Taxi Accident Attorney Concerned By Cab Drivers’ Negligence

Portland taxi cab victims’ attorneys are increasingly becoming concerned at the number of people who are being injured in accidents involving taxis, and in particular those accidents caused directly through the negligence of the taxi drivers themselves. The lawyers feel people should know their rights in what can be a very confusing situation.

To start with, victims are often unsure whether they should file a claim against the cab driver, the taxi company or both, and of course, a negligent cab driver won’t be overly eager to part with the necessary information. One taxi cab victims’ attorney has released a list of facts you need to know about taxi cab accidents and related injuries.

Typical injuries involving taxi cabs

It’s quite common for tourists to be victims in taxi cab accidents, statistically speaking. This is often down to the fact that in many taxis, no seat belts are installed in the back seats. Typically, this leads to such injuries as:

• Back and neck injuries including whiplash and spinal cord trauma
• Leg and shin injuries which often occur when passengers are thrown forward into the partition separating the front and back of the cab
• Foot injuries—almost bizarrely, a huge number of damage is caused when taxi drivers run over a customer’s foot. Severely painful damage can be done when this happens, including:
  • Crushed bones
  • Torn tendons
  • Stretched or pulled ligaments
  • Nerve damage which can be permanent

In some cases, of course, it is not the cab driver’s fault when an injury accident occurs, it’s the taxi company. In such situations, a taxi cab victims’ attorney will often have to get involved, because there will be investigations required to determine who precisely is responsible for the negligence that led to the accident. Is it a mechanic who didn’t repair the brakes properly? Is it another maintenance issue? Or did another driver cause the crash?

Why do I need a taxi cab victims’ attorney?

Getting to the root cause of the accident can be a frustrating and time consuming process. An individual acting without professional representation could easily find obstacles put into their path by reticent insurance companies, or by the cab driver or the taxi firm. A good taxi can victims’ attorney will not only know precisely what to look for, they will also know where to go to get the answers you need to file a successful claim.

Insurance companies are notorious for employing the “3 D’s” when dealing with claims from private individuals; delay, deny and defend. When dealing with an experienced lawyer, however, they are far more likely to make a fairer settlement offer much sooner than would otherwise be the case.

It’s not only people inside the cabs who get hurt

Cab drivers always seem to be in hurry, and particularly those driving in large, busy cities. They are frequently accused—sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly—of ignoring other road users in their rush to get from one job to another. Some of the unwitting people who become accident victims of negligent cab drivers include:

• Bicyclists, even those in bike lanes
• People from out of town who are not familiar with busy crosswalks and traffic patterns
• Children who step off the sidewalk are frequently sideswiped by taxis that, due to nature of their business, are frequently driving near the sidewalk.

This area has recently seen more than its share of tragic accidents involving cab drivers. In Portland, two women received serious injuries when they were hit by a taxi that was chasing another car on the night of March 7.

In that case, the cab driver, Moktar Mohamud Mohamed, 47, was chasing another driver who had allegedly clipped his taxi in front of the Nines Hotel on SW 5th Avenue and Morrison. Mohamed ran a red light at the intersection of SW Morrison and 10th Avenue and hit a BMW. The cab left the road, mounted the sidewalk and hit two 41-year-old medical assistant students who were standing in front of Ray’s Ragtime antique store.

While both women survived, one was severely injured. Mohamed was arrested May 3, after being indicted by a grand jury on 14 separate counts, including seven counts of reckless endangerment, one count of reckless driving and two counts each of third and fourth degree assault and second degree criminal mischief.

When someone is injured because of a taxi driver’s negligence, it’s not just the fare they shouldn’t have to pay for. Who’s going to cover the medical bills, the lost wages and the ongoing treatment, and who is going to compensate the victim for their pain and suffering? It may seem a simple question, but the answer is often made far more complex by insurance companies and taxi firms.

If you’ve been injured in such an accident, don’t feel like you have to do all the investigative work and filing of claims yourself. Concentrate on getting the medical help you need, then contact a Portland car accident attorney and let them do the filing, investigating, phoning and negotiating for you. You’ll get better and quicker results, and the insurance company will certainly offer a fairer settlement than if you try to face them yourself.