Steven A. Bagen | August 26, 2024 | Car Accidents
A passenger bus accident can leave the victim with serious injuries and the inability to return to work after the crash. Severe injuries can mean prolonged medical treatment and missing time at work. Getting an attorney is the best way to protect yourself after an accident.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a passenger bus accident, contact a Gainesville bus accident attorney to learn more about your legal options for financial recovery.
What are the Chances You’ll Be in a Bus Crash?
Buses are largely considered one of the safest forms of transportation, as bus rides result in significantly fewer fatalities each year than passenger vehicles. Only planes are consistently safer than buses. That said, bus accidents can and do happen, so there is always a chance you can be injured if you ride a bus.
In a recent year, about 48,000 buses were involved in accidents, leading to 10,000 injuries and 204 fatalities. These numbers are high enough that everyone who rides any type of bus, at any time, should know what to expect and what to do in the event they suffer injuries as a bus passenger.
First, always seek medical attention. Then, consult a bus accident lawyer to discuss your legal options.
Common Causes of Bus Accidents
An accident can happen for various reasons. An accident victim has a right to recover compensation after an accident if the crash was caused by negligence. Some of the most common reasons that bus accidents happen include the following.
Defective Equipment
Some accidents happen because individual parts of the vehicle are defective. Examples of faulty parts that can cause a severe accident include steering systems, brakes, and bad tires.
Driver Error
Driver error is a major cause of bus accidents. Driver errors can include fatigued driving, distracted driving, failure to follow traffic laws, etc. Poor training and inexperience can also lead to driver error.
Reckless Driving By Other Vehicles
Third-party drivers can cause serious accidents through reckless driving. For example, if a driver cuts a passenger bus off in traffic, they can cause an accident. Other examples include failure to yield the right of way, following too closely, and bad lane changes.
Poor Vehicle Maintenance
Bus companies are responsible for the proper maintenance of their vehicles. Failure to properly maintain a bus or hiring a negligent company to perform maintenance can lead to legal liability for the company for causing the accident.
Poor Road Conditions
Bad or poorly maintained roads can cause an accident. Potholes, cracked streets, and other signs of poorly maintained roads can easily cause an accident. You might have a legal claim against the government if bad road conditions caused the crash. Suing a government agency is challenging. Speak to an attorney to learn your options after an accident caused by bad road conditions.
Intoxication And Impaired Driving
Bus drivers and other motorists driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can cause an accident while in their condition.
Poor Road Visibility
Bad lighting at bus stops and bus stations can lead to an accident. Poor visibility at night or during inclement weather can lead to bus accidents that involve other vehicles and pedestrians.
During their investigation, an attorney or an insurance company will review the cause of the accident to determine liability. The correct determination of liability ensures that appropriate measures are taken to prevent future accidents.
What Should I Do After a Bus Accident?
Whether the bus was a private charter or public transit, you deserve compensation after an injury. Consider taking the following steps after being involved in an accident to protect your legal right to financial recovery.
Seek Medical Attention
Getting the medical attention that you deserve after an accident is the most important thing after an accident. Seek medical attention immediately to ensure your well-being is protected. To protect your legal right to compensation, ensure you carefully follow your doctor’s treatment plan.
Report The Incident
Always report the incident to the bus company. Always make sure that whoever takes the report accurately documents the details of the incident according to your story. If you suffered an injury on a private charter company, the company likely has its specific procedure for reporting accidents. If your injury occurred on a public bus, the driver may file the incident report on your behalf.
Gather Information
Gather as much information as you can after a bus accident. Presenting relevant evidence can help increase your odds of a successful outcome after a bus accident. The types of evidence that typically supports a bus accident claim can include witness statements, information about the bus company, and information about the bus operator.
Document Your Injuries
Always make sure to document your injuries after an accident. Organize your medical records to help explain your injuries to your attorney and later to the insurance company. Document injuries by keeping information regarding hospitalizations, doctor’s visits, prescriptions, and long-term medical care like physical therapy or rehabilitation.
File An Insurance Claim
Filing an insurance claim is an important first step after an accident. Accident victims will file a claim against the responsible party’s insurance claim. After a bus accident, you might have an insurance claim against multiple potential defendants, including the driver, the bus company, or a third party whose negligence contributed to the accident. The insurance claim is used to seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, among other losses.
Contact a Bus Accident Attorney
After ensuring that you are physically safe, contact an attorney. An experienced legal professional is a valuable source of support and guidance after an accident. Your attorney will work hard to protect your legal rights after a bus accident. Continue reading to learn how an attorney can help.
Does It Matter If I Was Injured On a Public Or Private Bus?
Special considerations apply when an accident occurs on a public bus. These might involve procedural rules that are particular to such an accident. If the bus is owned or operated by the following people or entities, it is best to speak to an attorney.
