Orlando has long been a favorite tourist destination for those in the United States and throughout the world. The city also welcomes business travelers for conventions, training, and meetings. Taxi companies in the Orlando area have plenty of tourist passengers and locals who simply don’t want to worry about driving or need a ride home after enjoying a few cocktails. Taxi drivers have the incentive to pick up and drop off their customers quickly. Dangerous and deadly taxi accidents can occur in their haste to provide a service.
Whether you suffered injuries in a taxicab accident while visiting Orlando or as a resident, you should not have to shoulder the financial burden that comes with your accident losses because a taxi cab driver or taxi company was careless and negligent.
A skilled Orlando personal injury attorney can inform you of your options and advise you on the best course of action. Contact Michael T. Gibson, P.A. today to discuss the details of your taxi accident and related losses and how they have impacted your life. You can contact us online or at (407) 490-1271.
Michael T. Gibson, P.A.’s Results in Auto Accident Cases
The skilled legal team at Michael T. Gibson, P.A., has extensive experience representing clients involved in Orlando auto accidents, including taxi crashes. The firm’s commitment to case preparation, client service, and seeking justice has led to the recovery of millions of dollars in damages for their clients.
Some examples of recent case results include:
- $1.97 million jury award for a client who suffered a catastrophic injury in an auto accident.
- $600,000 jury award for a client who also suffered a catastrophic injury in a car accident.
- $650,000 jury award for injuries from an auto accident.
- $475,000 verdict for auto accident injuries.
- $375,000 verdict for auto accident injuries.
- $150,000 settlement for car accident injuries.
- $100,000 settlement for car accident injuries.
The previous selection of case results only serves as examples. No attorney can guarantee specific results for your taxi crash claim. Each auto accident case has distinctive facts that affect its value. The experienced Orlando taxi accident lawyers at Michael T. Gibson, P.A., have the resources and knowledge to build the strongest case possible for your circumstances.
Orlando Taxi Drivers Insurance Requirements
Florida requires all for-hire passenger vehicles, including taxis and cab companies, to comply with the state’s financial responsibility requirements and vehicle regulations to protect cab passengers. Florida does not require taxi drivers to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance which is mandatory for all other drivers.
Florida taxi drivers must have the following minimum insurance coverage:
- $125,000 minimum death and bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage per person
- $250,000 minimum death and bodily injury liability (BIL) coverage per incident
- $50,000 minimum property damage liability (PDL) coverage
Common Scenarios Leading to Orlando Taxi Accidents
Many situations can lead to a taxi collision. Taxi passengers are especially vulnerable to injury when an accident occurs because most do not wear seat belts when they ride in the back seat. Back-seat passengers can fly forward, often against the glass or hard plastic partition found in most taxis.
These are some common scenarios of a driver’s negligence that lead to these accidents:
Distracted Driving
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) warns drivers of three types of negligent driver distractions:
- Visual distractions take a driver’s eyes away from the road.
- Manual distractions take a driver’s hands off the wheel.
- Cognitive distractions take a driver’s mind off driving.
Distracted driving has plagued drivers long before cell phones existed. Yet, texting and driving is a triple threat that falls under all three of the above categories. Texting while driving is illegal in Florida and isn’t often an issue for taxi drivers. Taxi drivers have many other distractions that can lead to accidents and injury.
Some examples include:
- Programming a GPS or radio
- Adjusting other vehicle features such as climate control or seats
- Eating and drinking
- Listening to chatty passengers
- Dealing with belligerent, unruly, or drunk passengers
- Focusing on something else going on outside the vehicle
- Daydreaming about personal things
Michael T. Gibson is a dedicated taxi accident lawyer who helps injured clients hold negligent taxi drivers accountable for distracted driving when it results in harm to passengers or other motorists.
