This article will provide information about whether you could claim compensation after being injured in a London taxi accident. It will discuss aspects of the road traffic accident claim process, including who your claim might be directed against. We will also look at how settlements are valued and some of the relevant legislation that outlines the duty of care on the road.
London taxi accident claims guide
If you’ve suffered injuries in a taxi accident injury that was caused by the negligence of another road user, you may be able to claim compensation. Read on to learn more about how to make a personal injury claim that involves a London black cab.
Speak with one of our advisers to discuss your specific taxi passenger accident claim. You can get in touch with us by:
- Calling us at 0161 696 9685
- Contacting us via the live chat feature below
- Filling in our online contact form with your query
Select A Section
- What Is A London Taxi Accident?
- London Taxi Accident Statistics
- Who Do I Make A Claim Against?
- What If I Wasn’t Wearing A Seatbelt?
- London Taxi Accident Compensation Payouts
- Can I Make A No Win No Fee Claim?
What Is A London Taxi Accident?
All road users owe one another duty of care, and should act in a way that minimises the risk of injury to themselves or others. They need to follow the guidelines established in the Road Traffic Act 1988, a piece of legislation outlining the duty of care on the road. Similarly, road users should follow the Highway Code, which contains guidance on good road conduct. Some of the rules that you can find in the Highway Code are elsewhere made law by pieces of legislation.
In order to make a personal injury claim, you have to show the following criteria are true of your circumstances:
- A road user owed you duty of care.
- The road user in question breached this duty of care.
- As a result of this breach, you were injured.
If you’re a passenger in a taxi that is involved in an accident, then you could be entitled to claim against the driver of the vehicle you were in even if they were at fault. If the accident was caused by the negligence of another driver on the road, you could claim against their insurance provider.
Get in touch with our team for guidance on claiming for injuries sustained in a London taxi accident. If you have a valid case, you could be connected with a lawyer from our panel to help you with your taxi passenger accident claim.
London Taxi Accident Statistics
According a Transport for London report published in June 2022, there were 970 collisions involving a taxi cab or private hire vehicle. We have included these figures, sorted by injury severity, in the table below.
There are a range of injuries that could be sustained from a London taxi accident, including:
- Whiplash
- Broken or fractured bones
- Leg injuries
- Back injuries
- Brain injuries
If you’ve suffered harm due to a road traffic accident that occurred because of negligence, get in touch with our advisers to discuss your circumstances today. We can listen to the circumstances surrounding your potential personal injury claim and offer advice about how to proceed.
How Many Taxis Are There In London?
In 2022, there were about 14,600 licensed taxis operating in London, a 9% increase from the previous year. This is according to information provided by the Department for Transport (DfT). This is the same as the percentage increase in the amount of wheelchair-accessible taxis in the same time period.
Who Do I Make A Claim Against?
The party that you direct your claim against will depend upon who is found liable for the accident. Some of the parties your claim could be directed against include:
- The driver of your taxi
- The driver of a different vehicle
- The local authority (for example, if they breached the duty of care that they owed to maintain the roads)
- The party in control of the taxi company, for example, if they provided the driver with a vehicle that was not roadworthy
If the driver of another vehicle flees the scene or turns out to be uninsured, you may still be able to make a personal injury claim. Your claim will be made through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau instead of against the at-fault party’s insurance policy.
To find out more about whether you could claim compensation for a hit-and-run accident, or to discuss who could be liable for your London taxi accident, contact our advisers today.
What If I Wasn’t Wearing A Seatbelt?
If you were not wearing a seatbelt at the time the accident occurred, you might still be able to make a personal injury claim after a taxi or minicab accident. However, the compensation amount you are awarded could be reduced.
If you sustained an injury that may have been prevented or diminished by the act of wearing a seatbelt, your compensation might be reduced to reflect how your actions contributed to the way in which you were harmed. This is called contributory negligence.
If you have questions about specific injuries received during a London taxi accident, get in touch with our advisers. They can explain more about contributory negligence and how it may or may not affect your potential claim.
London Taxi Accident Compensation Payouts
The compensation payout you may receive after a London taxi accident could include up to two heads of claim, known as general damages and special damages. The first is intended to reimburse you for the pain and suffering caused by your accident; this is known as general damages.
