How Much Compensation For Taxi Accident Claims?

In any claim, some of the first questions you might ask are ‘how much compensation for taxi accident claims could I receive?’, but in order to answer this question, we must explore how compensation is calculated.

The professionals responsible for valuing your claim can consider two different heads of claim. These are known as your general and special damages.

General damages are compensation for the physical and psychological harm caused by your injuries. It can take into consideration the amount of pain, suffering, and any loss of amenity felt because of your accident. So, if your quality of life has been impacted due to your injuries, this can be assessed and calculated in your general damages.

We will discuss special damages in further detail below, but this head of claim is concerned with the economic impact of your injuries.

Our table below shows suggestive figures taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), which is a framework that offers categories of injuries and compensation brackets. It can be used by professionals when calculating your general damages. However, please note that the first entry has not been taken from the JCG, and that these are suggestive figures only. We’ve also included 2 tariffs from the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021.

Injury	Notes	Compensation Guideline
Multiple Severe Injuries and Special Damages	One or more severe injuries as well as special damages such as lost earnings	Up to £1,000,000+
Injuries Involving Paralysis Tetraplegia (also known as Quadriplegia)	Full awareness of disability and needs assistance with body functions	£396,140 - £493,000
Paraplegia	Age, life expectancy and any loss of sexual function will impact the amount awarded	£267,340 - £346,890
Brain Damage Very Severe	Little to no response to environment, both bowel and urinary loss of function	£344,150 - £493,000
Brain Damage Moderately Severe	Serious disability that could be physical or cognitive disabilities. Substantial dependence on carers or family for constant care	£267,340 - £344,150
Back Injury Severe (i)	Damage to nerve root endings as well as damage to spinal cord causing severe pain and disability.	£111,150 - £196,450
Back Injury Severe (ii)	Damage to nerve roots causing a loss of sensation as well as mobility issues	£90,510 - £107,910
Neck Injury Severe (i)	There is little or no movement in the neck causing severe headaches which have proved intractable	In the region of £181,020
Neck Injury Severe (ii)	Cases of fractures or damage to discs in the cervical spine that are considerably severe.	£80,240 - £159,770
Whiplash Tariff	Whiplash with a minor psychological injury lasting 18-24 months.	£4,345
Whiplash Tariff	Whiplash symptoms that last between 18-24 months.	£4,215

Why Should I Make A Compensation Claim After A Taxi Accident?

Although making a claim cannot undo the harm you have suffered, it can help to readjust to normal life following your accident. Suffering injuries after a taxi accident can now mean you require mobility aids or reconstructive surgeries, which can both be quite costly.

As we briefly discussed above, your special damages are concerned solely with the financial implications of your injuries, which can also include costs of care, lost earnings or even medical costs.

In order to claim this head of loss, you must hold evidence which shows how your injuries have caused financial loss. This could include:

Payslips to show a loss of earnings
Receipts for medical costs
Travel receipts
Any invoices for adaptations made to your home or vehicle

If you’d like to learn more about how special damages can help you in the aftermath of suffering your injuries, contact us today.

Can I Make A Taxi Injury Claim?

Anyone is able to make a taxi injury claim as long as their case fulfils the criteria needed to prove negligence. We can determine this by examining if the three elements below are present in your case:

A road user owed you a duty of care
They breached this duty
Their breach led to your injuries

In taxi accident claims, the duty of care owed to you can be found under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code. By adhering to the rules laid out in both of the above pieces of legislation, road users have a duty of care to use the roads in a way which reduces their risk of causing harm or damage to other road users, including pedestrians, passengers and cyclists.

If you have been injured at the fault of another road user, you could have the grounds to make a claim with our panel of solicitors at How Much Compensation.

Contact an advisor today for a free discussion about the validity of your case.

Whiplash Reform Programme

In some cases, your taxi passenger accident claim will be made through the Whiplash Reform Programme. In addition to meeting the criteria for a road traffic accident claim above, you must meet the Whiplash Reforms eligiblity. If the following applies to you, then you will claim in this new manner, which took effect on the 31st of May 2021:

Aged 18 or over at the time of the accident.
The accident occurred in England or Wales.
You were the driver or passenger of a motor vehicle (this includes taxis).
Your injuries are valued at £5,000 or below.

However, if you sustained whiplash in a car or taxi accident, this will be valued in line with the tariff found in the Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021 regardless of the manner in which you claim. However, if you sustained minor injuries that are not found in this tariff but the overall value of them does not exceed £5,000, then your claim will still be made through the Reform Programme.

Contact an advisor to find out how much compensation for taxi accident claims. An advisor can estimate the value of your taxi accident claim and provide guidance on the best way to proceed. It is important to ensure that you claim in the correct manner and make sure that all of your injuries are accounted for.

Examples Of Accidents Involving Taxis

Below, we explore how different parties could be liable in taxi accident claims and discuss some examples of how these accidents can arise:

Claiming As A Taxi Passenger

You’re able to claim as a taxi passenger if your taxi driver, unfortunately, breached the duty they owed to you as a passenger, and this led to your injuries. A few examples of how you might have the basis to claim as a passenger could be if:

Your taxi driver approaches a roundabout whilst on their phone. This then results in a third party, who was speeding, causing them to collide with the rear of the taxi. You suffer a whiplash injury as well as a broken leg.
You enter a taxi where the driver has taken drugs, which you’re unaware of. Your taxi driver is driving dangerously on the motorway when they switch lanes and collide with another car. You suffer a crush injury, causing nerve damage as well as a traumatic amputation.

