The popularity of Uber and Lyft in Tennessee has not eliminated the need for traditional taxi cabs. Some travelers prefer dialing a phone over using a rideshare app to arrange transportation. Despite these new competitors, taxi cabs have not stopped transporting passengers. Unfortunately, injury accidents involving taxi cabs have not stopped, either.

If you suffered injuries in a taxi cab accident, contact the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC. We can help you file a claim to cover your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Call us at 865-546-1111 to schedule a complimentary legal evaluation with a taxi cab accident lawyer in Knoxville.

What Is the Difference Between a Taxi Cab Service and a Rideshare Service?

Rideshare services fall under Tennessee’s Transportation Network Company Services Act (TNC). This legislation regulates rideshare companies that use digital systems to prearrange rides for private passengers.

While TNC drivers use their personal vehicles to transport passengers, taxi drivers generally use a cab company’s vehicle to pick up passengers. Also, municipalities or governmental entities have the legal power to regulate taxi cab companies by requiring them to operate only in certain city limits and adjoining suburban areas.

Tennessee requires both TNC companies and taxi cab companies to have auto liability insurance coverage in case of accidents.

Taxi Cabs and Auto Insurance

Tennessee is a fault state, which means the driver who causes an accident pays for the damages. When a taxi cab driver causes an accident, presumably, the taxi cab company’s auto insurer pays for damages. A taxi cab company’s liability insurance covers significant financial losses when an at-fault cab driver causes a crash.

Generally, taxi cab companies purchase commercial auto insurance that pays for transportation to the hospital, medical bills, and other expenses accident victims incur, as well as repair and replacement costs to the other party’s vehicle.

When applying to operate in a city or town in Tennessee, taxi cab companies must provide a certificate of insurance showing the following minimum liability coverage:

$25,000 in coverage for one bodily injury or death per person;
$50,000 for all injuries or deaths per accident; and
$15,000 to pay for property damage.

Tennessee’s Financial Responsibility Law requires all private vehicle owners to also carry this minimum liability insurance coverage.

We Will Investigate Your Taxi Cab Crash.

Prior to submitting an insurance claim with the taxi cab company, our legal team will investigate the facts of your case to determine who to hold responsible for your damages. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, we would also examine whether other parties had a role in causing the accident. For instance, a hit-and-run driver may have hit the taxi cab or the taxi cab may have had a manufacturing defect that caused the crash.

We further help you collect documentation that supports your statements about the crash. Some of the information we gather includes:

The police report;
Your medical records detailing your injuries;
Eyewitness statements about the accident;
Photos of the accident scene;
Lost wages due to your inability to work; and
Vehicle repair or replacement costs.

We can also use this information to help you recover compensation for a variety of damages, such as your past and future medical bills, hospitalization, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and lost wages. You may also pursue such non-economic damages as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional distress for the trauma you endured due to the accident.

Taxi Cab Companies Owe a Duty of Care to the Public.

We take evidence from our investigation to help you meet a state requirement of proving negligence and to further strengthen your personal injury claim. Under Tennessee’s negligence law, accident victims filing a personal injury claim or lawsuit must show that the careless or reckless behavior of the at-fault party caused the accident.

Tennessee expects every driver to drive in a safe and careful manner. Taxi cab drivers, however, must meet a higher standard because taxi cab companies transport passengers for profit. When a taxi cab driver causes a crash due to negligent behavior, like speeding, driving while impaired, or some other action, the driver falls below that high standard.

The state’s negligence law requires us to prove the taxi cab driver breached the duty of care by causing an accident through negligence. We must also show you suffered damages due to the accident. We can also hold the taxi cab company liable for your damages based on the legal concept of vicarious liability, which makes employers responsible for the actions of their employees.

We Can Handle Your Insurance Claim.

We will handle all aspects of your claim, from filing forms with the insurance companies to negotiating a fair settlement on your behalf. We know what to expect from auto insurers. Insurers often offer a low settlement award, delay closing a claim, or deny it altogether. We challenge low payouts and continue negotiations because we seek to recover the maximum compensation you deserve under Tennessee law.

If an insurer appears unwilling to negotiate a fair settlement award for your damages, we will speak with you about filing a personal injury lawsuit. We do not stop working on your behalf until you receive the best outcome possible for your claim.

Tennessee’s Statute of Limitations Will Impact Your Case.

While it may take time for injuries from your accident to show up, Tennessee’s statute of limitations gives you only one year from the date of your accident to claim injury. We recommend you make a decision on filing an insurance claim or lawsuit as soon as possible.

Contact Us Today for Help With Your Taxi Cab Accident Claim.

The Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC, understand the problems you have endured because of your accident. Let us help you hold the at-fault party responsible. Call us today at 865-546-1111 for a free legal consultation on recovering compensation for your taxi cab accident. Trust us to help you get the compensation you deserve.