Welcome to our guide on how to make taxi accident claims for personal injury compensation. A road traffic accident involving a taxi cab can cause lasting and severe harm, whether that’s in a collision or a faulty vehicle. If you feel confident that you suffered an injury because of negligence by the taxi driver, a claim for damages could help you deal with the problems caused. This guide is packed with helpful information.
Key Points To Remember In Taxi Accident Claims
- Taxi drivers are obliged by law to prevent you from being harmed as much as possible.
- If they fail, they can be liable to pay you compensation. This can cover the physical, psychological and financial harm caused by the taxi accident.
- Solid evidence can greatly strengthen a taxi accident compensation claim.
- Usually, a three-year time limit applies in which to start a road traffic accident.
- Our solicitors could help you get started on your taxi accident claim using a No Win No Fee contract. This requires no upfront or ongoing legal fees.
Our guide will walk you through the taxi accident claims process in the sections below. If you would like further information at any point, you can:
- Call our advisors on 0800 073 8801.
- Put your information into our online claims form and get a callback whenever suits you.
- Talk instantly with an adviser via our live window below.
Select A Part Of Our Guide
- What Are Taxi Accident Claims?
- How Common Are Taxi Accidents?
- Common Causes Of Taxi Accident Claims
- What Injuries Could You Sustain From A Taxi Accident?
- Compensation Amounts In Taxi Accident Claims
- How To Prove A Taxi Accident Compensation Claim
- No Win No Fee Taxi Accident Claims
- More Information On Road Traffic Accidents
What Are Taxi Accident Claims?
Taxi accident compensation claims are a type of legal action against a taxi driver or taxi firm for personal injury caused by their failure to adhere to regulations in place to keep passengers and road users safe.
Any company or individual providing a service to the public is obliged by law to demonstrate a duty of care to the public. The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 requires them to implement the necessary steps to keep the public reasonably safe. In addition to this, all road users must be in compliance with the Road Traffic Act 1988 and Highway Code to meet their duty of care to other road users and pedestrians. This duty of care means that everyone on the roads must ensure that they navigate safely so as to avoid causing injury to others.
To establish whether you have a valid compensation claim, ask yourself these three questions:
- Did the taxi driver, taxi firm or another road user owe me a duty of care at the time of injury?
- Did the driver, road user or taxi firm fail to meet that duty of care?
- Were my injuries a result of this?
If the answer to all three is yes, get in touch with our team. Our solicitors could help with your car accident compensation claim.
Can I Claim If I Suffered Whiplash In A Taxi Accident?
Yes, although the process for whiplash and soft tissue injury claims valued at £5,000 or under is different to making a personal injury claim in the traditional manner. This is because of the Whiplash Reform Program.
However, to make a whiplash claim in this manner, certain criteria apply:
- The taxi accident occurred in England or Wales.
- You were either a passenger or driver in a vehicle.
- You were 18 or older at the time of the accident.
Additionally, whiplash injuries will be valued according to the tariff amounts in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021. Injuries not covered by this tariff will be valued in the traditional manner, but your claim may still be made through the Whiplash Reforms.
Furthermore, if your whiplash and/or soft tissue injuries look set to be valued at greater than £5,000, the claim can be submitted in the traditional method. However, whiplash injuries will still be valued according to the whiplash tariff amounts. A personal injury solicitor could help your whiplash claim go forward correctly. So speak to us first as you could be entitled to more in damages than you think, but once your claim reaches a settlement, it cannot be reopened.
How Common Are Taxi Accidents?
According to the Reported Road Casualties Great Britain Annual Report 2023 (published by the Department for Transport on 26th September 2024), car occupants were most likely to be injured in a collision with 72,826 reported in 2023.
Additionally, collisions involving cars experienced 1,255 reported fatalities in 2023 compared to 336 fatal reported motorcycle incidents. Also, in 2023, 725 car occupants were killed compared to 405 pedestrians or 92 bicycle fatalities.
The statistics do not state how many of these collisions were taxi cab-related, but they do reveal the heightened risk of serious injury and death for people travelling by car.
Common Causes Of Taxi Accident Claims
Taxi accidents can occur in a variety of different ways. Below, we look a few different incidents that could lead to taxi accident claims.
Collisions With Third-Party Drivers
The taxi driver may not be responsible for the car accident that caused your injuries. As stated above, all road users owe a duty of care. Another driver may be speeding and fail to stop at a red light, causing a t-bone accident in which you sustain injuries.
Accidents Where The Taxi Driver Is Liable
Failure to help taxi passengers in and out of the taxi properly could also cause harm. The customer could fall and suffer cuts or fractures. Or if the taxi driver or firm fails to ensure their vehicle is properly maintained and serviced correctly, a passenger could suffer injury on faulty doors, windows or seatbelts.
Additionally, the driver may be liable for causing a road traffic collision, such as if they fail to give the road their full attention. For example, if they are distracted by a mobile phone and drive up a one-way road. This could result in a collision with another vehicle or an object, which could result in passenger injuries.
Pedestrians Who Were Hit By A Taxi
A taxi driver could breach their duty of care to other road users, including pedestrians. Without due care and diligence, a person could be hit at a zebra crossing because the taxi driver failed to stop in time. This could cause pedestrian injuries, including brain damage and broken bones.
However it happened, speak to our team on the contact options above. They could direct you to expert legal representation to help claim compensation.
What Injuries Could You Sustain From A Taxi Accident?
The following list of injuries is not exhaustive, but it gives an idea of what types of harm a taxi accident claim could be based on:
- Cuts and bruises.
- Deeper lacerations.
- A whiplash or neck injury.
- Concussion and shock.
- Fractures and dislocations.
- Head injuries and spinal damage.
- Multiple injuries.
It’s possible to suffer a combination of injuries, so speak to our team for free legal information about taxi accident claims.
