Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
The moment a taxi hits you, the cab company’s insurance team starts working on ways to pay you as little as possible. That’s their job, and that’s one of the reasons victims get shortchanged. A taxi accident lawyer in Babylon levels that playing field.
At Shulman Hill, we’ve recovered over $1 billion for injury clients, and we bring that same firepower to every case we take on. We’re a team of car accident lawyers in Babylon that represent real people: workers, families, and everyday New Yorkers.
Call us today for a free consultation. You don’t pay anything unless we win.
What to Do After a Taxi Crash
The steps you take right after a taxi crash can make or break your case. Even if you’re shaken up or not sure how badly you’re hurt, try to do the following:
- Call 911. Get police on the scene. You want an official report, so don’t skip this.
- Get the driver’s information. Name, license plate, and the name of the cab company. Also look for the medallion number, the official license number assigned to the taxi by the city. In New York, every licensed cab has one, and it’s usually displayed on a metal plate on the hood of the car and on a sticker inside the vehicle.
- Take photos. The vehicles, the scene, your injuries, any damage you can see.
- Get witness information. Names and contact details from anyone who saw what happened.
- See a doctor right away. Even if you feel okay. A lot of injuries don’t show up until the next day.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to any insurance company before you talk to a lawyer.
A Babylon personal injury lawyer will tell you that in taxi cases, the registered owner of the cab and the driver aren’t always the same person. Some drivers lease their cabs from a fleet owner or a company. This is one of the cases when the medallion number is important.
Who Is Liable in a Taxi Collision?
More than one person can be on the hook for a taxi crash. It depends on how it happened and who was involved. Here’s who might be responsible:
- The taxi driver: for driving recklessly, speeding, running lights, or not paying attention.
- The cab company or fleet owner: the company or individual who owns the taxi and puts it on the road. If they didn’t maintain the vehicle properly, hired an unqualified driver, or ignored safety issues, they can be held responsible too.
- Another driver: if someone else caused or contributed to the crash.
- The City of New York: if a broken traffic signal, bad road design, or a pothole played a role in the crash.
- A vehicle manufacturer: if something on the cab failed mechanically, like faulty brakes or a defective tire.
In New York, taxi owners are required by law to carry commercial liability insurance; a type of insurance specifically designed for vehicles used for business purposes, which typically carries higher coverage limits than a regular personal auto policy. A taxi accident lawyer in Babylon will identify every party that may owe you compensation and go after all of them.
Compensation You Can Pursue
When a taxi driver or cab company’s negligence puts you in the hospital, you shouldn’t be the one left paying for it. We can work to recover any of the following:
- Medical expenses: emergency care, surgery, rehab, and ongoing treatment.
- Lost wages: money you couldn’t earn while you were recovering.
- Loss of earning capacity: if your injuries affect your ability to work going forward. For example, if you worked in construction or a physical job and your injuries prevent you from doing that work anymore, that long-term loss of income is something you can pursue.
- Pain and suffering: the physical and emotional toll this has taken on your life. This refers to the pain you’ve lived with, the sleep you’ve lost, and the stress this has put on you and your family.
- Property damage: anything of yours that was damaged in the crash.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: when injuries stop you from doing the things you used to do, whether that’s playing with your kids, going to work, or just getting through a normal day without pain.
Bear in mind that your losses go beyond the immediate bills. Shulman Hill will look at the full picture of what this crash has cost you and fight to recover every dollar you’re owed.
How No-Fault and the Serious Injury Threshold Work
New York is a no-fault state. That means after a taxi crash, your own car insurance or the taxi’s insurance (if you were a passenger) pays your initial medical bills and a portion of your lost wages, regardless of who caused the accident. You don’t have to prove the driver was at fault to get that money.
The catch? No-fault coverage has a limit. If you want to go after the driver or cab company directly for the full extent of your losses, your injuries must meet what New York calls the serious injury threshold. Think of this as the legal bar your injuries have to clear before you can step outside the no-fault system and file a full lawsuit.
That bar includes things like broken bones, significant scarring, permanent injury, or being unable to do your normal daily activities for at least 90 out of the first 180 days after the crash. Many taxi accident injuries clear that bar. A Babylon taxi accident attorney can look at your situation and tell you exactly where you stand.
Deadlines and Special Notice Rules in New York
In most cases, you have three years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in New York. Miss that window, and you lose your right to sue.
But some situations move much faster. If a city cab or a government car hit you, for example, you have just 90 days to file something called a Notice of Claim. This is a formal written notice that you intend to sue the city or a government agency.
On top of that, no-fault benefits have their own separate deadline. You generally need to apply within 30 days of the accident or risk losing that coverage. Getting a taxi accident lawyer in Babylon involved early means none of these deadlines get missed.
A Taxi Accident Lawyer in Babylon Is Ready to Fight for You
Taxi accident claims are more complicated than most people realize. The driver might not own the cab. The cab company might dispute liability. The insurer will look for any reason to minimize what they pay.
Shulman Hill knows these tactics because we’ve dealt with them. We know how to use the TLC’s records against a negligent operator, how to establish who actually owned and controlled the vehicle, and how to build a claim that accounts for every loss you’ve suffered.
Call Shulman Hill today for a free consultation. New York, We Got You.