Valley Stream sits right on the Queens border, and local taxis, car services and airport cabs are constantly moving along Sunrise Highway, Rockaway Avenue, Merrick Road and around Green Acres Mall. If you were hurt as a passenger, a pedestrian or in another car, a taxi accident lawyer in Valley Stream can help you understand who pays and what your case may be worth.
Our Rosedale office is just across the border from Valley Stream, a short drive from anywhere in the village.
Common taxi crashes in Valley Stream
- Sunrise Highway collisions from speeding and unsafe lane changes.
- Parking lot and entrance crashes around Green Acres Mall and local shopping centers.
- LIRR station pickups, where cabs stop and pull out quickly near commuters.
- Airport runs to and from JFK using Rockaway Avenue and the Belt Parkway.
Who pays after a taxi accident?
New York is a no-fault state. If you were hurt as a taxi passenger, no-fault insurance, generally through the taxi’s policy, pays your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages up to at least $50,000, no matter who caused the crash. If you were a pedestrian, cyclist or driver hit by a taxi, your own household auto policy or the taxi’s policy usually pays first. The no-fault application generally must be filed within 30 days. Our New York no-fault guide explains the process step by step.
To recover for pain and suffering and losses beyond no-fault, you generally need a “serious injury” under New York Insurance Law § 5102(d), such as a fracture, a significant limitation of a body part, or an injury that kept you from your normal activities for 90 of the first 180 days.
Taxi regulation and insurance
In Nassau County, taxis and car services are licensed locally by the town or village, not by New York City, and insurance limits and records vary by company, so identifying the right carrier early matters. Under Vehicle and Traffic Law § 388, a vehicle’s owner can be held responsible when someone driving with permission causes a crash, which often brings the taxi company or medallion owner into the case.
Who can be held responsible?
- The taxi driver, for speeding, sudden stops, distracted driving or unsafe pickups and drop-offs
- The taxi owner or fleet, for negligent hiring, poor maintenance or through owner liability
- Another driver who hit the taxi you were riding in
- A rideshare or car-service driver, if one was involved (see our Uber and Lyft accident page)
New York follows pure comparative negligence, so you can recover even if you were partly at fault; your award is reduced by your share.
What to do after a taxi accident in Valley Stream
- Call 911 and make sure a police report is filed.
- Write down the taxi’s medallion or license number, the driver’s name and the company.
- Photograph the vehicles, the scene and your injuries, and keep your receipt or app trip record.
- Get names and phone numbers of witnesses.
- See a doctor right away, even if you feel okay.
- If anyone was hurt, a DMV MV-104 accident report is generally due within 10 days.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the taxi’s insurer before speaking with a lawyer.
Deadlines
Most taxi accident injury lawsuits must be filed within three years under CPLR § 214. If a city or county vehicle was involved, a notice of claim is usually due within 90 days. Evidence like camera footage and trip data disappears quickly, so it pays to call early.
Learn more on our taxi accident practice page, our car accident page and our Valley Stream personal injury lawyer page.
Taxi accident help in nearby neighborhoods
We represent taxi accident victims throughout southeast Queens and western Nassau County:
- Taxi accident lawyer Rosedale
- Taxi accident lawyer Laurelton
- Taxi accident lawyer Springfield Gardens
- Taxi accident lawyer Cambria Heights
- Taxi accident lawyer St. Albans
- Taxi accident lawyer Elmont
Directions from Valley Stream to Yakov Mushiyev & Associates
Our office is at 1 Cross Island Plaza, Suite 325, Rosedale, NY 11422, right off the Cross Island Parkway. The map below shows the route from Valley Stream. If you can’t travel after your crash, we’ll come to you at home, in the hospital or by video.
Talk to a Valley Stream taxi accident lawyer today
Yakov Mushiyev & Associates has recovered over $80 million for injured New Yorkers across the five boroughs and Nassau County. Consultations are free, available in English, Russian and Spanish, and there is no fee unless we win.
Call 718.775.3110 or contact us online for a free case review.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different. Attorney Advertising.