Can I Claim If I Wasn’t Wearing A Seatbelt?
It is a legal requirement to wear a seatbelt in vehicles fitted with them. The taxi driver is responsible for ensuring they work properly and that all passengers under the age of 14 are either wearing one or are seated in an approved car seat. Wearing a seatbelt is not a legal requirement if you are medically exempt.
A compensation claim for injury can still apply if you were harmed in a road traffic accident while not wearing a seatbelt. The amount of compensation you are entitled to may be impacted by this and a reduced award made to reflect the contributory negligence on your part. Call our team for immediate guidance on this.
Compensation Amounts In Taxi Accident Claims
Successful compensation claims are often comprised of two types of loss called general and special damages. General damages apply a monetary value to the physical pain and psychological suffering caused by the injury.
To calculate an amount for this, those involved in valuing taxi accident claims often refer to any medical notes that were submitted as evidence. Also, they can consult documents which provide compensation award guidance, like the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).
We’ve used excerpts from the JCG to compile a table below. Importantly, compensation award amounts differ from case to case so these amounts are guidelines only. Also, the first entry is not from the JCG and the last two entries are examples of the tariffs that can be found in the Whiplash Injury Regulations.
Compensation Guideline Award Brackets
Area of Injury | Severity | Award Guidelines | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Multiple types of severe harm and special damages payments. | Severe | Up to £1,000,000 plus | Cases where the taxi accident caused serious injuries and special damages were awarded for lost income, care costs and medical expenses. |
Head | (a) Very Severe | £344,150 up to £493,000 | Injuries severe enough to cause permanent problems with physical and cognitive functioning requiring constant professional nursing care. |
(d) Less Severe | £18,700 up to £52,550 | Good level of recovery and return to normal life with only minor persisting problems. | |
Neck | (a) Severe - (i) | In region of £181,020 | This bracket includes claimants with incomplete paraplegia and/or severe headaches despite the use of a collar. |
Severe Leg | (ii) Very Serious | £66,920 up to £109,290 | Injuries severe enough to create pemanet mobility issues for the person. |
Knee | (a) Severe - (ii) | £63,610 up to £85,100 | Fractures that extend into the knee. |
Arm | (b) Injuries resulting in permanent and substantial disablement | £47,810 up to £73,050 | Serious forearm fractures (to one or both) with a permanent residual disability that is significant. |
Back | (a) Severe - (iii) | £47,320 up to £85,100 | Fractures of discs and lesion as well as vertebral damage. |
Whiplash Tariff | With minor psychological injury | £4,345 | Whiplash, along with a minor psychological injury that lasts between 18-24 months. |
Without a psychological injury | £4,215 | Whiplash with symptoms lasting between 18 months and 2 years. |
How To Claim For Lost Earnings After An Accident In A Taxi
Special damages compensate the claimant for the financial harm the injuries have caused them. Special damages can recover your lost wages for time you took off work to recover from your injuries. To include special damages, the claimant would need to put forward documented evidence of related expense and loss, such as the following:
- Payslips showing that your take-home pay has dropped because of an injury related work absence.
- Proof of medical expenses for treatments you had to pay for.
- The cost of paying someone to look after you. This could be a professional, such as a nurse or a family member or friend.
- Receipts, invoices or statements showing the cost of adaptations needed to your home or car for a new disability.
Our solicitors can ensure that an amount is calculated that reflects both current and predicted losses. Talk to our team to see if they can help you.
How To Prove A Taxi Accident Compensation Claim
As mentioned in our key takeaways, evidence plays a crucial role in claiming compensation. You need to gather as much proof as possible that the taxi driver breached their duty of care to you and that this led to you suffering injury. The following can help:
- CCTV footage from the roadside or inside the taxi cab,
- The contact information for any witnesses to the accident. They can be approached for a supporting statement at a later date.
- Photos of the accident scene and visible injuries.
- Copies of medical notes that prove your level of injury.
Our solicitors could help you compile evidence to support your taxi accident claim. Why not take a moment to call and speak to our advisors about your options or discuss any other matters relating to taxi accident claims?
No Win No Fee Taxi Accident Claims
Our solicitors have been helping claimants access the compensation they deserve for decades. They can handle every stage of the personal injury claims process, negotiate for the best settlement and deal with any complexities that occur during this process. Rather than stress about managing your own claim, they could do it all for you.
You might have concerns about working with a solicitor because of legal costs. Our solicitors can offer an array of expert services through a type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Generally, this offers the following advantages:
- A solicitor acting under a CFA requires no immediate fees for their services.
- No fees apply for services carried out going forward.
- No fees are applicable for completed solicitors’ services should the claim fail.
- A successful outcome requires a minimal (and restricted by law) percentage to be taken from the compensation. The legal cap on this fee means the person claiming can rest assured the bulk of the award is theirs.
Contact Our Team
If you are interested in seeing whether our solicitors could handle your taxi accident claim in this way, connect to learn more:
- Call our advisors for free, no-obligation guidance on 0800 073 8801.
- Ask a question about taxi accident claims through the live chat window below.
- Contact us to start a claim online and see how much compensation you may be owed.
More Information On Road Traffic Accidents
The focus of this guide was taxi accident claims and these other articles might be useful:
- Read details about claiming for a back injury following a car accident.
- Here we look at claims for a pedestrian hit by a car.
- Also, you can read your legal rights after a car accident.
External help
- This resource looks at GOV.UK guidance on taxis and private hire vehicles.
- In addition to this, here is the legislation related to vehicles used in this way.
- Lastly, you can read Transport for London’s advice on taxi cab use.
To close, we’re grateful for you reading our guide about taxi accident claims. If you’d like any more assistance claiming taxi accident compensation for you or a family member, reach out to the team.