Were you seriously injured in a bus accident in Gainesville? Are you feeling scared, confused, and unsure of how to best approach recovering compensation for your damages?
If so, you may need the legal guidance and support of an experienced Gainesville personal injury lawyer at John Foy & Associates. We could help you hold the liable party accountable so you can get the most out of your claim. Find out what your case is worth when you contact our office for a free consultation.
You Can Sue for Bus Accident Injuries You Suffered in Gainesville
Bus accidents have been known to produce some of the most catastrophic types of injuries and people can endure. Some of the more common types of injuries seen in Gainesville bus accidents include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Paralysis
- Loss of limbs
- Spinal cord injuries
- Contusions and abrasions
- Compound fractures and broken bones
- Concussion
- Whiplash
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Head, neck, and back injuries
If you suffered other types of injuries in a Gainesville bus accident, you may still have the right to financial compensation. The best way to find out what your legal options are is to contact a bus accident attorney in Gainesville for more information.
Proving Liability for a Gainesville Bus Accident
Establishing liability in a Gainesville bus accident claim is essential. This is because you must show that another party’s negligence or misconduct was the cause of your injuries to be entitled to financial compensation in an insurance or civil claim. There are several parties who may share liability for your bus accident in Gainesville, some of which could include:
- Negligent bus drivers
- The bus company
- The owner of the bus
- Auto parts designers and manufacturers
- Safety inspectors
- Maintenance technicians
- The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)
- municipalities
- Other bus company staff or third parties
To establish liability, your lawyer will need to show that the four elements of negligence have been met. This means the defendant in your case must have owed you a duty of care, breached that duty of care, and caused you to suffer considerable damages.
Types of Evidence You Can Include in Your Claim
There are many types of evidence that your Gainesville bus accident attorney will need to gather to support your case. Some of these could include:
- Witness statements
- Photos of the accident scene
- Video footage of the collision
- Safety inspection reports
- Police and crash reports
- Statements from accident reconstructionists
- Forensic evidence, including blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test results and cell phone records
- Expert testimony
Filing Claims Against the Government
Bus accident claims are unique in that victims will often have an opportunity to file claims against the local or state governments. The concept of sovereign immunity makes government entities immune from financial liability unless gross negligence or criminal action can be proven.
However, if a government employee or agency is at fault for causing a bus accident, you may have the opportunity to pursue a claim as long as you do so before the six-month statute of limitations runs out. This is much different from the official code of Georgia’s two-year statutory limit under OCGA §9-3-33. If your bus accident was caused by an individual or entity that is not considered a government agency, your claim will need to be filed before the two-year statute of limitations expires.
Failure to file your lawsuit before this deadline will result in the dismissal of your case. If you have questions or concerns surrounding when the statute of limitations will expire for your Georgia bus accident claim, be sure to contact your attorney.
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How Shared Liability Works in Gainesville Bus Accident Claims
Many bus accident victims are hesitant to contact an attorney about recovering their damages because they believe sharing fault for their injuries prevents them from being entitled to compensation. However, the state of Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means sharing liability for your injuries will not necessarily prohibit you from recovering compensation.
As long as you are 49% or less liable for causing your injuries, you can be awarded compensation for your suffering. However, the amount of compensation that you can expect to be awarded will be reduced to reflect your portion of the liability. For instance, if you were found 10% liable for causing your bus accident injuries, your injury settlement would then be reduced by 10% as well.
Find out how much your Gainesville bus accident claim could be affected by the state’s shared fault laws under OCGA §51-12-33 when you contact our office to discuss the details of your case.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Bus Accident in Gainesville?
When your bus accident injuries have had a devastating impact on your life, it makes sense to wonder what you could be awarded if you chose to move forward with your claim. Fortunately, when another party’s negligence is the cause of your injuries, you have the right to be made whole.
This means you can be awarded compensation for economic and non-economic damages, which should encompass every way your life has been affected by your injuries. Economic damages are more commonly sought because they have set monetary values. Some of the more commonly awarded types of economic damages in Gainesville bus accident claims include:
- Loss of income
- Diminished earning capacity, including salary increases, contributions to your retirement savings plans, bonuses, and more
- Hospital bills
- Medical expenses including costs of prescription medication, medical equipment, physical therapy, and rehabilitation services, and more
- The costs of future and ongoing medical care
- Costs of repairing or replacing your damaged property
- Costs of increased insurance premiums
In addition to compensation for economic losses, you can also recover compensation for non-economic damages. Non-economic damages can be more difficult to quantify because they do not have a fixed monetary value.
Non-Economic Damages
However, non-economic damages often impact victims’ lives far more significantly than economic damages do. With that in mind, some of the more common types of non-economic damages that you could be awarded in your Gainesville bus accident claim include:
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Inconvenience
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Loss of companionship and love
- Loss of guidance and support
- Loss of advice and society
- Reputational damage
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Get Help from a Gainesville Bus Accident Lawyer Today
Although the bus accident claims process may be intimidating, the sooner you take action and pursue the compensation that is rightfully yours, the better your chances of financial recovery.
Start working on your case as soon as today when you reach out to a dedicated bus accident lawyer in Gainesville at John Foy & Associates. Schedule your no-cost, risk-free consultation when you call our office or fill out our online contact form.
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