Drowsy Driving
Federal and state agencies heavily regulate the amount of time professional drivers can spend behind the wheel each day. All drivers who hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL) must comply. The government does not require cab drivers to carry a CDL. Drivers work long hours, often without breaks. Taxi drivers can suffer from fatigue or drive drowsy and cause treacherous accidents if they nod off for a few seconds when driving.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), drivers who go 20 hours without sleep suffer the same level of driving impairment as drivers who have consumed enough alcohol to test at the legal limit of 0.08 breath or blood alcohol content. In addition to long hours, taxi drivers are also susceptible to drowsy driving when they work night shifts that fight their internal clock. Untreated sleep disorders, poor health, diabetes, and improper use of medication can also cause drowsy driving.
Drunk/Drugged Driving
Taxi drivers who use and abuse controlled substances such as alcohol, illegal drugs, and prescription medication can also cause accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Impaired taxi drivers cannot quickly process the information they need to drive safely, including their ability to respond to other vehicles on the road, react to traffic control devices, and accurately judge distances.
Taxi drivers may also use caffeine or illegal amphetamines to stay awake to work more hours. Before these substances wear off, drivers risk making bad, impulsive decisions, and afterward, they can suffer from dangerous drowsiness and other side effects. Orlando’s taxi passengers who ride late at night also risk injury when other drunk or drugged drivers recklessly get behind the wheel.
Inadequate Taxi Maintenance
Taxi companies and owners are responsible for maintaining their taxis in roadworthy condition to prevent accidents and injury. Taxicabs put on thousands of miles each month, requiring regular inspections and maintenance. With few regulations governing taxi drivers and companies, many taxi owners cut corners to save money. Some companies avoid preventative maintenance and wait until something breaks. Mechanical failures at critical times can lead to severe accidents and injuries.
Examples of taxi maintenance issues that sometimes lead to accidents include:
- Failure to inspect and fix brakes and braking systems;
- Failure to inspect, rotate, and change tires, potentially leading to tire a blowout;
- Failure to check and change oil and filters; and
- Fail to regularly inspect and change belts.
Michael T. Gibson, P.A. holds taxi owners and taxi companies accountable for the negligent upkeep of their vehicles when it causes harm to others.
Speeding
Taxi crashes occur when taxi drivers don’t follow traffic regulations. Any violation could lead to an accident, but taxi drivers are notorious for speeding. Passengers are in a hurry to reach their destinations, and taxi drivers go as quickly as they can to get them there. Taxi drivers make more money by serving more passengers. Speeding helps drivers offer more rides each day, but it comes with a cost.
Taxi drivers who drive over the speed limit or drive too fast for traffic, road, or weather conditions risk losing control of their cab and causing a serious traffic collision. Speed also increases the force of impact during a traffic crash, resulting in more severe injuries and a higher likelihood of fatal injuries.
Seeking Compensation for Losses After an Orlando Taxi Accident
Whether you’ve suffered accident injuries while riding in a taxi or as a driver or occupant in another vehicle, Florida law permits you to take legal action to recover damages related to your crash. The taxi company might share liability with the driver depending on your situation. Regardless of fault, you must file a claim under your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance policy to receive compensation for your injuries.
PIP coverage is mandatory for those who register a motor vehicle in Florida, and it covers a portion of medical benefits and lost wages. Your coverage extends to you as a taxi passenger, a pedestrian, and a bicyclist. If a careless taxi driver causes an accident while you are on your motorcycle, PIP insurance will not apply. Tourists who visit Orlando might have PIP coverage if they have optional or mandatory coverage from their own state.
Once you’ve exhausted your PIP coverage, Florida law allows you to file a claim against the at-fault taxi driver or company to receive compensation for your losses.
If you reach an agreeable settlement with the insurance company or the court rules in your favor, you might receive compensation for the following:
- Medical costs include ambulance, emergency room, surgery, hospitalization, diagnostic tests and imaging, and follow-up services. Also, medication and travel costs to and from the doctor/hospital may be covered.
