The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines a bus-related accident as an accident that directly or indirectly involves a bus. Even though school buses are some of the safest modes of transportation for children, they can cause serious harm and injury when struck by another vehicle. If you or a loved one were hurt in a bus accident, contact a Griffin bus accident lawyer at John Foy & Associates.
Our Griffin personal injury lawyer can review what happened and explain your possible next steps.
Causes of Bus Accidents
The National Security Council (NSC) reports that between 2011 and 2020, 70% of the fatalities in school bus-related crashes were other vehicle occupants, followed by 16% of pedestrians. School buses are not the only buses that are involved in serious accidents. Public transit buses, coach buses, and minibusses can also cause or become involved in dangerous accidents.
Some of the common causes of bus accidents include driver negligence, road construction, heavy traffic, poor road conditions, and more.
Driver Negligence
The other driver can engage in dangerous activities that can risk the bus driver and passengers. These activities include drinking and driving, responding to a text message, or failing to yield the right way. If drivers would remain patient and not try to pass the bus, many of these accidents would be avoided.
Road Construction
When construction companies perform road work, they can leave different materials and debris on the roads. If the bus tires come in contact with the different types of debris, it can cause damage to the tires and cause the bus driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Heavy Traffic
Another factor that increases the chances of a bus accident is the heavy traffic flow. The more vehicles on the roads, the greater the chances of motor vehicle accidents. Whether it is a school bus picking and dropping children off or a public transit bus driving during rush hours, bus drivers constantly travel through large amounts of traffic.
Poor Road Conditions
Construction companies are not the only parties that can cause damage to the roadways. Government agencies are responsible for properly maintaining the roads. State and local agencies are responsible for removing any dangerous hazards like potholes from the roads.
When these government agencies fail to remove these hazards, buses can experience serious wear and tear to their tires, leading to a bus accident.
Lack of Safety Equipment
In addition to the other common causes, there is a noticeable lack of bus safety equipment. Unlike cars or trucks, bus seats do not come with seatbelts. Bus passengers may not necessarily think about the lack of seatbelts when the bus is operating normally.
However, when the bus is hit from the rear and crashes off of the road, bus passengers are guaranteed to bounce around and become seriously hurt.
Victims of Bus Accidents
Unfortunately, the victims of bus accidents are the two most vulnerable parties in society: children and the elderly. Because children often take the bus to school, whether through public transit or ordered by the school, they are the most likely to become seriously hurt in a bus accident. Some motorists know that children are riding on buses and still decide to cut buses off.
Like children, the elderly rely on public transportation to get around their city. Older citizens also love to take coach buses to travel to other cities and states. When these types of buses get involved in accidents, older parties will suffer more fatal injuries and have a smaller chance of recovery.
Bus Accident Liability
Although bus accidents are not as common as car or truck accidents, they are just as deadly. Your bus accident can cause serious, life-threatening injuries for you or your loved one.
Like any other accident, you deserve to sue for serious injuries that could have been avoided. There are multiple parties that you can sue for your bus accident, including:
- The bus driver. The majority of bus accidents are caused because the bus driver decided to act negligently.
- The other driver. The other driver is the next party, usually held liable for a bus accident.
- A government agency. If your bus accident occurred because of a pothole or a road maintenance issue, you could sue the government agency for its negligence in maintaining the roads.
- Construction companies. When operating in work zone areas, construction companies are responsible for maintaining the areas’ safety for all motorists. If there is a connection between the construction company’s negligence and your bus accident, you can also sue the construction company for your injuries.
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Lowball Settlement Offers from Insurance Companies
Whether you plan to file a lawsuit against the bus driver, the other driver, a government agency, or a construction company, you will have to negotiate with their insurance company about your compensation. Regardless of how sympathetic the insurance adjusters are towards you, understand that you and the insurance adjusters want different outcomes.
The insurance adjusters do not want to pay you a dime, and if they offer you any settlement, it will be ridiculous. You should never accept the first settlement offer the insurance adjusters offer you.
How a Griffin Bus Accident Lawyer Can Help You
It will already take significant time and energy to recover from your injuries. You do not want to stress yourself thinking about the many tricks insurance companies will use against you.
A bus accident lawyer in Griffin can help make your fight for compensation less stressful. While you will still be required to negotiate with insurance adjusters, you can feel more confident with a skilled negotiator.
Contact a Griffin Bus Accident Attorney Today
The parties responsible for your bus accident cannot get away with the harm they caused you. Reach out to a bus accident attorney in Griffin today to fight for the compensation you deserve.
To schedule a consultation, call our office, or fill out our contact form. The quicker you move to speak to a lawyer, the likelier it becomes you will be able to secure compensation for your injuries.
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