Call Us atAnchorage has many taxicabs on the road as well as plenty of individual drivers and companies responsible for operating them. Unfortunately, taxi drivers and their employers sometimes act irresponsibly both inside and outside their vehicles. Therefore, this kind of “negligence” can result in serious consequences in traffic accidents.
There are both similarities and differences between personal injury lawsuits in a taxi accident in Anchorage and standard car crashes. Navigating the unique elements of your case alone could make it much harder for you to obtain the compensation you need. Fortunately, you have help available to you from experienced car accident attorneys with a track record of getting good results from claims like yours in the past.
When Are Taxi Drivers and Companies Liable for Injuries?
Like bus drivers and others who are paid to people who transport people, taxi drivers have an enhanced “duty of care” behind the wheel compared to a regular car driver. They are not only expected to obey traffic laws and pay attention to the road but also to drive in a way that prevents their passengers from getting hurt inside their vehicle. Someone could sue over a cab driver accelerating too quickly after picking someone up if that action directly causes the passenger’s otherwise preventable injury, even if no actual traffic collision occurred.
Additionally, taxi drivers are notably different from modern “rideshare” drivers working for apps like Uber and Lyft. They are sometimes legally classified as “employees” of their company they rather than “independent contractors.” This means it is sometimes possible to hold a taxi company “vicariously liable” for the negligence of their employee, which could allow for far greater financial recovery after an Anchorage crash than a lawsuit solely against the at-fault driver would.
Getting Around Obstacles to Effective Civil Recovery
Of course, people injured in taxi accidents—including passengers in negligently operated taxicabs—can sometimes be found partially at fault for causing their own injuries through their own misconduct. Suppose a court assigns a percentage of “comparative fault” to an injured person along these lines. In that case, that court may then reduce the total compensation available to that person in proportion to their share of total fault, per Alaska Statutes § 09.17.060.
Additionally, waiting longer than two years after initially getting hurt to file suit over an Anchorage cab collision lead to the case being thrown out of court for being “time-barred,” as codified in AK Stat. § 09.10.070. Support from experienced legal counsel could be vital to getting past these procedural roadblocks while pursuing fair financial recovery for a taxi driver’s misconduct.
Take Action Over Taxi Accident Injuries with an Anchorage Attorney’s Help
Taxi drivers are supposed to be specially trained and experienced in safely navigating local highways and roads, and most of them generally are. The exceptions to that rule, though, can and do cause severe physical, financial, and personal losses to people who end up in traffic accidents caused mostly and often entirely by just one taxi operator’s negligence.
Once retained, your dedicated car accident lawyer could help you reconstruct how your taxi accident in Anchorage occurred, explain your options for seeking financial compensation, and work diligently on your behalf to get you the best possible case result. Call today for a consultation.
