Originally Posted by
cny-bikeman
More like asking the doctor over the phone what might have happened when you fell and hurt your knee. Your analogy actually is more equivalent to getting an in-person estimate at a shop, as even there the mechanic does not necessarily know everything that may be discovered during repairs.
As for the cab, if you can pinpoint time of day and location of the incident and you know which cab company they can likely locate the cab involved. Nobody involved in an accident, private or commercial, should leave the scene, especially because you may have been injured. If the cab company is not cooperative then you have the option of involving the police.
In Massachusetts:
Leaving the Scene of Property Damage: If the accident only resulted in damage of property you will face fines ranging from $20 to $200 and jail time of 2 weeks to 2 years.
Leaving the Scene of Personal Injury: If the accident resulted in the injury of another person, your fines are increased to $500 to $1,000 with the potential of spending 6 months to 2 years in jail.