Every year bus accidents account for thousands of injuries. These collisions are so catastrophic because of the bus size compared to other vehicles on the road. If you have been injured in an accident with a bus or while riding on a bus, call the experienced Clarkston personal injury lawyers at John Foy & Associates.
Requirements for Bus Drivers
Bus drivers must obtain a special license before they can operate a bus. They will also need to complete the following:
- Take a driving skills test
- Pass the commercial driver’s license general knowledge test
- Pay relevant fees
Buses have a different operating system and additional safety precautions that other motor vehicles do not. Buses are much bigger than other vehicles making them more dangerous. Buses require more space to turn and take longer to come to a stop.
Bus drivers must have adequate training so they can prevent tragedies from happening. A bus accident is horrifying because it will include multiple vehicles and injure many parties in one incident. Chain reaction accidents are common when it comes to buses.
Whether you are a passenger on a bus or an injury victim outside the bus, you can file a claim for your damages. You must hire a bus accident lawyer in Clarkston to find avenues of legal recourse for your losses.
Buses Have a Higher Duty of Care
Bus accidents will have four fundamental elements you must prove to establish liability and get paid for your losses. The elements are:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
Duty of care is easier to prove because all motorists owe each other a duty of care. Bus drivers owe occupants and others on the road an extraordinary duty of care.
Injuries from a Bus Accident
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that in 2017 there were 232 fatal bus accidents across the nation. Anyone on and near a bus is in danger of suffering an injury during an accident. Often these injuries are catastrophic, requiring multiple surgeries and years of medical attention.
The most common injuries include:
- Spinal cord trauma
- Soft tissue damage
- Internal injuries
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Paralysis
- Burns
- Scars and lacerations
- Amputations
You will need immediate and ongoing medical care to recover from these injuries. They will also be the key to recovering compensation. Most bus accident claims will rely on how severe an injury is and how it affects the person’s livelihood.
Without looking at the details, there is no way to estimate what your case is worth. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with John Foy & Associates to determine your legal options.
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Distance is no obstacle. We work with clients across the country and make sure every one of them feels taken care of, no matter how far the call travels.
Bus Accidents Are Different from Car Accidents
The size difference between a bus and other vehicles on the road makes these cases unique. Many city buses are under government control, meaning you will need to file a claim against the government entity that is in charge of maintaining the bus. The claim process can look different than other personal injury cases.
Additionally, depending on who owns the bus, there can be multiple liable parties. Government agencies are not too keen on paying out lawsuits but cannot deny it when there is insurmountable evidence.
Buses Owned By Private Companies
When the bus is privately owned, the bus company can be directly held liable for any injuries or damage the bus driver causes. When the driver is reckless or negligent, the bus company must respond on behalf of their actions. The company is in charge of providing training, and if it shows in the personnel file that they did not have proper training, then the driver should not have been on the road.
It will also mean your lawyer must make a deeper investigation into the company’s practices.
Third-Party Claims in Bus Accident Cases
While bus drivers are often to blame for these accidents, there might be a third party who plays a role in causing your injury; buses require routine maintenance, just like other motor vehicles. The bus driver is in charge of operating the bus but not maintaining the bus. Maintenance responsibilities will often be on the bus company or an outside maintenance company they have on call.
When improper maintenance is to blame, these other entities can share some responsibilities. Additionally, if a defective part is on the vehicle, the product manufacturer can also have a claim against them.
Different parties can be held liable and compensate victims for a bus accident, and it is essential to find them all. Your life will change forever, and you must recover compensation to move on from this traumatic experience.
Compensation from a Bus Accident
After establishing liability and collecting evidence to help your claim, we will begin calculating your financial award. The compensation you can get will depend heavily on the severity of your injuries and financial losses. It is essential to account for both past and ongoing medical treatment.
Due to the seriousness of these accidents, you will likely suffer financially and physically for years and, sometimes, your entire life. Examples of bus accident compensation available include:
- Medical equipment
- Prescription medication
- Emergency medical care expenses
- Transportation costs
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Loss of future earning potential and benefits
- Pain and suffering
There are economic and noneconomic damages you can obtain depending on your claim. There are many intricacies in calculating how much your claim is worth, and you will need the experience of a Clarkston bus accident lawyer to look for every dollar you need.
How A Clarkston Bus Accident Attorney Can Help
Do not wait to get started on a legal claim. While most personal injury cases in Clarkston have a two-year statute of limitations, filing a lawsuit against a government agency can result in a shorter statute. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to uncover essential evidence for your claim.
When you reach safety, contact a bus accident attorney in Clarkston and discuss your options. John Foy & Associates will move fast to collect evidence and other relevant information for your claim. We will ensure you do not get a low settlement but the highest settlement possible for your case.
Bus drivers owe the general public a higher duty of care, which they should not take lightly. When they make a mistake, it can cause severe injury or death to everyone around. Contact John Foy & Associates today.
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