Do you have a claim if you are injured in an accident as a passenger in a taxi? The answer is debatable; and it all depends on the circumstances involved.
Taxi Collisions
There is a general rule that as a passenger you definitely have a claim for compensation. This can be comfortably applied in an accident where a collision has taken place between vehicles. Ultimately, there is SOMEONE at fault; whether it’s the taxi driver, the other driver(s) involved, or even whether it’s split between several drivers.
You are largely seen as an innocent victim in an accident as a passenger. You were not in control of any of the vehicles involved, and would likely be unable to have an influence on the cause of the accident. If it’s the taxi driver that caused the accident, you can make a claim against their insurance. If it’s another driver involved, you can make a claim against the other persons insurance. If it’s split between more than one party, your claim can be split between several insurers.
No Collisions
If no collision occurred between any vehicles in an accident or incident involving you as a passenger, whether you have a claim or not is debatable. If the taxi driver slammed their brakes on because they weren’t concentrating and had to avoid a potential hazard at last minute, make sure you get all the details from the driver as you can make a claim against them – e.g. their full name, note of the company name, registration number of vehicle, and ask for a receipt of the journey as well.
If, however, the taxi driver had to slam his / her brakes on to avoid a hazard, and the taxi driver was in no way contributing to the hazard, you may find it difficult to claim in some circumstances. If another driver pulled out in front of your taxi driver, your driver did right by preventing an accident. In this kind of circumstance, the driver that pulled out is likely at fault. If you can get their details – maybe spot their registration number or ask the taxi driver for CCTV footage – you can make a claim against them. In any event, exchange details with the driver as their help as a witness may be essential.
If the car is untraced and you did not get any information, report the incident to the police straight away, as well as exchanging information with your taxi driver, and you may be able to claim with the Motor Insurers Bureau under their untraced driver agreement. Search for that in our blog search field for more information on how to do this.
If, however, a pedestrian walked out in front of the taxi, and your driver had to stop to prevent hitting them, you may well have no claim. Ultimately, there is no insurance in place to claim from, and the Motor Insurers Bureau only cover for negligent untraced / uninsured motor vehicles.
Assess Your Claim Today
To find out whether you have a claim for compensation, the best thing to do is speak to an expert personal injury lawyer right away. We will be able to tell you, usually in minutes, whether you have a strong claim or not.
If you have a claim, we should be able to help you out using our Genuine No Win, No Fee agreement. This guarantees that you will receive 100% compensation if you win, with all fees recovered from the other side and limited to whatever can be recovered, and no bills to settle if the case loses.
It’s a win – win situation for you as you should never be charged for your case!
