Uber taxis and similar services can provide its customers a quick and convenient method of arranging transport from their smartphone. Getting to a destination with these types of services is usually straightforward for customers. However, there is the possibility that something could go wrong while using a taxi, such as an accident that could cause injuries to you.
If you are hurt while using a taxi service, it doesn’t automatically mean that the taxi company or the driver of your taxi is to blame for your accident and subsequent injuries. Another unrelated party may have caused the incident. Or it could be just an unfortunate accident which nobody could have realistically foreseen or avoided.
If, however, you have evidence that a taxi driver caused the accident you were in, you may be entitled to claim compensation. In this guide, we’ll explain when a claim for an Uber taxi accident may be possible and how to get legal advice and support for such potential claims. A claim of this type may allow you to recover costs you may have incurred directly as a result of being involved in a taxi accident, as well as damages for the injuries you’ve had to endure.
Contact us for advice
If you have evidence of a valid taxi accident claim against Uber, then you can contact Legal Expert and talk to our advisors. If we find you have evidence to support a potential claim, we may be able to provide you with a personal injury solicitor to assist.
Within the guide below, you’ll find all sorts of helpful information about making personal injury claims if you’ve been a passenger in a taxi accident and more. Why not take a look below, or call us if you’ve got any queries? You can call us on 0800 073 8804. Alternatively, you can contact us online through our contact form or our live chat service.
Select a Section
- What is an Uber taxi accident?
- How does Uber work in the UK?
- How can Uber accidents be prevented?
- Can I claim for my Uber accident if I was not wearing a seatbelt?
- What should I do if I am injured in an Uber taxi accident?
- What types of damages can my claim typically include?
- Who do I make a taxi accident claim against?
- Claims Against Uber Compensation Calculator For 2022
- Taxi accident claims against Uber under a No Win No Fee agreement
- Call to make your taxi accident claim
- Useful Links
What is an Uber taxi accident?
Simply put, any accident in an Uber taxi or as the result of an Uber driver’s behaviour could be considered an Uber taxi accident. If you are in some way injured due to negligent behaviour by a taxi driver, then we suggest seeking legal advice to determine whether you may be able to claim compensation. We would recommend seeking your advice from a personal injury lawyer or claims specialist which has previous experience in handling taxi accident claims.
How does Uber work in the UK?
In the UK, at present, if you’re using Uber, you will have a smartphone app that uses location services to find drivers that are in or near your area. Using the app, a customer will pop in their pickup point and destination and the drivers nearby will be able to ‘claim’ the job. Your driver should then pick you up, take you to where you’re going, and an automated payment will be submitted via the app, whereupon you can give your driver a rating and they can rate you as a passenger too.
Drivers that take on work for Uber do so in their own cars and are required to take out their own taxi driver’s insurance themselves. If the driver failed to do so, then their car insurance policy, as a normal one, would be invalidated and would not likely pay out on a claim.
How can Uber accidents be prevented?
Preventing taxi accidents isn’t always possible. Sometimes an accident is another driver’s fault entirely, in which case your potential claim may be against another driver. However, there are ways in which you can try and keep yourself safer while in a taxi, the main one being wearing your seatbelt, and making sure it is securely fastened.
There are steps which taxi drivers should also take to minimise the risk of an accident. This includes ensuring that their vehicle is well-maintained at all times and in a good state of repair. The proper checks should be carried out on their vehicle each and every time they use it, as should any other driver. A taxi driver risks invalidation of their insurance should they not perform the actions required by their policy. It is also important for Uber drivers and other taxi drivers to ensure that they are in a fit state to drive. This includes not being under the influence of any prescription or non-prescription drugs. They should also ensure they abide by the rules of the road and should not be distracted by phones while at the wheel.
Can I claim for my Uber accident if I was not wearing a seatbelt?
