Taxis are an iconic part of New York City’s transportation landscape, and many residents and tourists depend on them. If you’ve hailed a taxi using the Curb app, you know it provides a convenient way to find a taxi near you or book one in advance. You can also use Curb to pay your fare.
No matter how you hail your taxi, they’re like the other vehicles on the streets of Manhattan — susceptible to accidents. If you called a cab with Curb and sustained injuries in a crash, a personal injury lawyer can help.
Taxi Accidents in Manhattan
One of the reasons taxis are well-known in Manhattan is because there are so many of them, and people use them frequently. Yellow taxis make an average of 110,550 trips through the city each day.
With so many cabs on the streets, accidents are inevitable. In May 2023, there were 1,188 crashes in NYC, including all for-hire ride services. They resulted in 583 total injuries — a 17.1% increase from the previous month.
No-Fault Insurance Policies
New York’s no-fault insurance law mandates that vehicle owners carry auto insurance coverage, including liability and Personal Injury Protection coverage. Your own insurance policy covers your medical expenses after an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
If you don’t have an auto insurance policy, the driver’s insurance covers your medical expenses.
What Personal Injury Protection covers
Personal Injury Protection insurance provides up to $50,000 in medical expenses and lost wages. A PIP policy includes:
- Lost work income — 80% up to $2,000 monthly for up to three years following the accident
- “Reasonable and necessary” coverage of medical expenses
- Up to $25 daily for “reasonable and necessary” expenses such as household help and transportation to medical appointments
- A $2,000 death benefit to the estate of someone killed in an accident
PIP does not pay for non-monetary expenses such as pain and suffering.
Coverage Outside of PIP
While personal injury protection is the first channel for compensation, it isn’t the only option. New York law allows people with “serious injuries” from a car crash to pursue a claim. The injuries must meet specific thresholds:
- Substantial total disability for 90 days
- Bone fractures
- Permanent limitation of a body organ or member
- Significant limitation of a body organ or system
- Significant disfigurement
If your injuries qualify under New York’s “serious injury” definition, you can legally pursue a third-party insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. Serious injuries lead to higher medical expenses, and these options may help you recover a higher amount than PIP insurance. You may also pursue non-monetary costs such as pain and suffering.
How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help After a Cab Accident
If you hailed a cab through the Curb app and were in an accident, you have a lot of information to process. Hopefully, your case is straightforward, and you can file a PIP claim with your insurance company.
Answering Questions
However, you may have questions, such as:
- How long do you have to file a claim or lawsuit?
- Did the insurance company offer you an adequate settlement amount?
- Are there medical expenses you didn’t identify?
- What happens if symptoms show up weeks later?
Personal injury attorneys have experience dealing with insurance companies following a taxi accident. They can help you find answers to your questions.
Investigating Your Case
Lawyers can conduct independent case investigations. They may uncover new information relevant to your case that others missed. Your attorney may:
- Interview witnesses
- Review documents
- Read police reports
- Examine old and new evidence
Having as many facts as possible builds a strong and thorough case.
Optimizing Your Settlement Offer
Attorneys have experience working with various cases and know how to negotiate with the other parties involved. They can work with the opposing party’s insurance company to help you avoid a low settlement amount.
Representing Your Case
Most insurance claims are settled and resolved outside of court. Only about 3% of cases are settled by a trial verdict. However, if your case goes to court, a personal injury attorney can work on your behalf and effectively present your case.
What To Do After a Taxi Accident
Knowing what to do before an accident occurs is a good idea. When you are in the moment, and several things happen at once, it can be easy to miss information critical to your case.
Check for Injuries
Ensure that everyone involved in the accident is OK. If another car is involved, check if anyone in the other vehicle is hurt. Call 911 immediately if anyone is seriously injured. Even if you suspect injuries but aren’t sure, it’s a good idea to call anyway just to be safe.
Call the Police
New York law requires you to notify the police if an accident results in injury, death or more than $1,000 in property damage. However, it’s wise to call the police even for a minor crash. A police report documents how the accident took place and provides details that may benefit your case.
Gather Contact Information
Obtain the name, phone number, registration and license number of the taxi driver (and other driver if there’s another vehicle involved). It’s also good to get other passengers’ and witnesses’ names and contact information. You or the attorney may need to talk to someone later to gather evidence for your claim.
Document the Scene
Taking photos can be a convenient way to document the accident scene, injuries, road conditions and other pertinent information. Some things that may be important to your case include:
- What directions the cars were traveling, and where they were after the crash
- Weather conditions
- Nearby signs and traffic signals
- Vehicle damage
- Traffic conditions
The date and time of the accident may also be relevant. Some information may seem trivial at first — and you may not need all of it. However, the more information you have, the more solid your case can be.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You have 30 days to file a claim with the insurance company after an accident. If you do not have an auto insurance policy because you don’t own a vehicle, you can file a claim with the taxi driver’s insurance company.
Call a Curb Accident Lawyer
If you were in an accident after hailing a cab with the Curb app, you can benefit from the advice of a knowledgeable attorney. Personal injury lawyers are familiar with the ins and outs of taxi accidents. They can:
- Interview witnesses
- Review police reports and other documents
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- File paperwork before the statute of limitations expires
- Handle further details pertinent to your case
Recovering from an accident can be stressful. Working with a personal injury attorney takes some of the pressure off you to do all the legwork. Your attorney can handle the details of your case while working toward a positive outcome.
Work With a Trusted Curb Accident Lawyer
Cellino Law has been helping clients fight for fair results since 1958. If you’ve been in a cab accident after using the Curb app, you may have unanswered questions. Contact Cellino Law today for more information. We offer a free consultation, so there’s no financial risk. Let our knowledgeable staff help you after a taxi accident.