Common carriers and the role of negligence in accidents

Many Baton Rouge residents use their personal vehicles to travel to the locations that they must visit. Whether it is for their daily commute to work, shuttling their kids to school or just getting to the store to purchase groceries they rely on their cars, trucks and SUVs to carry them where they need to go.

From time to time, though, individuals may choose to rely on other forms of transportation. Instead of driving to an event they may choose to take a taxicab to avoid the hassles of parking, or they may ride a bus to work if their personal vehicle is in the shop. When a Louisiana resident pays a transportation entity to take them where they need to go they are enlisting the services of a common carrier.

Train companies, airlines, taxi companies and a host of other transportation businesses are common carriers. Just like private vehicles, though, common carriers are often involved in accidents. When a person is injured in a crash involving the taxi they are riding in and another vehicle they should understand their rights to seek compensation for their losses.

If it is the fault of the other vehicle then the victim may be able to pursue a personal injury suit against the negligent driver. If the driver of their taxi was at fault, the victim may have to prove a number of elements in order to prevail and secure damages. They may have to prove that their common carrier owned them a duty of care and that the common carrier breached that duty. The victim could have to prove that the breach of duty was the cause of their losses and that actual damage was incurred in the process.

Differences in the law may make a case against a common carrier more complex than one against a private party. In order to receive case-specific advice readers of this blog who have been involved in common carrier accidents should consult with trusted personal injury attorneys.