- A public school district, a public university, or a college
- A state agency
- A state, township, city, or other municipality
- The public transportation authority
Some states require bus accident victims to file a notice of claim. This is an additional procedural requirement for cases involving public buses. A notice-of-claim provides the defendant with a heads-up that you are filing a lawsuit or insurance claim after an accident. This requirement can vary based on state law, so consult an attorney if you are unsure about what your state’s law requires.
What Does a Notice-of-Claim Require?
Generally, state law requires that the contents of a notice-of-claim require specific content to be included to make the notice valid. The notice of claim should include a statement that indicates that you intend to seek financial compensation for your injuries and other losses. There should be a description of the accident’s time, place, and surrounding facts, as well as your losses.
Failure to file a notice-of-claim means you lose the right to file a claim.
What If The Bus Was Privately Owned?
If your accident involved a private bus company, you will likely not need to consider any additional procedural rules like filing a notice-of-claim. However, there are still procedural rules that must be complied with, and those can be confusing. Speak to an attorney to ensure you comply with all applicable rules to protect your legal rights after an accident.
Common Injuries In Bus Accidents
No two bus accidents are the same. However, because of the massive size of these vehicles, potential devastation should be expected. Accident victims typically suffer from the following injuries.
Fractures And Broken Bones And Amputations
Bus crashes put passengers in precarious positions. Broken bones, fractures, and amputations happen a lot after bus accidents. Passengers can get their limbs stuck; once their arms and legs are trapped, they are vulnerable to serious injury. These injuries need immediate medical attention.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are common after bus accidents. A head injury is more likely if a passenger is not wearing a seatbelt after an accident. A severe impact of an accident can cause a traumatic brain injury.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Some victims will only suffer from minor injuries in less severe accidents. Examples of soft tissue injuries include strains, sprains, contusions, and bruises. Sudden stops and sharp turns can cause soft tissue injuries. They often require a medical evaluation to determine their severity and treatment options.
Psychological Trauma
Mental and emotional trauma is likely in any bus accident. Some accident victims tend to downplay their psychological trauma, but it is a compensable loss after an accident. Examples of psychological trauma can include post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and other mental health struggles.
An experienced attorney can help you by evaluating the details of your claim and help determine your damages. You deserve to fully recover after an accident. Let an attorney help access full and fair compensation.
How Can a Bus Accident Attorney Help Me?
Bus accident attorneys are here to protect your rights after an accident. As an accident victim, you can seek financial compensation after being injured in a bus accident. Here are some specific ways an experienced Gainesville bus accident attorney can help.
Help Maximize Your Compensation
A bus accident attorney understands the types of compensation that you deserve to recover. Your lawyer will help you get the recovery you deserve and maximize your compensation. Examples of the types of compensation include rehabilitation costs, medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other related expenses.
Navigating The Legal Process
Understanding the legal process can be overwhelming. Having an attorney ensures that you have a legitimate source of legal guidance. Your attorney can answer your questions, and you can rely on their answers.
An attorney will also handle all aspects of your case, including filing paperwork, meeting deadlines, and representing you in court if a settlement cannot be reached.
Settlement Negotiations
Negotiations with the insurance company are important to the bus accident claim process. A bus accident attorney advocates for the client’s best interests and helps ensure they are not taken advantage of by the insurance company. Having an attorney negotiate on your behalf helps ensure that any settlement that you receive adequately compensates you for your injuries and losses.
Represent You In Court
If you do not receive a satisfactory settlement offer from the insurance company, your attorney may file a personal injury on your behalf to continue pursuing compensation. Facing a courtroom can be scary on your own. Your Gainesville bus accident attorney will help persuasively present evidence to a judge or jury to increase your odds of getting financial compensation.
How Much Is My Bus Accident Claim Worth?
There is no way to guarantee a final settlement amount. However, some factors can affect the final value of your claim. Some of the factors that your attorney can use to estimate the value of your claim include the following.
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether your injuries result in temporary or permanent disability
- Lost income and lost earning capacity
- Emotional trauma
- Insurance policy limits
- Potentially responsible defendants
- Prevalence of available evidence
Speaking to an attorney is the best way to get a good estimate of the potential value of your bus accident claim.
Consult With a Bus Accident Lawyer
You must speak to a Gainesville bus accident attorney after an accident. Speaking to an attorney helps you understand the value of your claim and what initial steps to take after a bus accident to protect yourself and your right to recover financial compensation.
You need an attorney if you suffered an injury in a passenger bus accident. After suffering injuries in a crash, you have the legal right to pursue compensation for your losses and other damages. Working with an experienced attorney can significantly increase your chances of getting full and fair compensation after a crash and addressing the complexities of a bus accident claim effectively.