Taxi Driver Accident at Work – A Guide to Claiming Compensation

Professional drivers can face many hazards and dangers on any given day. That’s true for taxi drivers and, crucially, if they are injured while driving a taxi and someone else is to blame, they could be entitled to claim compensation for any suffering. In this guide about taxi driver accident claims, you’ll read how much compensation taxi drivers could receive, how to begin a claim and what types of taxi accidents can be claimed for.

Additionally, you can speak to our legal advisors for free advice on claiming for taxi driver injuries. During a no-obligation assessment of your case, your advisor will set out your legal options and advise on the likelihood of making a successful claim. If your case appears to have strong grounds, it could be passed to a specialist accident-at-work solicitor. They provide No Win, No Fee representation for any taxi driver compensation claims they take on, so you’ll only have to pay for their service if you are compensated.

If you’re ready to talk to us about a taxi driver claim today, please:

• Call 0333 241 2519 and tell us about your taxi accident.
• Connect to our online chat service so that we can answer your questions.

You’ll find more information on when taxi drivers can claim compensation throughout this article, but please feel free to contact us with any questions that may arise.

Can I Claim Compensation as a Taxi Driver Injured at Work?

In principle, as a taxi driver injured at work, you may be entitled to compensation if:

• The defendant in your case owed you a legal duty of care.
• That duty was not upheld, resulting in an accident involving your taxi.
• You sustained an injury or injuries in the taxi accident.

To help you build as strong a case as possible, we’ll explore what evidence can strengthen taxi driver claims later on in this guide.

Who Would a Taxi Driver Claim Against for Work-Related Injuries?

When a taxi driver is injured at work, they might have grounds to claim compensation against any of the following:

• Your employer: Due to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, employers must, for instance, provide you with a taxi that is properly maintained.
• Other road users: Here, you could be entitled to claim if the rules of the Road Traffic Act 1988 or the Highway Code were not adhered to.
• Local authorities: You could be entitled to claim for injuries caused by road defects if the rules of the Highways Act 1980 were breached.
• Criminals: If a taxi driver is assaulted by a passenger, they could claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) if no other avenue for claiming exists.

You don’t need to become a legal expert to begin a taxi driver accident claim. If you believe that your injury was caused by someone else, please get in touch and we’ll check your eligibility to claim.

What Types of Negligence Can Cause Injuries to Taxi Drivers?

Here are some examples of accidents involving taxi drivers that could allow them to claim compensation:

• Where your taxi slid on an icy road and hit a tree because the road was not gritted by the local authority causing a head injury at work.
• If you were injured because of another driver’s negligence (e.g., if they were affected by road rage, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, speeding, distracted by their mobile phone or failed to observe the rules of the road).
• If you suffered a serious spinal cord injury after your taxi’s seatbelt failed due to a lack of proper maintenance.
• An uninsured or untraceable driver caused you to be injured as a taxi driver in a hit-and-run (here, claims could be made through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau).

These are only a small set of scenarios that could enable a taxi driver injury at work claim. If you’d like a legal advisor to quickly check if you’re entitled to compensation, call us.

What Should I Do If I’m a Taxi Driver Injured at Work?

When a taxi driver is injured in an accident at work, they should:

• Ensure that any injuries are checked at a hospital or GP surgery to ensure they are diagnosed properly. This can result in the correct treatment being administered and a faster recovery.
• You should report the taxi accident to your employer as soon as possible. In some cases, you’ll also need to report the accident to the police.
• Take details from anyone else involved in the accident. For instance, ensure that you collect the name, contact details and insurance information of any other drivers or taxi passengers.
• Take photographs before the accident scene is cleared (where it’s safe to do so, as this can help to prove liability for the taxi crash.

Taking these steps can lead to faster recovery times and could give you the grounds to start a taxi driver claim at a later date if you decide to do so.

What Evidence Can Be Used for Taxi Driver Accident Claims?

Evidence is a key component in any personal injury at work claim. Without it, your claim could be dismissed and you might not receive any compensation you might be entitled to.