- Estimated future medical treatment costs when a taxi crash leads to a severe injury or a permanent condition or disability requiring lifelong care.
- Rehabilitation costs for visits with specialists, such as physical, speech, occupational, and mental health specialists.
- Costs for assistive devices such as artificial limbs, walkers, wheelchairs, and canes.
- Lost wages for missing time from work due to injury, hospitalization, and rehabilitation.
- Estimated future lost wages when a taxi collision leads to a catastrophic injury preventing an accident victim from returning to work or seeking gainful employment in the future.
- Costs to replace domestic help the accident victim provided before the injury, such as lawn care, pool maintenance, cooking, cleaning, and childcare.
- Emotional pain and suffering.
- Physical pain and suffering.
- Decreased quality of living.
- Loss of consortium with a spouse.
- Punitive damages in rare cases that include intentional harm or gross negligence.
If you have lost a loved one in a taxi accident, you might also recover damages depending on your relationship with the deceased, as well as costs for burial or cremation and a funeral or memorial service. Your Orlando taxi accident lawyer can evaluate your case and answer specific questions about your eligibility for compensation in a wrongful death suit.
Orlando Taxi Accidents FAQs
If you were in an Orlando taxi accident, you likely have many questions about what to do next. If you are unsure about how you should proceed, consult our Orlando taxi accident attorneys. We can answer your questions and explain your best options during a free consultation. Until we can meet, this guide answers frequently asked questions about taxi accidents in Orlando.
I only feel a little sore after my taxi accident. Should I go to the doctor?
Yes, you should always get checked out by a physician after being involved in a traffic accident, especially when you did not cause the accident. Although you didn’t go to the hospital in an ambulance, you may have suffered injuries. Traffic crashes are traumatic experiences, and an adrenaline rush can mask the pain from minor and severe injuries.
A little soreness can indicate other, more severe, and sometimes fatal injuries. For example:
- Headaches can indicate a brain injury.
- Soreness in the neck or back can be a sign of seriously fractured vertebrae or slipped discs.
- Soreness in the abdomen can indicate internal injuries that, if left untreated, could lead to death.
Similarly, some serious injuries do not show symptoms for hours or days; you could have sustained a serious injury even though you cannot feel or see it right away. Ask a physician to examine you for common accident injuries and suggest any restrictions or needed treatment. You should go to the doctor after a taxi accident if for no other reason than that your health is of the utmost importance.
Additionally, filing an insurance claim or taxi accident lawsuit after a taxi accident requires proving that the taxi driver’s or taxi company’s negligence caused your injuries. Medical documentation of your injuries, especially those that aren’t visible, serves as valuable evidence for insurance companies and the courts, making it difficult for anyone to argue your injuries were not caused by the taxi accident.
Who might be liable for my injuries in an Orlando taxi accident?
Florida law permits you to seek damages for your injuries in civil court against any at-fault party after a taxi accident.
Parties who might bear liability include:
- The taxi driver and/or owner.
- The taxi cab company.
- A driver of another vehicle.
- A public entity if the accident was caused by poor road conditions.
- An auto manufacturer if a defective vehicle led to the accident.
I think I was partially at fault for my Orlando accident, do I still have a claim?
Yes. Even if you contributed to the taxi accident, that does not absolve the other at-fault parties of their portion of financial responsibility for the accident and your injuries. The court may reduce any award you receive, or the insurance company might reduce the value of your settlement, but you still have the right to take legal action.
Do passengers in Orlando taxi cabs have special protections under the law?
Federal and state law does not regulate taxis to the same extent that they regulate other professional drivers, such as truckers. However, the law identifies taxi cab companies as common carriers or vehicles for hire. The average driver has a duty of care to others on the road to operate safely. Common carriers, including taxi cabs, have an elevated duty of care to others on the road and their passengers.
