Were you or a family member hurt in a car accident involving a taxi in St. Petersburg, FL? If the accident wasn’t your fault, Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers is here to help you fight for fair financial compensation. An experienced St. Petersburg taxi accident lawyer can handle the legal issues and fight for money to cover your medical bills, lost income, pain, suffering, and trauma.
We’re one of the largest personal injury law firms in the Tampa Bay area. Between us, our lawyers have over 300 years of experience successfully handling complex personal injury claims like yours.
We’ve already used our skills and dedication to recover hundreds of millions of dollars for accident victims. We’re prepared to fight for you. Contact us today at (727) 349-1728 to schedule your free consultation.
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How Can Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers Help Me Recover Compensation After a Taxi Accident in St. Petersburg?
Taxi drivers earn their living driving a taxi. Taxi companies also profit from their drivers. That means they won’t want to step forward, admit blame, and risk their profitability. When you’re facing off against the taxi company’s insurance company, you’ll probably face a lot of resistance.
Fortunately, you don’t have to handle your case alone. An experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers can handle all of the legal issues.
Our award-winning lawyers have earned a perfect AV-rating and recognition from Super Lawyers. Three attorneys have been board-certified by the Florida Bar Association (less than 2% of all Florida lawyers hold this distinction).
Our lawyers are ready to:
- Conduct a full investigation into the crash
- Find evidence to establish the cause of your accident
- Determine who is ultimately liable for your damages
- Defend you from claims that you caused the crash
- Work with experts as we assess your case value
- Negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement
Before filing a lawsuit, call our St. Petersburg personal injury lawyers today to learn more about legal representation.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Taxi Accidents in St. Petersburg, Florida?
Cab drivers have a reputation for being aggressive. Drivers often speed, weave between lanes, and make other aggressive moves. Growing traffic congestion in St. Petersburg only adds to the risk of accidents.
However, many different factors can cause taxicab accidents in Florida.
At Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers, we often handle taxicab accident cases involving:
- Distracted driving
- Texting while driving
- Failure to yield the right-of-way
- Tailgating
- Speeding and other traffic violations
- Aggressive driving
- Road rage
- Inexperienced drivers
- Dangerous lane changes
- Illegal or unsafe turns
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Drunk driving or impaired driving
- Improper vehicle maintenance
- Dangerous weather conditions and limited visibility
- Passenger negligence
Our lawyers will carefully review your case. Once we understand the facts, we’ll be better able to determine the cause of your crash–and who was responsible.
What Is My Personal Injury Case Worth After a Taxi Accident in St. Petersburg?
There’s no standard case value that can be used to estimate how much compensation you deserve. Every situation is unique. However, there are standard factors that are useful in estimating your case value.
The most important factors are:
- The severity of the injuries you’ve suffered
- Whether you’re expected to make a full medical recovery or suffer a permanent disability
- The cost of your medical care
- The pain, suffering, and trauma you experienced
- Whether your ability to work has been affected
- The value of your lost wages
- Your need for future rehabilitation and medical treatment
- Whether you share fault for the crash
- The amount of insurance coverage available
Our accident lawyers in St. Petersburg can offer more personalized information about your case value in a free case review. To get started, call us today to schedule yours.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Taxi Accidents in St. Petersburg?
Under Florida personal injury law, compensatory damages are grouped into two categories: economic damages and non-economic damages.
You can seek full compensation for your financial losses after an accident, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- In-home assistance or nursing care
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
If your injuries were serious, you can also pursue compensation for your more personal, intangible losses, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Anxiety
- Depression
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Loss of consortium
These non-economic damages are often called your “pain and suffering damages.” While they can make up a large portion of your settlement, you will not have receipts to prove you deserve these damages. That makes it important to have an experienced lawyer by your side.
Our lawyers in St. Petersburg have the resources to put a dollar value on your non-financial losses. We’ll look at cases that are similar to yours and bring in experts who can testify on your behalf if necessary.