We briefly mentioned the use of seatbelts in the paragraph above in terms of how you should ensure you are doing all that you can to keep safe while in a taxi. A potential taxi accident claim against Uber or claims involving other kinds of taxi drivers can be more complicated if you were not wearing a seatbelt at the time your accident took place. If your case were to go to court, it could be ruled that you contributed to your own injuries by way of failure to wear a seatbelt.
However, if you have evidence that you were harmed by a taxi driver’s negligence while you were their passenger, then you still may be able to claim compensation even if you were not wearing a seatbelt during the incident. For instance, if you were not wearing a seatbelt due to medical reasons, then this could be factored into a compensation claim. However, if you chose not to wear a seatbelt, there is still a chance that your claim could still be upheld, under the term contributory negligence. That means any compensation payout would be reduced if it’s ruled that you partially contributed to your own injuries by not wearing a seatbelt. Claims which involve contributory negligence can be complex, so do not hesitate to contact our advisors if you have questions about such cases.
What should I do if I am injured in an Uber taxi accident?
If you are involved in a taxi accident, then the first step you should take immediately afterwards is to seek medical help. Even if the accident seemed like a minor one, you might have injuries that surface later on, and not seeing a medic could be damaging at this point. As well as this, it can help serve as evidence should you decide later on to pursue any possible legal action.
Uber Passenger Accident Claim – What Evidence Do You Need?
If you have were injured due to the negligence of an individual who drives for Uber, accident claims could potentially be made against that individual. Negligence is when personal injury is caused because a third party acted outside their required duty of care.
Potential evidence that could be used in a claim includes:
- Video footage of the accident. This could include CCTV footage or dash cam footage.
- Photographs of your injury and the accident site
- Taking contact details of potential witnesses. As part of the claims process, they can then be contacted for a statement.
- Copies of medical scans and reports. This can help highlight the full extent and potential complications of your injury.
If you have clear evidence showing that negligence led to your injuries, please contact us for a free consultation using the details above. We can give you a personalised estimate what you could receive and even connect you with a specialised solicitor who could help you receive compensation.
What types of damages can my claim typically include?
Damages payable from a valid taxi accident claim could include a few different types of payout. In terms of injuries that occur, directly because of the crash, an amount is payable on the judgement of how severe, painful or long-lasting the injuries were, both in terms of mental and physical harms. Compensation for injuries specifically is categorised under general damages.
However, there are other costs that may have been avoided should the accident not have had happened. These can include any wages lost due to time of work for recovery, any time of work in the future for ongoing recovery, future operations, etc, and any adaptations to the home for those who are unable to return to day to day life as it was before the accident. There are also costs such as medical fees for physiotherapy, prescriptions, travel to appointments, and more. Financial losses such as these examples may possible be claimed under special damages. Special damages may only potentially be claimed if you’re eligible to claim for general damages.
Who do I make a taxi accident claim against?
Who may be considered liable for a taxi accident will depend on the circumstances of the incident.
For instance, if you were in a taxi and it was crashed into by another driver who was speeding or careless in their driving, then you may be able to claim against that driver’s vehicle insurance policy.
If the driver of the taxi you were in made a mistake or behaved in a negligent manner, then any potential claim may be made against them or the company they work for (depending on the taxi service used). If you have been hurt in a taxi accident and have evidence that another party caused the accident, then you can contact Legal Expert for legal advice. It is wise to speak to qualified legal advisors about the circumstances of the accident you were in. They can help you to determine important details such as who can likely be considered liable for the accident you were in.
Compensation Payouts In Accident Claims
You may be wondering “If I was an Uber passenger in an accident, could I claim?”. If you were the passenger in a taxi that was involved in an accident and you could prove you were injured and your injuries were caused by negligence, you could potentially make a valid claim.
You might be wondering “What compensation payouts can I get in an accident claims against Uber?” In taxi accident claims, the value will vary according to the circumstances. This is true with all personal injury claims. To help you better understand how much your claim could be worth, this section contains a table with figures representative of a potential general damages figure. This is the portion of your settlement that reflects the pain and suffering caused by your injury or injuries.