Instead of including a personal injury calculator, we’ve created a table showing injury examples. The figures included are compensation brackets pulled directly from the Judicial College Guidelines. These are the guidelines that a personal injury solicitor will usually use to help them assess a potential claim.
| Injury Type | Compensation Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Very Severe Brain Damage (a) | £282,010 to £403,990 | Award will consider level of response to environment, life expectancy and whether a gastrostomy is required for feeding. |
| Moderately Severe Brain Damage (b) | £219,070 to £282,010 | Injury has led to substantial dependence upon others. Cognitive or physical disability and the need for professional care. |
| Severe Back Injuries (a) (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | Severe damage to spinal cord or nerve roots, resulting in serious effects. |
| Severe Back Injuries (a) (ii) | £74,160 to £88,430 | May include nerve root damage causing lost sensation, impaired mobility, and/or difficulties with bladder and bowel function. |
| Severe Neck Injuries (a) (i) | In the region of £148,330 | Injury may cause incomplete paraplegia or constant headaches. There may be an inability to move neck despite medical intervention. |
| Severe Neck Injuries (a) (ii) | £65,740 to £130,930 | Injuries of considerable severity, but short of those in the above bracket. Permanent damage and substantial loss of movement. |
| Severe Arm Injuries (a) | £96,160 to £130,930 | These injuries don't require amputation but leave the person little better off than if one had been performed. |
| Arm Injuries Resulting In Permanent Disablement (b) | £39,170 to £59,860 | Serious fractures that lead to permanent cosmetic or functional disability. |
| Total or Effective Loss of One Hand (c) | £96,160 to £109,650 | An injury resulting from a traumatic crush or that requires surgical amputation. Award will consider whether the lost hand was the dominant one. |
| Severe Leg Injuries (b) (ii) | £54,830 to £87,890 | Injuries that result in permanent mobility problems, or that will take years to fully heal. |
Special damages is intended to reimburse you for the financial losses caused by your injury. They can include:
- Loss of earnings
- Loss of future earnings
- Replacing personal property damaged in the accident
- Medical prescriptions or prosthetics
Whiplash Injury Regulations
The Whiplash Reform Program changes the way personal injury compensation is claimed for whiplash injuries. It means that the way that certain low-value injury claims are made has changed. Injuries that are being made by adult drivers and passengers and that are worth less than £5,000 must be made through the Official Injury Claim Portal.
The Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 introduced tariffs by which these claims are valued. These tariff amounts might still apply to claims that don’t need to be made through the portal, however.
Our team of advisors can offer free legal advice and may be able to help you determine whether or not your claim needs to be made through this portal. Get in touch today to see if you have a valid claim.
Can I Make A No Win No Fee Claim?
If you’re considering making a personal injury claim after a London taxi accident and are worrying about the cost of hiring legal representation, a solicitor from our panel may be able to help. They may be able to offer you a type of No Win No Fee agreement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Under the terms of this agreement, you will generally not have to pay for the solicitor’s services to get a claim started or while the process is ongoing. Instead, you pay a small percentage of your compensation payout if your claim is successful. This amount is capped by law. If your claim is not a success, you usually don’t pay your lawyer for the work that they have done.
You can get in touch with us by:
- Calling us at 0161 696 9685
- Contacting us via the live chat feature below
- Filling in our online contact form with your query
Further Vehicle Accident Claims
More information about claiming personal compensation:
Faulty Traffic Lights – A guide about claiming after an accident involving faulty traffic lights
Minor Car Accident Claims – If you have been injured in a minor car accident, this guide could help you to see if you could claim.
Death By Careless Driving – A guide to claiming compensation after a road traffic accident that caused someone’s death
Resources you may find useful:
Brake – A charity concerned with the victims of road traffic accidents
Reporting A Road Traffic Accident – Resource explaining how and when to report a car accident
Statutory Sick Pay – Government resource about claiming statutory sick pay following an absence from work
We hope this guide on claiming personal injury compensation after a London taxi accident has contained useful information. If you have any questions, get in touch with us using the details below.
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