Cab operators must drive with caution and perform regular maintenance on their taxis to fix known issues as soon as possible. When negligent cab drivers or taxi companies fail to uphold their legal obligation to passengers, they open themselves up to liability if an accident occurs.
I suffered injuries as a passenger in an Orlando taxi accident. Does my PIP insurance apply?
As a no-fault insurance state, Florida requires those who register a vehicle to carry a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. After an accident, each injured person files a claim under their own PIP policy, regardless of who was at fault. This coverage will also apply if you are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, including taxis.
If you do not have PIP insurance, the driver’s PIP coverage might extend to you. Additionally, PIP coverage extends to family members in the same household as the insured. For example, if your child takes a taxi from the airport and gets in an accident on the way home, your PIP coverage extends to her in that situation.
If I’m covered under PIP insurance, do I need to take legal action for an Orlando taxi accident?
Probably.
Florida PIP insurance only covers 80 percent of accident-related medical expenses and 60 percent of lost wages from missing work due to an injury. You typically receive these benefits much sooner than waiting for the outcome of a personal injury lawsuit, so PIP coverage provides some needed funds in the short term. However, severe injuries resulting in extensive time away from work can quickly meet and often grossly exceed minimum PIP coverage limits.
Moreover, PIP companies can delay, deny, and reduce payments to their own customers, so hiring our Orlando taxi accident lawyers can help ensure you get all the benefits you deserve.
If you choose not to take action beyond a PIP claim, you are personally responsible for your remaining losses and expenses related to your accident. Taking legal action against the other party allows you to seek compensation beyond PIP to help pay for additional medical treatment costs and replace lost income. Additionally, PIP benefits only compensate accident victims for tangible economic losses. Accident victims who take legal action can receive compensation for pain and suffering and other non-economic losses that are more difficult to quantify.
An Orlando taxicab driver hit me on my motorcycle. Does my PIP insurance apply?
PIP coverage is not available for Florida bikers, and your PIP coverage from your auto insurance policy does not extend to your motorcycle. If you have suffered injuries on your motorcycle in an Orlando taxi accident, you must file a claim with the taxi driver’s insurance company or the taxi cab company’s insurance carrier to receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other associated losses.
My loved one died in a taxi accident. Can I sue?
Yes, you may bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the taxi driver and their employer, depending on your relationship with the deceased. Florida law allows eligible surviving family members to bring a suit when the death of their loved one was a result of the “wrongful act, negligence, default, or breach of contract or warranty of any person.”
An important element of a viable wrongful death suit is that the deceased must have been eligible to bring a taxi accident lawsuit and recover damages if they had lived through the accident.
Family members who receive compensation in a wrongful death suit can recover damages such as the decedent’s medical expenses and lost wages up to the time of death. Additionally, the law allows courts to award compensation for non-economic damages based on the claimant’s relationship with the deceased.
Non-economic damages might include the value of:
- Future lost support and services.
- Lost companionship and protection for surviving spouses.
- Mental pain and suffering for surviving spouses or surviving parents.
- Lost parental companionship, instruction, and guidance for surviving minor children.
Schedule a free consultation with an experienced taxi accident lawyer at Michael T. Gibson P.A. to learn more about bringing wrongful death actions on behalf of taxi accident victims.
How long do I have to take legal action after an Orlando taxi accident?
Florida has a four-year statute of limitations for injured accident victims who want to bring a lawsuit against a taxi driver, their employer, or another potentially liable party. In the vast majority of cases, the statute of limitations time clock begins on the date of the accident. If you have lost a family member in a taxi accident, you have two years to bring a wrongful death lawsuit if you are an eligible surviving family member.
Florida courts strictly adhere to statutes of limitations, so it’s in your best interest to contact an Orlando taxi accident lawyer as soon as possible. Some exceptions exist, but in most circumstances, a Florida court will not hear your case once the statute of limitations has run out. Your attorney can explain whether your case may warrant an exception.