The figures shown below have been taken from the latest edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This publication was most recently updated in 2022. Legal professionals use the JCG in the process of arriving at a suitable figure for your general damages payment. As you can see, the value of this payment is different depending on how severe your ailment is, and how long it took you to recover.
| Kind of Injury/ies | Typical Payout Bracket | Any Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Double hand loss | £140,660 to £201,490 | Both through function loss or amputation |
| Hand Injuries (Serious) | £55,820 to £84,570 | Leaving the claimant with less than half the mobility they had previously |
| Neck Injuries (Severe) | £65,740 to £130,930 | Those that have some permanent affect on mobility of the neck and longstanding pain. |
| Neck Injuries (Moderate) | £7,890 to £13,740 | Painful, and taking some time to resolve. How long it takes determines the level of award |
| Neck Injuries (Minor) | Up to £2,450 | Grazes, scrapes, cuts and bruising with quick healing |
| Leg Injuries (Serious) | £39,200 to £54,830 | Long term immobiity due to severe fractures etc |
| Thumb Loss | £35,520 to £54,830 | Amputation |
| Thumb Injuries (Serious) | £12,590 to £16,760 | Tendon Damage Long Term, Stiffness, Long term mobility Loss |
| Foot Injuries (Serious) | £24,990 to £39,200 | Leaving damage that is permanent |
As mentioned earlier, special damages may also be included in your final settlement amount. This can be comprised of various expenses caused by your injury such as loss of earnings and medical expenses.
You may be wondering “am I eligible to make an Uber claim?”. Get in touch today and we can tell you more about the potential value of a taxi passenger claim.
Taxi accident claims against Uber under a No Win No Fee agreement
If you are eligible to start a taxi accident claim, you may choose to do so with the aid of a solicitor. If you choose to hire a solicitor to support your case, then you hire a No Win No Fee solicitor specifically. Hiring a solicitor under this type of agreement means that you will only need to pay your solicitor’s legal fees if your case succeeds. There’s no need to pay legal bills upfront or while your claim is being processed.
If your case does succeed, then your solicitor will take a legally capped percentage of your compensation to cover their payment. This percentage will be discussed before you enter into any No Win No Fee agreement, so you will know where you stand. Here at Legal Expert, we’re please to say that the lawyers we can potentially provide work on a No Win No Fee basis.
Call to make your taxi accident claim
Do you have evidence that would justify a valid accident claim against Uber? Or perhaps you want to know more about how our service works? Our advisors would be happy to help if you call us on 0800 073 8804. Or you can reach us online through our 24/7 live chat service or with our contact page.
Useful Links
We hope that our guide on making valid accident claims against Uber has been useful to you. We know that some people may seek additional information related to these types of claims. Or they may seek advice on different types of personal injury claims. Therefore, we’ve included links to some useful resources that might assist you:
- The Latest Road Accidents and Safety Statistics
- How To Make A Claim With The Motor Insurers’ Bureau
- The Highway Code Explained
- Car Accident Claims Advice
- No Win No Fee Guide
- Motorcycle Accident Claims
- Whiplash Compensation Calculator
- Bus Accident Claims
Frequently Asked Questions Related To Making A Valid Accident Claim Against Uber
In this final section of our guide, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions related to making a personal injury claim following an accident using a taxi service:
How Long Do You Have To Make A Claim After An Incident?
If you have grounds to make a personal injury claim involving a taxi or a similar service, then the standard time limit for starting this is usually 3 years from when the incident took place.
What Can You Claim For After An Accident?
If you can start a personal injury claim for an accident, then you may be able to claim for up two types of damages. One is called general damages, which covers compensation for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced because of the accident. If you can claim for general damages, then you may potentially be able to claim for special damages too, which covers financial losses created by your accident and injuries.
How Do I Know If I Have A Personal Injury Claim?
A personal injury claim may be possible following an accident which injured you if you have evidence that the incident was caused by another party who owed you a duty of care but acted negligently. You can contact our advisors at Legal Expert to discuss whether you may be able to start a claim for a personal injury you’ve experienced.
