Bus Accident Lawyers

Bus Accident Lawyers

According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, there are around 90,000 injuries each year that stem from bus accidents. There are several different types of buses that drive through California and Nevada, including tour buses, school buses, vacation buses, public transportation buses, etc. Around 100 fatalities result from just school bus accidents in a single year in the United States.

With so many buses on the road, the possibility of being involved in a bus accident increases greatly. But, buses are more likely to drive on inner city streets than on freeways. Bus accidents are therefore more likely to occur on streets near intersections. But, this means that the likelihood of bus and pedestrian collisions and bus and bicycle collisions is very high. 

If you have been injured in a bus accident, give us a call today to discuss your potential lawsuit. If you have lost a loved one in an accident, our wrongful death attorneys are able to assist you every step of the way.

Common Bus Accident Causes

Bus accidents can be caused by driver negligence such as:

• Driver fatigue
• Negligent or careless driving
• Driver inexperience in operating large vehicles
• Speeding or aggressive driving
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Texting and driving 
• Talking and driving
• Eating and driving 
• Not following stop signs and red lights
• Not giving the right of way to pedestrians
• Speeding 

Other factors that are not immediately thought of as a cause in a bus accident include:

• Improper vehicle maintenance
• Mechanical failure
• Defective bus parts

Who Can I File a Lawsuit Against for My Bus Accident Injuries?

The accident largely determines the party you can file a lawsuit against for your bus injuries.A highly rated bus accident attorney will help you determine which party is mostly responsible for your injuries. In some cases, there could be multiple parties responsible for your bus accident injuries. speak to our lawyers one-on-one to see how we could find the negligent parties.

• Bus driver: this is one of the most common negligent parties involved in a bus accident. If the bus driver’s negligence contributed to the bus accident, you could file a lawsuit against the driver of the bus. But, the driver of the bus may be an employee of a company or an organization.
• Bus company: the bus company, organization, or operator could be held responsible for their employee’s negligent actions, such as texting while driving or running red lights. In order to hold the company responsible, you must show that the driver wasn’t an employee, and was working at the time of the accident.
• Government entities: sometimes government entities could be held responsible if there are poor road conditions. For example, the Department of Transportation could be held responsible if one of its duties were to maintain public roads, and the condition of the road led to the accident.
• Bus manufacturer: if the bus failed during the accident and then led to a collision, then the product manufacturer could be held responsible for the defective products that led to the collision. For example, if the bus had faulty brakes, and the driver was not able to come to a complete stop and rear-ended another vehicle, then the product manufacturer could be held responsible in a product liability lawsuit. Product liability is a bit different than car accidents, that is why we recommend that you speak to us so we could determine if you may have a product liability case. 
• Other pedestrians: if there was a pedestrian in the way of the bus driver and the bus driver swerved and collided with another vehicle, the pedestrian could be held responsible.
• Other drivers: if another vehicle driver collided with the bus while the bus driver was driving safely, then the other driver could be held responsible. The other driver’s car insurance may step in, and you could file a claim with their insurance company.

Common Injuries with Bus Accidents

Injuries sustained from bus accidents can be devastating for victims and their families. Many buses are traveling at high rates of speed and may not be equipped with seatbelts, leaving passengers with debilitating injuries or even death when a collision occurs.

Injuries from bus accidents can often include:

• Traumatic brain injuries – During an accident, it’s not uncommon for someone’s head to collide with other objects, creating the opportunity for serious brain injuries to occur. These types of injuries can create nausea, difficulty speaking or concentrating, severe dizziness, depression, and death. Victims who suffer a brain injury may require around-the-clock care for the rest of their lives.
• Spinal cord injuries – When the spine’s ability to function is seriously disrupted, it can cause a wide variety of regarding body movement and sensation. Victims may end up with long-lasting muscle weakness, numbness, a tingling sensation, and paralysis. As of now, our modern medicine lacks the ability to treat injuries caused by damage to the spinal cord.
• Broken bones – Bus accidents can involve a lot of force. Passengers may be thrown around and can collide with different parts of the bus interior or even be thrown out of it. Bus crashes are often physically violent incidents that can leave victims crushed or disfigured with many broken bones that require months to heal.
• Burn injuries – In the case of some bus crashes, vehicle fires or explosions can occur. These events can leave passengers with severe burn injuries which may require extensive skin graft surgeries to treat. These events are rare for bus accidents but can have some of the worst outcomes for those involved.

With each of these types of injuries, victims may be able to recover a significant amount in damages.

What Should I Do If I Have Been Involved in a Bus Accident?

If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself involved in a bus crash, the first two things that you should do are call 911 and seek medical treatment. First responders will be able to give medical attention to those who need it and can help give an official account of the accident scene. As much as you are able to, it’s also important to document the crash scene by taking pictures and getting the contact information of witnesses and other people involved in the accident.

Be sure to follow the recommendations given by the medical professionals in this situation as failing to do so can give an insurance company reason to deny your claim.

Before speaking to any insurance companies about the accident, it’s a good idea to get in contact with a personal injury lawyer who has experience with these types of accidents.