Will I have to go to court for my Orlando taxi accident claim?
It’s highly unlikely you will need to go to court for your taxi accident claim. Most traffic accident claims, including those involving taxis, settle long before going to trial. Court fees are expensive, and both sides often try to avoid the extra expense if it isn’t necessary. Taxi accident attorneys negotiate with the insurance company representing the taxi driver and/or their employer and attempt to reach a settlement agreement that compensates the accident victim fairly for losses incurred due to the accident.
Some insurance companies flatly deny liability, aggressively try to devalue every claim, and refuse to make fair settlement offers. If a settlement is not an option, your lawyer must advocate for you in the courtroom, likely requiring your testimony to share your story with the court.
How much is my Orlando taxi accident claim worth?
Every claim is different, so there is no typical claim value for a taxi accident. Attorneys and insurance adjusters rely on expert opinions, formulas, and experience to place a monetary value on your claim. You can be sure the insurance company’s value of your claim is far less than the amount your lawyer will assign to your claim.
The value of your claim will likely include factors such as:
- The severity of your injuries.
- The nature of your injuries.
- The likelihood of making a full recovery.
- Your long-term prognosis.
- The money value of your economic losses, including medical expenses and lost wages.
- Insurance policy limits.
- The extent to which your injuries have impacted your life.
Should I accept a settlement offer from the Orlando taxi driver or taxi company?
Taxi drivers and companies must carry higher amounts of liability insurance than the average driver to comply with Florida’s financial responsibility laws. However, this doesn’t mean insurance companies are eager to pay out higher claims or jury awards. Insurance companies protect their bottom line by paying as little as possible for claims. Some insurance companies avoid large payouts by offering a low settlement soon after an accident.
Insurance companies sometimes prey on financially desperate accident victims who are amassing hefty medical expenses while unable to work because of their injuries. The insurance company offers a low settlement but one that is high enough to tempt accident victims to agree. This helps carriers avoid costly payouts down the road. Accident victims who sign these early offers also sign away their right to sue for additional compensation at a later date.
It’s always in your best interest to consult with an experienced taxi accident attorney to discuss any settlement offers you receive. Attorneys are trained negotiators who typically get better results for their clients than their clients could negotiate on their own. Early, low-ball settlement offers typically serve as a starting-off point for negotiations because they are almost always far less than what you deserve for your accident injuries and related losses.
How much will meeting with an Orlando accident lawyer cost me?
Nothing. Orlando taxi accident law firms like ours generally offer free case evaluations to discuss the details of your case and examine your eligibility for compensation. If the attorney advises legal action, you also generally do not have to pay upfront attorney’s fees. Accident law firms almost always accept cases on a contingency fee basis, deducting attorney’s fees from the compensation they secure for you related to your taxi accident.
Injured in an Orlando Taxi Accident? Contact Us Today!
At Michael T. Gibson, P.A., we understand the challenges you and your family face if you’ve suffered injuries in a taxi accident. A dedicated Orlando taxi accident lawyer can investigate your claim, gather relevant evidence and reports, and handle the details of your claim, while you focus on healing and recovery. If you were injured in an Orlando taxi accident as a result of a cab driver’s or cab company’s negligence, you deserve full compensation for your injuries.
Contact us today online or at (407) 490-1271 for a free consultation to discuss the details of your taxi accident and learn how we can help. If you choose us to represent you in your taxi accident claim, you do not have to pay an upfront retainer. We accept cases on a contingency fee basis, collecting attorney fees from the compensation we secure for you.
Michael T. Gibson, P.A., Auto Justice Attorney
2420 S. Lakemont Avenue
Suite 150
Orlando, FL 32814
Phone: 407-422-4529
Review: 5/5
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“My attorney Amit was absolutely amazing. Once the case got to him he called me on a regular basis and kept me posted on every action they were taking. Not that I want to be another accident but if I do I know who’s taking care of me.” -Heather B.
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