The types of evidence you might gather to strengthen a taxi driver accident claim include:

• Medical evidence, including doctors’ records and X-rays to prove your injuries.
• Witness statements from anyone (e.g., passengers, pedestrians, drivers) who saw what happened.
• Dashcam or CCTV recordings of your collision to demonstrate responsibility for your injuries.
• A police reference number if they attended the scene of your accident.
• Details of any other drivers involved.
• Photographs that show the accident scene layout and any vehicular damage.

It’s not always possible to gather all of this evidence yourself. Crucially, if an accident-at-work solicitor from our panel accepts your case after it has been assessed, they may offer to collect evidence to prove your case on your behalf.

Please call now for a legal advisor to review what happened and explain your options for free.

How Long Do I Have to Claim Compensation for Taxi Driver Injuries?

In UK law (specifically, the Limitation Act 1980), personal injury claims have a 3-year time limit. In the majority of taxi driver injury claims, this time limit normally begins on the date of the accident.

However, one exception to this is when the taxi driver’s injuries mean that they don’t have the mental capacity to take legal action themselves. In this case, the time limit won’t apply. As such, someone else could help the taxi driver claim compensation (once approved as their litigation friend).

Our usual recommendation is to get the claims process started asap because there’s plenty of work to do before your case is filed. Also, starting the claim early normally makes it easier to recall the events that led up to your taxi crash.

How Much Compensation for a Taxi Driver Injured at Work?

Taxi driver injury compensation will be awarded if your personal injury claim is successful. Any settlement you receive will typically be calculated on:

• How much pain and suffering you’ve endured (psychological trauma and physical injuries), plus any impact that pain and suffering has had on your normal activities (loss of amenity). This element of compensation is called general damages.
• Any monetary losses, costs and expenses linked to your injuries (special damages).

Special damages compensation for taxi driver claims could cover:

• Travel costs.
• Property damage costs.
• Loss of earnings (including any predicted future losses).
• Medical expenses.
• The cost of home adaptations where you’ve been left disabled following your taxi driver accident.
• Care and support costs.

Wage slips, bank statements, receipts and other evidence may be required to prove how your taxi accident has caused you to suffer financially.

Do You Need a Solicitor for a Taxi Driver Accident Claim?

Most compensation claims involving injured taxi drivers are dealt with by the defendant’s insurers. As you may know, insurance companies can try to reduce settlements or not pay any at all if the case against their client isn’t strong enough.

As such, if you want to make a taxi driver accident claim, you might think about having a specialist solicitor on your side. If your case is managed by one of our accident-at-work solicitors, they can typically help by:

• Ensuring the personal injury claims process is adhered to.
• Collecting any evidence needed to prove your case.
• Building an accurate claim and filing it on time.
• Attempting to counter any objections raised by insurers during the claims process.
• Trying to negotiate an appropriate level of compensation.

Throughout the claims process, your solicitor will also send regular updates so that you’re aware of how the case is progressing.

Crucially, none of the work listed above needs to be paid for upfront if your case is taken on as we normally provide a No Win, No Fee claims service.

This means that after you have signed a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), the only time you will need to pay your solicitor for their efforts is when compensation is awarded.

Will I Have to Go to Court?

Generally, only a minority of personal injury claims go to court. That’s partly because most accident-at-work solicitors working on a No Win, No Fee basis will only take on claims with a realistic chance of success.

It’s also because most insurers and law firms try to avoid the extra time and expenses associated with court hearings. Instead, they normally try to come to an amicable agreement over liability for the accident and how much compensation should be paid.

However, in a very small number of cases, solicitors could book a court hearing as a last resort. Crucially, an out-of-court agreement could still be reached up until the date of the court hearing.

Contacting Us About a Taxi Driver Accident Claim

Thank you for reading our guide about taxi driver accident claims. You can contact us if you’d like to ask any questions about a claim by:

• Calling 0333 241 2519 to speak to a legal advisor.
• Use our free live chat system to discuss your options online.

We offer free legal advice about taxi driver claims as part of a no-obligation telephone consultation. You don’t have to begin a claim with us after that, but if your case is feasible and you do decide to proceed, you could receive representation from a No Win, No Fee solicitor.