Taxi Driver Online

Not trying to get round the forum's word censor, just trying to report the facts, and breed of dog

Darwen pet owner seeks comp from taxi firm who mowed down dog

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/n ... -down-dog/

A disgruntled dog owner has lashed out at a taxi firm after he was left with a £2,100 vet bill following a hit and run involving his pet s h i t z u.



Darren Mcauley, from Darwen, had to pay to have his dog’s leg amputated after it was run over by a taxi outside his home on Tuesday August 21.

The 36-year-old claims Rapid Taxis are responsible for the accident and because of this, they should help contribute towards the cost of his dog’s operation.

Mr Mcauley, who receives disability benefits, said: “Molly escaped from the front garden and ran out in front of a taxi that was speeding down the road.

She suffered severe facial injuries, a smashed pelvis, a hole in her lung and a shattered back leg.”

When Mr Mcauley took Molly to the vets they told him she needed her leg amputating if she was to have any chance of surviving.

The dad of three, who lives on Grimshaw Street, then had to find £2,100 upfront to pay for the operation, which he said he was forced to borrow from friends.

He said: “I’m on disability benefits and can’t afford that kind of money upfront.

“I now have outstanding debts to people, as I had to pay the vets before they would operate and save my dogs life.

“I have three small children that were devastated, and I had to do all I could to save her for their sakes.

“She was tossed in the air and broke the grill at the front of the car the impact was so severe.

“The driver stopped, got out, looked at the dog in the road and drove off.

“I later contacted Rapid Taxis to ask for the driver’s insurance details and to ask if they would help with the vet’s bill, but they’ve not listened to me.

“The taxi driver did come round to my house to apologise but I’ve had no help whatsoever with the bill.”



Mr Mcauley claims he called the driver’s insurance company who told him they had no record of the taxi driver being insured with them.

He has now set up a Go Fund Me page to help raise the cash to pay for the operation, which he claims should be footed by the taxi company.

He said: “I want the taxi company to just admit that they were wrong.

“Even if they just gave me half the money towards to operation it would be better than nothing.

“They said to me, ‘It’s just a dog’, but what if it had been my two-year-old who he’d knocked down? What would have happened then?”

Owner of Rapid Taxis, which has its base on Bolton Road in Darwen, Javed Ahmed, said: “The driver of the taxi has passed on his insurance details to Mr Mcauley and has apologised to him.

“All we can say is that it was an accident which could not have been avoided by us.

“The driver of the taxi tried his best to stop but he couldn’t brake in time.

“I have spoken to Darren and reassured him that the taxi driver is insured.

“I feel sorry for Darren, his family and the dog, but the driver did try to stop and that was all he could do.

“If Darren is looking for help with the bill and wants us to pay then he needs to take that up with the taxi driver.”

Thought this was a bit of a non-story, but actually very messy in terms of legalities, insurance etc.

For starters, no mention that driver should have reported it to police.

And if I ran over dog, can owner claim from my insurance?

And no doubt if council come down hard on such things, doubt if driver will want it reported in local press...

As for the *speeding* driver being wholly at fault for the accident...

Accident would not have happened if dog was under control,should claim off home insurance.

And likewise the driver should put in a claim against THEM for a broken grille, loss of earnings, distress etc.

Don't know why the driver's insurance details were given to the dog owner, although it may have been the office proprietor rather than the driver who passed them on, by the look of things.

Or maybe they just handed them over to avoid police involvement, which might have gotten the driver in further trouble for failing to report the accident.

Of course, if you hit a dog you have to report that, but not a cat.

Nor, it would appear to be the case, a cyclist if you work in Brighton.

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IDFIMH

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

The driver should have reported it to the police If he had reported it I doubt that any action would have been taken for the alledged speeding which probably can't be proven and I very much doubt that the insurance would pay out for this.
However, why did the owner not have his dog insured anyway?

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Grandad,

probably is insured but why claim off your own policy when you can claim of someone else's

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector