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Taxi Accidents | Las Vegas Taxi Cab Accident Lawyer

Fortunately, when someone else is at fault for your taxi accident injuries, you have the right to be repaid for your suffering. Reach out to an experienced Las Vegas taxi accident lawyer and personal injury attorney at Gina Corena & Associates to find out how to get justice for what you have been through. 

Taxi Accident Injuries to Sue for in Las Vegas

One of the primary reasons why there are not more Las Vegas taxi accident lawsuits and claims is because many injury victims are unsure of whether their injuries are “severe enough“ to pursue legal action. But your ability to recover compensation is not dependent on the type of injury you sustained. 

Rather, the extent of your injuries is what determines your ability to be awarded restitution. With that being said, there are some injuries that are seen in Las Vegas emergency rooms and personal injury cases repeatedly, including:

  • Concussions
  • Organ damage
  • Loss of limbs
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Third-degree burns
  • Minor to severe lacerations
  • Whiplash
  • Compound fractures
  • Crushed and shattered bones
  • Head trauma
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Internal bleeding
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis
  • Other serious bodily injury 
  • Wrongful death

Injuries of this nature often require months or even years of treatment and physical therapy. In many cases, Lyft or taxi accident victims may be unable to return to the same quality of life they had prior to their collision. Medical expenses often become too much to handle between all of the required costs, including:

  • Costs of physical rehabilitative therapy
  • Costs of your ambulance ride
  • Reconstructive surgery fees
  • Costs of your prescription medication
  • Costs of transportation to and from your doctors appointments
  • Medical equipment such as shower rails, hospital beds, and more

Thankfully, by pursuing legal action against the liable party, you could obtain full coverage of your medical expenses as they relate to your Las Vegas taxi accident injuries.

Common Causes of Taxi Accidents in Las Vegas

Despite the fact that both state and federal taxi regulations have been put in place in order to reduce the number of taxi accidents each year, Las Vegas continues to see an alarming number of motor vehicle collisions. These can be caused in a number of different ways. Here are some of the more common causes of Las Vegas taxi accidents:

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving, and other types of negligent driving are some of the most common causes of car accidents and taxi accidents in Las Vegas. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving can include:

  • Eating
  • Drinking
  • Arguing with passengers
  • Cell phone use
  • Checking navigation systems
  • Changing the music

If your taxi cab driver was distracted by any of these previously mentioned factors, or something else entirely, they may be held accountable for the injuries you sustained in the car crash. Other reasons why your taxi cab driver could be at fault for your injuries include:

  • Drunk driving
  • Drugged driving 
  • Speeding
  • Following too closely
  • Failure to yield
  • Failure to stop
  • Failure to use a turn signal
  • Driving while fatigued
Defective or Unsafe Vehicles

Another common cause of car accidents are defective auto parts in poor vehicle maintenance. In fact, taxi cabs are also required to adhere to specific rules and regulations. For example, taxi drivers are required to inspect their vehicles regularly for the following standards:

  • The tires are full
  • Brakes appear to be in good working condition
  • Steering mechanisms are functioning
  • Lights and turn signals are working as intended
  • Door hinges and latches are functioning

In cases where the taxi driver failed to do their necessary safety inspections, or the taxi cab company failed to make requested repairs, you may have the opportunity to hold these parties accountable for their negligent actions.

Dangerous Roads

Many other taxi accidents are caused when the Las Vegas roads are unsafe in some way. Maybe there is a road construction zone that was not properly secured, for example. Or perhaps there were massive potholes that were left unfilled that have caused catastrophic injuries. When the roadways are not safe for the public, your taxi cab accident claim could become far more complex.

Liability in Las Vegas Taxi Accidents

One of the most important responsibilities your attorney will have is figuring out who is liable for your taxi accident injuries. There are several parties who could share blame for the injuries you sustained. After reviewing the cause of your accident, your attorney will have a better idea of who should be examined for fault. 

