Cabs are a part of living in New York, and while they have received stiff competition from Uber and Lyft, they continue to be a hallmark of our city. Unfortunately, not all taxi drivers are equal, and serious collisions can occur when a driver behaves recklessly or tries to place profit above passenger safety.
New York requires only a relatively low amount of liability insurance for taxi drivers, which falls short of what people who have been injured by reckless drivers deserve. That is where a top NY personal injury attorney can help.
Recent Taxi Crashes in NYC
Taxis, just like any other vehicle, can do serious damage to passengers, pedestrians, or bicyclists in a collision. We trust taxi drivers in the city to be in control while behind the wheel, but they do not always act as they should. When mistakes are made or taxi drivers become careless, serious injuries can occur. Usually, it is the victims of these accidents who pay the most for the negligence of an irresponsible taxi driver.
- May 10, 2018 – NYC: Two taxis collided, and one hopped the curb, slamming into a deli and seriously injuring at least five people. Fortunately, their injuries were not life-threatening, but they were still taken to a local hospital for treatment.
- April 30, 2018 – NYC: In the early morning hours, police responded to reports of an overturned bakery truck near the intersection of 59th St. and Third Avenue. At the scene, a taxi driver attempted to swerve to avoid the truck and another vehicle, and while doing so, struck two police officers on foot and collided with a police vehicle. Both officers suffered leg injuries and an officer inside the vehicle suffered neck pain.
- September 13, 2017 – NYC: Peter MacGregor-Scott, a Hollywood film producer, got into a taxi at E. 38th St. and Madison Avenue. Witnesses reported that his driver was driving in a reckless and unsafe way. This behavior resulted in a serious collision that mortally injured MacGregor-Scott, who passed away a month after the deadly crash.
- April 12, 2014 – NYC: Cristina Spano got into a taxi to get to her job at the time. Her taxi driver ran a red light, according to witnesses, and collided with another car at E. 27th St. and Park Avenue. The collision left Spano with a fractured pelvis and wrist, and she had to undergo painful surgery that included placing plates and screws in her body; and a lengthy physical recovery, which ultimately forced her to leave her job.
As if the horror of catastrophic injuries or death in a taxi crash wasn’t enough, the final insult is that New York only requires taxi drivers to have $100,000 in liability insurance. That means that no matter how extensive a passenger’s medical bills may be, or how life-altering a collision might be, insurance payouts are not likely to ever exceed $100,000. And even though a taxi driver has $100,000 in liability coverage, the insurance company will typically attempt to pay as little as possible, rather than that full amount.
After a NY Taxi Crash, Call a NY Taxi Accident Lawyer
Fortunately, civil lawsuits can be used as a way to receive compensation beyond the paltry amount required by law to insure taxi drivers. Knowledgeable, skilled car accident attorneys can help victims receive compensation beyond a small insurance payout.
As an example of what a lawyer can do for an accident victim, consider the following cases and settlements received through the hard work of the attorneys at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP:
- $850,000 settlement for a woman who was a passenger in an ambulette involved in a collision with a taxi.
- $275,000 settlement for a 39-year old man struck by a taxi while crossing the street.
- $200,000 settlement for a 70-year-old woman from Hawaii whose foot was run over by a NYC taxi driver.
An experienced attorney can deal with low-balling from insurance companies and hold reckless taxi drivers accountable for their actions. For a free consultation with a tough NYC taxi accident attorney, give us a call at (212) 986-7353.