Long Island Taxicab Accident Lawyer

Taxicabs are essential to life on Long Island. Accidents are bound to happen with so many taxicabs and other vehicles on the road. However, that doesn’t mean the at-fault driver who caused your accident should get a pass—they should be held accountable for their negligence. If you or your loved one were hurt in a taxicab accident, the Long Island car accident lawyers at Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP can assist you.

When you contact us for a free consultation, one of our team members will review your case to determine if we’re a good fit. If so, we can immediately launch an investigation into what happened, calculate your damages, and seek fair compensation via an insurance settlement or a trial verdict. We’re standing by to learn more about your story. Reach out to Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP now to begin fighting for the compensation you deserve.

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What to Expect When Working with Our Long Island Taxicab Lawyers

When you hire us, the team at Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP can take on these tasks for you:

Gathering and Analyzing Evidence

You will quickly find out that evidence works as the basis of your compensation case.

Typical forms of evidence in car accident cases include:

• Photographs
• Video footage
• The police report, which details how the accident occurred and who was involved
• Statements from eyewitnesses
• Medical records
• Employment records
• Traffic citations

The evidence we gather helps establish a timeline of what happened in the taxicab crash and how it has affected your life.

Proving the Other Party’s Negligence

After we have compiled the necessary evidence, we can use it to determine if the other party acted negligently.

To do so, we must apply these four elements to your case:

• Duty of care – The other party had a duty to act reasonably and exercise care on the road.
• Breach of duty – They failed to meet their obligation to provide a duty of care.
• Causation – Their carelessness triggered a car crash and caused your injuries.
• Damages – You or a loved one has suffered monetary and non-monetary losses.

Your case must fulfill each of these elements for you to recover damages from another party. In many cases, the other driver holds the blame for the accident. However, if they were on the clock at the time of the accident, we may have to pursue damages from their employer. Employers are expected to take responsibility for their employees’ actions.

Taking on Communication with the Other Party and Their Insurance Company

Don’t be surprised if the other party’s insurance company calls you a couple of days after the crash. They may ask for a statement about what happened. If they do, kindly decline and give them your lawyer’s contact information.

We strongly suggest this for two reasons:

• Keeping track of phone calls and emails with insurance company representatives can quickly get tedious and overwhelming.
• The adjuster may take your words and use them against you to stall, devalue, or refuse to pay out your claim.

Thankfully, our car accident lawyers are no strangers to the tactics many insurance companies use to safeguard their bottom line. We won’t let them get away with these tactics, as we protect your right to collect fair compensation from start to finish.

Enter into Settlement Negotiations

Once your attorney assesses your damages, they will demand compensation from the insurer. Often, the insurance company returns with an initial offer that won’t meet your needs. Your lawyer can begin negotiations to secure a fair settlement when this occurs.

Our attorneys often find common ground with the insurer and can reach an out-of-court settlement. However, if this outcome isn’t possible, we can represent you at trial and continue to fight for you.

We Take Long Island Taxicab Accident Cases on a Contingency-Fee Basis

Footing the bills for your medical care and trying to work whenever you can to make ends meet might be the only thing on your mind right now. Add attorney’s fees into the mix, and it may seem like pursuing legal action isn’t worth the financial stress. However, at Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP, we work with our clients on a contingency-fee-basis.

That means:

• We finance your injury case from start to finish.
• Our team offers a free, no-obligation consultation when you contact our firm.
• Our lawyers don’t take any upfront or out-of-pocket fees.
• We don’t accept retainer fees or hourly rates.

Your attorney will take a percentage of whatever compensation they secure for you, and they only get paid if they settle or win your case. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain—partner with Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P today.

Damages Available in Taxicab Accident Cases on Long Island

Our taxicab accident attorneys can evaluate your case to determine what damages you may recover. Examples include:

Past and Future Medical Bills

Your injuries from the taxicab crash may have required:

• An ambulance ride
• Diagnostic testing
• Assistive medical devices
• Pain medication
• Surgeries
• Hospital stays
• Home care

Your doctor may order you to continue treatment for weeks or months. If this happens, you could claim ongoing medical care costs in your case.

Pain and Suffering

Common injuries that people suffer in taxicab collisions include:

• Broken bones or fractures
• Burns
• Whiplash
• Organ damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Neck and back injuries
• Internal bleeding
• Cuts and bruises

Your settlement should account for your physical and emotional discomfort and pain. Evaluating your medical bills, medical records, and how the crash has affected your life helps determine how much compensation we seek on your behalf.

Chances are that we have seen cases like yours before, so we’ll also apply our experience and positive case results to calculate your unique pain and suffering damages.

Lost Income

A person’s injuries after a taxicab accident can sometimes keep them out of work for days, weeks, or months.