For example, if your accident was caused by dangerous road ways, your attorney may be interested in filing a claim against the city of Las Vegas, Nevada Department of Transportation, or another government municipality. 

If the taxi or any other involved vehicles were defective in some way, your case may be far more complicated. There are multiple parties involved in the design, development, production, and distribution of auto parts. If, at any point in this process the involved parties were negligent in their production of the auto parts, they may be held accountable. Auto dealerships, vehicle technicians, and other relevant third parties could also share blame.

But for the majority of taxi accidents in Las Vegas, Claims may be filed against the taxi driver or the taxi company. When taxi drivers are not doing their part to drive safely, whether that be through distracted driving, drunk driving, or any other type of aggressive driving, they pose a threat to not just their passengers, but the other drivers that share the roads with them.

And taxi companies are responsible for their taxi drivers. If a taxi company failed to make necessary auto repairs, failed to hire qualified drivers or do required background checks, or otherwise failed to uphold their duty of care to the public, then they should be brought to justice for their negligent actions.

How Insurance Works After a Taxi Accident in Las Vegas

After your Las Vegas taxi accident, in order to recover compensation for your damages, you may need to file a claim with the insurance company. Taxi accident claims can be complicated because it may be unclear which insurance company that you are supposed to file a claim with. 

And for some people, you may be able to pursue insurance claims through multiple providers. With that being said, Nevada is a fault state for car accidents and insurance purposes. This means that, generally speaking, you will file a claim with the liable parties insurance company as opposed to your own auto insurance provider.

But do not expect the insurance company to be willing to settle your claim fairly. They are going to lose money by paying out on your claim. For this reason, you can expect them to resort to any means necessary in order to deny or reduce your claim for compensation after your taxi accident in Las Vegas.

Nevada Shared Fault Laws and The Impact on Your Las Vegas Taxi Accident Claim

Shared fault laws in Nevada can have a dramatic impact on your ability to recover compensation for your suffering. However, many taxi accident victims are under the impression that they are not entitled to compensation if they share fault for their injuries. Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. 

Under Nevada law, when you share fault for your injuries, you can still be awarded compensation for your suffering. This is because the state follows a modified comparative negligence system with a 50% bar threshold. This means that you can share up to 50% of the blame for the accident that you were involved in and still collect compensation for your suffering. 

However, it is important to note that sharing fault for your injuries means that you will also need to be held accountable. In order to do this, you can expect the court to reduce your injury settlement by your portion of fault. For example, if you were involved in a collision on the Strip with an Uber or taxi driver who was under the influence at the time of the accident, you would likely pursue a claim against them. 

But if it was discovered that you were not wearing your seatbelt at the time of the accident, the judge may find you to be 15% at fault for your injuries. From there, your injury settlement would then be reduced by 15%. If you were originally awarded a $100,000 injury settlement, you could expect your case to be resolved at a final award of $85,000. 

As can be seen, even sharing a small portion of fault for your injuries can have a considerable effect on your injury settlement. For this reason, it is critical that you get an experienced taxi cab accident lawyer on your side who can ensure that your portion of salt is accurately and fairly assessed in your case.

What to Do After a Las Vegas Taxi Accident

Being involved in any type of car accident can be traumatic. But after you have been seriously injured in a Las Vegas taxi accident, you may be unsure of the steps you should take or what to do next. After your taxi accident, here is what to do:

  • Start by contacting emergency responders. It is important that you, and anyone else who may have suffered injuries, receive the medical attention and treatment you need as soon as possible. Be prepared to travel by ambulance or be seen by your primary care physician to evaluate your injuries and avoid any invisible injuries.
  • After you call the ambulance, they should also be sending a police officer to the scene of the accident. Police will be able to file an accident report that contains all of the details of the accident immediately afterwards. This type of time sensitive evidence can be paramount to the success of your case.
  • While you are waiting for police and the ambulance to arrive on the scene, if you are able to, try to obtain the contact information of any witnesses who may have seen the accident happen, and any other involved parties. You will want to obtain the contact information of the taxi driver, the name of the taxi company, and their insurance information as well. You can also use this time to take photos of the scene and your injuries.

