Las Vegas Taxicab Accidents
Las Vegas attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. While some of these visitors use shuttles or limousines to reach their final destinations, many more use taxicabs.

April 21, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Las Vegas Taxicab Accidents

Article provided by Harris & Harris Lawyers. Please visit our Web site at www.harrisschwartz.com.

Las Vegas attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. While some of these visitors use shuttles or limousines to reach their final destinations, many more use taxicabs.

According to the Nevada Taxicab Authority, cabs made more than 25 million trips in Las Vegas last year. The most popular route is from McCarran International Airport to the Strip. Currently, Las Vegas has more than 3,200 taxis on the streets, with more than 9,800 drivers. Unfortunately, not all of these drivers follow the rules of the road, and locals, visitors and tourists alike have been injured as a result.

Taxi Driver Regulations

The Nevada Taxicab Authority is in charge of regulating the 16 taxicab companies and their drivers. In order for applicants to receive a permit to operate a taxi from the Authority, the drivers must meet certain requirements, such as holding a valid state driver's license and passing a criminal background check. Under state regulation, drivers who fall into any of the following categories are considered unfit to drive a taxi:

• Anyone convicted of a felony within the past five years
• Anyone convicted of DUI/DWI within the past three years
• Anyone convicted of a crime involving the sale or possession of drugs
• Anyone convicted of a sex crime or other offense involving moral turpitude

The Authority also examines the potential taxi driver's driving record to see if the applicant has a pattern of breaking traffic laws, has been a habitual reckless or negligent driver, or has been held responsible for causing another's death or injury in a car accident.

Who Is Responsible for Taxicab Accidents?

Taxis are common carriers. This means that they are in the business of transporting the public to and from their destinations. Common carriers are required to operate their vehicles with the utmost care, following all traffic laws. But this is not always the case.

Las Vegas taxi drivers are notoriously bad drivers. From speeding to illegal passing to running stoplights, aggressive taxi drivers can hurt passengers, pedestrians and other drivers through dangerous and reckless behavior.

Even though they must meet certain criteria in order to hold a taxi-driving permit, this does not mean that some drivers do not fall through the cracks. In past taxicab accident cases, drivers have been found with criminal backgrounds, patterns of reckless driving and even operating taxis while intoxicated.

When you are injured by a taxi, however, the driver may not be the only responsible party. The taxicab company employing the driver also may be legally liable for your injuries. Under the law, employers can be held responsible for certain acts of their employees. In addition, if the employer hired a driver despite the driver's record of breaking traffic laws and other laws, the employer may be liable for negligent hiring or retention. An attorney reviewing your specific case can determine if the taxicab company or others should share responsibility for your injuries.

What to Do if You Are in a Taxi Accident

• Seek medical attention for your injuries, even if you think your injuries are minor or nonexistent. A physician may discover that you have a slipped disc in your spine, a soft tissue injury like whiplash or other injuries you may be unaware of following an accident.

• Write down what happened in the accident. Record the names of any witnesses to the accident or other passengers who were in the car with you. Any pictures you were able to take following the accident also are valuable. Many street corners in Las Vegas have traffic cameras, which may have recorded the accident, helping to prove who was responsible.

• Contact a Las Vegas attorney experienced in handling taxicab cases. It is important to begin working with a lawyer as soon as possible following a cab accident. The attorney will begin investigating your case and collecting evidence to support your right to financial recovery. The attorney may also be able to connect you with medical professionals who will provide treatment and appropriate evaluation of the extent of your injuries.

Personal injury cases normally must be filed in the jurisdiction in which the accident occurred. A Las Vegas attorney can help you pursue your claim, even if you were on vacation or business and do not live in the area. Just because you have left the city does not mean you are not entitled to compensation for injuries that occurred while you were here.

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