Who Is Responsible for Paying My Damages After a Taxi Accident in Florida?
Under Florida law, fault is allocated between all parties whose actions directly or indirectly caused your accident. Although you can likely utilize your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage regardless of fault, a claim against the at-fault party or parties can be much more lucrative.
Establishing legal responsibility in taxi accident cases can be more complex than a motor vehicle case involving only private drivers. Cab drivers are employees. Under state vicarious liability laws, taxi companies can be financially responsible for the negligent acts of their employees.
In other words, someone who wasn’t even at the crash scene might end up paying your compensation.
Examples of responsible parties in a taxi crash case include:
- Negligent taxi drivers
- Cab companies
- Companies hired to inspect a fleet of taxis
- Maintenance companies
- Manufacturers of defective vehicle parts
- Third-party motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists
- Government authorities responsible for oversight, licensing or road maintenance
Our lawyers are here to help you pursue compensation from all parties who caused you to get hurt. Call our St. Petersburg personal injury law firm today to get started.
How Can Florida’s Comparative Negligence Law Impact My Right to Financial Compensation After a Taxi Accident?
Florida follows a modified comparative negligence law regarding claims against the at-fault party (this law won’t apply to claims against your PIP insurance). Accident victims cannot receive compensation if they’re more than 50% responsible for their own injuries. If your share of fault is less than 51%, your compensation will be reduced to account for your share of the blame.
The negligent driver’s insurance company will try to shift as much blame as possible to you. It’s important to fight back–or risk losing your right to seek compensation entirely.
Our lawyers are here to help you demand proof. We’ll also search for evidence to minimize the impact of Florida’s shared fault laws.
We’ll Fight To Recover Money for All of Your Taxicab Accident Injuries
Taxi crashes have the potential to cause serious injuries whether you’re a taxi passenger, occupant in another vehicle, or simply walking down the street.
Some of the most common types of taxi accident injuries include:
- Broken bones
- Nerve injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
These injuries can lead to a long and painful recovery. If you were injured, don’t wait to seek legal advice. The sooner you act, the greater your chances of recovering full compensation for your injuries.
How Do I Prove Negligence After a Taxi Accident in Florida?
Like ordinary car crashes, taxi accidents usually happen because someone was negligent. Broadly speaking, negligence is a legal term for carelessness or recklessness.
In legal terms, you must establish the following elements to prove negligence:
- The at-fault party owed you a legal duty of care
- They breached their duty of care
- The breach of duty was the direct and proximate cause of the accident
- As the victim, you suffered damages
Under Florida law, taxi drivers are classified as common carriers. They’re held to a higher standard of care because they transport passengers for a profit.
That can help you prove negligence. However, you’ll also have to file a claim for compensation with the cab company’s commercial insurance company. They’ll demand strong evidence before they’ll pay a fair settlement.
Our lawyers will collect that evidence to file a personal injury lawsuit. We’ll interview witnesses, review accident reports, and even dig into the taxi company’s hiring practices and the driver’s safety record.
What Is the Deadline for Filing a Personal Injury Claim After a Taxi Accident in Florida?
Under Florida law, the statute of limitations is two years in most personal injury cases. The two-year clock starts running on the date of your accident.
Once the deadline in your case passes, you forfeit your right to sue for damages. Exceptions to the deadline are rare, but they do exist. Contact our attorneys as soon as you can to confirm the statute of limitations for your particular case.
Call a St. Petersburg Taxi Accident Lawyer to Arrange a Free Consultation Today
Taxis offer a convenient way to get around St. Petersburg. However, taxi accidents can create huge headaches for victims. Our team at Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers is prepared to handle your personal injury claim. Contact us today at (727) 349-1728 to schedule a free consultation with a St. Petersburg taxi accident lawyer.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in St. Petersburg, Fl
Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers
2560 1st Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712
(727) 349-1728