Your injuries may be so severe that you are unable to call 911, obtain contact information, or do anything else other than wait for emergency responders to help you. If this happens, trust that your health and well-being are in good hands, once your healthcare providers have stabilized you, contact an attorney who can help you start preparing your case against the liable party. 

Even though pursuing legal action may be the furthest thing from your mind at this time, it is important to remember that certain types of evidence are time-sensitive, there are deadlines that could impact your ability to obtain compensation, and the liable party is surely going to fight back against your case. For these reasons, the sooner you can get your attorney working on your insurance and civil claims, the better your chances are of recovering maximum compensation.

Deadlines for Las Vegas Taxi Accident Claims

Getting your lawsuit filed before Nevada’s statute of limitations has expired is essential. If your lawsuit is not fired before the statute of limitations runs out, the judge will have no other choice but to dismiss your case should you attempt to pursue it at a later time. 

With that being said, if you have been injured in a Las Vegas taxi accident, you will have two years to get your claim filed under the statute of meditations. However, do not be surprised if the exact date that the statute of limitations runs out in your case is unclear. 

There are various factors that can impact when these deadlines begin and end. You can take steps to protect yourself and your injury settlement by getting a seasoned taxi accident attorney and personal injury lawyer to take on the legal details of your case.

Compensation for Victims of Las Vegas, NV Taxi Accidents

Victims of taxi accidents often have the right to be made whole. This is because someone else is usually responsible for causing their injuries. When you have been critically injured in a taxi accident, you may be surprised at how much your case is worth. 

For example, you might assume that you can seek compensation for your medical bills, the cost of your physical therapy, the cost of your prescription medication, and maybe even the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle.

But these are only a few of the economic damages you could recover. Economic damages have a set monetary value. In addition to any of your healthcare related expenses and property damages, there are multiple kinds of economic damages you could recover in your Las Vegas taxi accident, such as:

  • Unexpected childcare fees
  • Costs of increased insurance premiums
  • Costs of household maintenance and upkeep
  • Loss of income
  • Diminished earning capacity, including loss of salary increases, bonuses, and retirement savings contributions

But that is not all. You also have the right to be compensated for the ways that your life has been impacted by your injuries. We are not talking about your financial damages. Those are your economic losses. Instead, we are referring to the other ways your life has been affected by your injuries. 

For example, if you have been suffering from critical anxiety or depression and your relationships with your family and friends have suffered, you should be compensated for this type of loss. Some of the most commonly sought after types of non-economic damages you could recover in your Las Vegas taxi cab accident case include:

  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Disfigurement and scarring
  • Loss of guidance and support
  • Loss of companionship and love
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Loss of society and advice
  • Inconvenience
  • Damage to your professional reputation

Many taxi accident victims are also curious as to whether they could be awarded compensation for punitive damages. Punitive damages are not awarded as frequently as economic and non-economic damages are. You are entitled to recovery of your economic and not economic damages. You are not necessarily entitled to punitive damages. 

Only the courts can decide whether you can be awarded punitive damages. They are typically only awarded in instances where the liable parties actions are found to be egregious or reprehensible. By imposing an award of damages, the courts can punish the liable party beyond your compensatory damages, while sending the message that they will not tolerate these types of actions.

Get Help From a Las Vegas Taxi Accident Attorney

Has a catastrophic taxi accident left you dealing with substantial financial, physical, and psychological trauma? Do you need help holding the at-fault party accountable for their negligent actions? 

If so, meet with a dedicated Las Vegas taxi accident lawyer at Gina Corena & Associates to find out what your case could be worth. Let us help you file a car accident injury claim in Las Vegas to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Schedule a free consultation today when you complete our quick contact form or give our law firm a call at (702) 680-1111.

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