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Bus Accident

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Millions of people each day use the bus as a means of transportation, either to commute to and from work, or for a multitude of other travel needs. In today's times, due to escalating costs of maintaining a car, and also because of the ever-increasing congestion and traffic problems on the roads, more and more people are turning to bus travel as their preferred means of travel. This increase in the number of bus passengers has corresponded with an increase in the number of buses on the roads, which has in turn resulted in an increase in the instances of bus accidents. There are an estimated 300 incidents of fatal bus crashes annually.

Public transportation buses are not the only buses involved in these accidents. Tourist buses, private buses, and school buses travel every day on the roads and are not exempt from collisions with other vehicles. Although buses are considered the safest means of public travel, far safer than passenger vehicles, there are still notable amounts of bus accidents taking place every year.

Why Do Bus Accidents Occur?

Bus drivers are subjected to specific training and are required to follow licensing and training obligations as laid down by the federal government and individual state governments. Typically, most bus drivers are diligent, professional and cautious when operating their vehicles. There are some instances in which, due to the negligence of a bus driver, a bus accident occurs. Some causes of bus accidents due to driver negligence include speeding, not slowing down at intersections, distractions, and intoxication. Apart from bus driver negligence, bus accidents can occur because of mechanical failures, inadequate maintenance of the buses, weather conditions, and errors on the part of pedestrians and other drivers. Regardless of the cause for any bus accident, such a crash can quickly turn catastrophic, given the number of passengers that travel through this means.

Bus Accident Lawyer

A bus is a part of the mass transit system, and much like trains and airplanes, they come under the governance and care of public governments. Therefore, a lawsuit involving a bus accident can be quite complex because of all the various laws and rules that apply to government bodies and entities. The numerous amount of victims and defendants also add to the complexity of a bus accident proceeding.
If you have been involved in any kind of bus accident, whether as a passenger on the bus, as a pedestrian walking on the road and hit by a bus, or as a passenger in another vehicle that was involved in a bus accident, you may have a valid and legal claim for damages.

To recover damages in a bus accident, you need to prove the negligence of the bus driver or the bus company. As buses are considered as common carriers, it is the duty of bus drivers and bus companies, to provide the public with an utmost level of care and safety while traveling by bus. Because buses are common carriers, this duty to provide utmost care is much higher in their case than in the case of other entities and drivers of any other vehicle. Thus, if you can prove negligence of the bus driver or company, and can show that they did not do their duty as required by the law, then you have a good chance of recovering damages and compensation.

Consult with a lawyer who is an expert in bus accident cases immediately. Under the law, there is a certain time limit, known as the statute of limitations, within which you need to file any legal claim arising out of a bus accident. If you do not file your claim before the statute of limitation runs out, you will lose your right to file forever. Thus, it is imperative that you act soon if you have been in any kind of bus accident, and have suffered injuries because of it.

Your initial consultation with nearly all bus accident lawyers will be free. In these instances you will only pay if and when you receive a settlement and the amount of payment will be decided in conjunction with the level of risk associated with the case.