Montgomery County Taxi Accident Lawyer

When people get into a taxi drivers vehicle, they expect to be transported safely to their final destination. Passengers have an expectation of safety because taxi drivers have a heightened duty to keep the people within their vehicle safe. Common carrier law is a legal term that is used to describe the obligation of a company that is in the business of transporting goods or people in the state.

Despite the fact that taxi drivers are expected to provide a higher standard of care while on the road with passengers in their vehicle, accidents can still happen. Someone who believes that their driver was behaving negligently, or that the other party involved in the accident behaved negligently, should get in touch with an experienced Montgomery County car accident lawyer and discuss the specifics of their case.

Common Carrier Laws in Montgomery County

Accidents involving taxicabs are slightly different because a taxicab driver has a heightened duty to ensure the safety of the occupants of his vehicle. Not only is a taxicab driver charged with the safe operation of his motor vehicle, but common carrier laws require that driver to ensure the safety of the passengers. As such, there is a heightened duty owed by common carriers to passengers in Maryland. Lyft drivers or cars are also considered common carriers in Maryland.

Anyone involved in an accident with a common carrier should collect information for the owner of the vehicle and the driver. The person should not assume the driver of the vehicle is the owner. They should collect any and all insurance information of the vehicle and for the driver. An injured person should not assume that there is only one insurance policy for the owner and driver. Each may have a separate insurance policies. After collecting the pertinent information, they should get in touch with an experienced Montgomery County taxi accident attorney to discuss the details of their case and whether it would be appropriate to file a claim.

Recovering Damages Following a Taxi Accident Lawyer

Claims involving taxicabs can be very difficult but are typically processed the same as they are any other claim. The requirements or the nature of the claim is the same in dealing with an insurance company and moving towards establishing liability for the happening of the accident. Claims involving common carriers or taxicabs can be frustrating because of the added layer of corporate ownership and potential separation of liability by the driver and the owner of the company. Additionally, common carriers in Maryland often have a very small or the minimum insurance available to cover the claim. However, it is still possible to successfully file suit with the assistance of an experienced taxi accident lawyer in Montgomery County.

How Taxi Accidents Differ From Regular Car Accidents

There is no real difference in how a taxi accident claim is handled compared to how a car accident claim involving to regular vehicles is handled. Ultimately, when the case is presented by an attorney to the jury, the jury is given a set of jury instructions for their consideration, which include common carrier laws. But the manner in which the claim is presented is essentially the same as it is with all other car accident cases.

Importance of a Montgomery County Taxi Accident Lawyer

A person should retain an attorney when dealing with a taxi driver because of the difficult or unusual situation involving a hired driver operating a vehicle potentially on behalf of another person who is attempting to shield themselves from liability. The taxi company will likely have the minimum insurance policy limits available. A Montgomery County taxi accident attorney can help the injured person process that claim, seek out any additional methods of recovery, and advise a client as to whether there is any other possibility of recovery over and above the insurance policy limits of the insurance of the taxicab company.