If this was the case for you, you could have missed out on:

• Your regular wages
• Tips and commissions
• Business and promotional opportunities
• Bonuses
• Employee benefits

Past income statements can indicate how much income you would have made but for your injury.

Future Loss of Earning Capacity

The more severe your injuries, the longer your leave of absence. You could lose work for months, for the rest of your life, or you might have to take a different job that doesn’t pay as much.

In any of these events, you could claim future loss of earning capacity. This compensation can make up for the money you would have earned if you weren’t in an accident.

Wrongful Death Damages

If your loved one lost their life due to a taxicab accident, you may bring a wrongful death action against the liable party or parties.

Damages you can seek in a wrongful death case include:

• Funeral, burial, or cremation expenses
• Loss of financial support
• Loss of inheritance
• Loss of care and household services
• Final medical bills
• Pain and suffering

A car accident attorney from our firm can explain which surviving family members are eligible to file a wrongful death case after a taxicab accident. A personal representative of the decedent’s estate may also file a case.

Filing Your Lawsuit on Time Is Crucial to Your Right to Collect Compensation

Insurance companies set their own deadlines for claims submissions, and you must comply with them to recover damages. However, sometimes damages exceed policy limits, and you may file a lawsuit against the other party. Like insurance claims, meeting certain time limits is crucial.

The state of New York enforces strict deadlines on lawsuits.

How long you have to file depends on the nature of your case:

• Personal injury – According to CPLR § 214, claimants generally have three years.
• Wrongful death – Per EPT § 5-4.1, a personal representative for your loved one’s estate typically has two years.

Certain exceptions may shorten the timeline, like if a government agency contributed to the crash. In fact, you could have as little as 90 days to act.  But if you put off filing your lawsuit, you risk missing your opportunity to seek compensation. If the deadline passes, you must pay off your losses. Getting Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP involved in your case early on ensures you meet all deadlines.

Common Causes of Taxicab Accidents on Long Island

You’re not the first person to get in a taxicab accident, especially in a place as busy as Long Island.

Common causes of taxicab crashes include:

• Driving while fatigued, as drivers work long hours transporting passengers all over the city
• Driving while texting, eating, talking on the phone, or other forms of distraction
• Driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or prescription medications
• Speeding, tailgating, and other types of reckless behavior, as drivers attempt to get as many rides as possible
• Failing to yield to motorcyclists, bicyclists, pedestrians, and other drivers
• Ignoring stop lights, stop signs, and traffic signals
• Failing to check for oncoming traffic and blind spots

Taxicab drivers aren’t always the ones to blame for a car crash.

Other parties who might share a portion of the fault include:

• The taxicab company – If they failed to conduct a thorough background check of the driver, properly maintain the taxicab, or enforce safety precautions
• The vehicle parts manufacturer – If they produced faulty brakes, tires, or other automotive parts
• A city government agency – If they didn’t clear debris on the road, warn road users of potential hazards, or address defective traffic signals
• Another driver – If they didn’t follow traffic laws or drove recklessly

Sometimes, more than one party may be responsible for the crash. In that case, your attorney can seek appropriate compensation from each liable party.

The Importance of Seeking Medical Care After a Taxicab Crash on Long Island

No matter how serious (or not so serious) your injuries seem after a car crash, get medical attention immediately. They could be worse than you think. For example, the symptoms of spinal cord injury can take a few days to kick in.

If you wait to go to the doctor until you’re in extreme pain or feel weakness or numbness in your extremities, your recovery period could take much longer than if you had gone the day of the crash.

Whether you go to the hospital or your primary care physician, they can diagnose your injuries, begin your treatment, and refer you to other doctors who have experience with your specific type of injury. Make sure you follow all doctor’s orders so you don’t set back your recovery or risk your ability to seek compensation.

The Effect That Seeking Prompt Medical Care Can Have on Your Claim

On top of protecting your health, seeking prompt medical attention can help boost the validity of your claim. The shorter the gap between the crash and your first doctor’s visit, the harder it is for the insurance company to allege that something else caused your injury, you made it worse, or you have a pre-existing condition.

A long gap also gives the insurance company more wiggle room to stall, undervalue, or reject your claim altogether.

Contact Our Car Accident Lawyers After a Taxicab Crash on Long Island

Knowing which party (or parties) to pursue for damages, calculating your losses, and going through the claims process can overwhelm you—especially while you’re recovering from your taxicab accident-related injuries.

An injury attorney from Rosenberg & Gluck, LLP can take charge of your case and pursue the compensation you need to thrive. Contact us today at (631) 451-7900 for your free consultation. Our team assists clients in both English and Spanish.