers charge based on results. This payment structure is known as working on a contingency fee basis.
Your taxicab accident lawyer in Salt Lake City will only get paid if you collect money. Additionally, the amount they receive is directly proportional to how much they are able to recover for their clients. Your attorney will collect a preset percentage of your compensation payout as their fee.
Since your lawyer gets paid based on results, you can feel confident that they will do everything they can to ensure that you get as much compensation as possible for your damages.
When you get hurt in a taxicab accident where another party was liable, you are likely eligible to recover a wide array of damages. These damages can be divided into three categories:
Economic damages are straightforward. These are the losses you suffered that had a direct impact on your financial situation. Economic damages cover both the financial expenses of your accident that you face now and those you will face in the future. Common economic damages include:
Non-economic damages are far more complex. These are the losses you suffered that can not be easily replaced with money. Because there is no way to properly compensate victims for these losses, the amount awarded for non-economic damages is often significant. In fact, non-economic damages typically make up the bulk of a compensation package.
Common non-economic damages include:
Unlike economic and non-economic damages, punitive damages are not compensatory in nature. The focus of these damages is not upon the victim but rather upon the at-fault party. Punitive damages aim to punish the liable party.
They are only awarded when the actions of the responsible party are determined to have been egregiously negligent or performed with wanton disregard for public safety.
The best way to ensure that you recover fair compensation after a taxicab accident is to hire an experienced Salt Lake City taxicab accident lawyer. At 1Law, our team of taxicab accident lawyers has helped countless accident victims recover the compensation they need to get their lives back on track.
Give us a call, fill out our online contact form, or use our free legal chat tool to get started today. We offer free consultations with no obligation to retain our services.