The person who has more liability for contributing to the accident will determine who you claim against. You could claim against the taxi driver or the third party.

Claiming As A Taxi Driver

As a taxi driver, you’re able to claim if it can be proven that the other driver is responsible for the road traffic accident and subsequently any injuries. If another party is liable, you could claim against their insurance provider.

Some examples of how you could have the grounds to claim as a taxi driver include:

If the third party failed to stop at a red light, causing them to collide with the side of your taxi, resulting in a broken arm and soft tissue damage.
A driver was speeding and failed to give way, so as you crossed a junction, the third party crashed into the front of your car. You suffer a severe head and brain injury as a result.

Claiming As Another Road User

If you’re involved in an accident as another road user, you could have the foundation for a claim if we can prove that the accident was the fault of the taxi driver. This could be the case if, for example:

A taxi driver is speeding on the motorway. As you go to switch lanes, the taxi driver fails to check their blind spot, causing them to hit the back of your car. This causes you to lose control of the car and subsequently suffer a serious back injury as a result.
You are driving down a country lane when a taxi approaches you. You notice the driver is driving unpredictably and recklessly. They speed past you, colliding with the side of your car, resulting in whiplash injuries and a broken arm.

The examples we have provided are not an exhaustive list of all the ways in which you could have a taxi accident claim, so please don’t worry if your case differs. Get in touch with our advisors today to learn more about how much compensation for taxi accident claims you could be eligible for.

How To Make Taxi Accident Claims

In order for your claim to be viable, we must ensure it is started within the permitted time limit. Under the Limitation Act 1980, generally, most claims must be started within 3 years of the accident.

There are, however, two exceptions where these time limits apply differently:

Claimants who are under 18 will have 3 years from the date of their 18th birthday, as a minor is unable to claim on their own behalf.
Those who are lacking the mental capacity to claim on their own behalf will have 3 years from the date of a full recovery, if one is possible.

In both situations, a role known as a litigation friend could be used. This is where a trusted adult can claim on behalf of a loved one or someone else. At How Much Compensation, our panel could help you to apply to act in this position, or alternatively, the courts have the power to appoint you to this role.

Taxi Accident Claims Evidence

As well as ensuring that your claim is begun within the time limits, you will need evidence which proves that your injuries are the fault of someone else. This could include:

CCTV or dashcam evidence if the accident was caught on camera
Medical evidence, such as your GP record, to show any treatment you might’ve received after your accident
Insurance and contact details of the other involved party
Details of anyone who might’ve witnessed the accident if they can later give a witness statement
Reports from police or ambulance services, if they were called

A solicitor from our panel could help you gather this documentation, so please don’t worry if you haven’t yet compiled it. How much compensation for taxi accident claims is often affected by the evidence. Get in touch with an advisor today to learn more about evidence and whether your claim would still fall within the limitation period.

Can I Claim For Taxi Injuries On A No Win No Fee Basis?

If your case satisfies the eligibility criteria, then you could be able to claim on a No Win No Fee basis. What this would mean is that you would have no upfront solicitors’ fees, no fees to progress your claim, nor any fees payable for your solicitor’s services if your claim were to be unsuccessful.

Instead, a small success fee would be deducted from your compensation if your claim were successful. This percentage is limited under the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 to ensure that you receive the bulk of your compensation. This can be beneficial as it prevents mounting solicitors’ fees.

If you’d like to learn more about how a No Win No Fee claim works, contact an advisor today to get started.

Speak To How Much Compensation’s Advisors

By choosing to work with our panel at How Much Compensation, you can rest assured that your claim will be handled with expertise and support through every step of the process.

Through working with a solicitor from our panel, you could expect:

Regular updates about your case progress
Support in gathering evidence to strengthen your claim
Personalised advice and support
Working alongside you to develop a recovery plan which suits your needs
Advocating on your behalf to achieve a suitable settlement amount

All of the solicitors on our panel have years of experience in road traffic accident claims and have helped claimants across the UK. They are committed to ensuring you receive the highest level of service and clear and concise advice about your claim.

Contact Us

To reach our knowledgeable advisory team, you can:

Call us on 0800 408 7826
Fill out our online claim form
Use our live chat

Learn More

Why not read our other guides about:

Pedestrian road traffic accidents
How to make a car accident claim
How much compensation for whiplash and anxiety

Helpful External Resources:

How to apply for Statutory Sick Pay
Guidance for road users from the Department of Transport’s campaign THINK!
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau advice on how to check if a driver is insured

Thank you for reading our guide about how much compensation for taxi accident claims.

Meet the Team

Michael Higgins

Working within one of our panel firms of solicitors, JF Law, Michael is a highly experienced legal professional. Since February 2023, he has been the Deputy Manager of Road Traffic Accidents at JF Law, bringing over 14 years of dedicated experience to representing victims of road traffic accidents and fiercely advocating for his clients.

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A Guide On How Much Compensation For Taxi Accident Claims

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