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Common Carrier Injuries

By Glenn Kadish on

If you have ever traveled on a ferry, cruise ship, airplane, bus, train, taxicab, elevator, escalator, etc., then you have been on what is known as a “common carrier”. A common carrier is an entity whose business transports people or goods from one place to another for a fee. Common carriers are held to a higher standard than ordinary people and can be held liable for the injuries of passengers if the plaintiff can prove negligence with the help of a personal injury lawyer.

Beginning in the 1880s, railroads, ships, and streetcars became much more common, and were operated by professionals. The courts struggled to decide how to deal when passengers were injured. Because the potential injuries were greater, passengers bought a ticket that ensured they would be transported safely and expected more professional operations than if they were driving themselves. The courts around the country, as well as state legislatures, decided that the companies operating these means of transportation should be held to a higher standard.

While no court in Washington has decided this issue, it seems that companies like Uber and Lyft should be held to the standard of common carriers. Injuries on common carriers can happen at any time. If you suffer from a personal injury on an elevator, ferry, cruise ship, taxicab, airplane, train, or any vehicle where you paid a fare, please call our personal injury firm in Everett for a free consultation. We have represented injured persons in all sorts of common carrier situations and with over 75 years of combined experience in accident and injury cases, we are here to help you.

This website includes general information about legal issues to be used for educational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These informational materials are not intended, and must not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances or to create an attorney-client relationship.

AT KADISH TWERSKY, YOU AREN'T JUST HIRING A LAWYER TO REPRESENT YOU, YOU'RE HIRING A TEAM.

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