Kennesaw Bus Accident Lawyer

If a negligent bus driver or company was responsible for a crash that you were involved in, you have options. A personal injury lawyer in Kennesaw can help you file a claim and regain some of the money that you lost because of your accident. Our team can investigate the incident, calculate what you’re owed, and make sure the insurance company gives you fair compensation.

If you have questions about your own case and want to talk to someone who can answer those questions, we’re available for free initial consultations 24/7.

What to Do After a Bus Accident in Kennesaw

If you’ve been involved in a bus accident, whether you were a passenger or another driver, there are some things you can do following your crash that could ensure your safety and your chances of getting compensation for your claim. After a bus accident, you should:

• Check yourself and other people for injuries and get medical attention for anyone who is seriously hurt. In general, the bus driver should be responsible for calling first responders, but you may have to do it yourself.
• Move to a safe place where there is no immediate danger. Go to the side of the road if you’re able to move, and make sure you’re away from any burning vehicles or sites where there may be further collisions.
• Get an accident report from the police at the scene. If you don’t get one at the scene of your accident, you can most likely ask the Kennesaw Police Department or the nearest police station.
• Take pictures or videos of the scene of the accident. The more evidence you can gather immediately after your crash, the easier your attorney’s job will be later on.
• Get the bus driver’s information, including their employer’s name. You will need to know how to get in touch with the party that will be liable for your damages.
• Talk to anyone else involved in the accident and anyone who saw what happened and get their contact information.
• Watch out for people trying to use your words against you. Insurance companies and the other party’s lawyers will take anything you say and use it to decrease your compensation. Only tell them what they absolutely need to know and never admit guilt to anyone, including other witnesses.
• Don’t sign anything until you’ve talked to a Kennesaw bus accident lawyer. The insurance company wants to save money, so their first offer may be much lower than you actually deserve. An attorney can make sure you’re not being taken advantage of.

The prospect of navigating a personal injury claim and avoiding the tricks of predatory insurance adjusters can be daunting. You don’t have to do it alone. When you hire a bus accident attorney in Kennesaw, you’re getting someone on your side who can look out for your best interests and prove that you deserve to be compensated for the damages you suffered.

How Liability Works in a Bus Accident

Bus accidents are inherently different than run-of-the-mill car crashes. Other than the obvious factors–the size and weight of a bus mean an accident involves more victims and higher damage – liability can also be more complicated to figure out. Bus drivers have a higher responsibility than other drivers, and there may be other parties involved.

Bus drivers aren’t the only ones responsible for the operation and safety of their vehicles. Other parties who may be liable in a bus accident case could include:

• Bus companies are responsible for managing buses and hiring bus drivers. If a bus company knowingly deploys a faulty bus or a poorly-trained bus driver, then they could be partially liable for your damages.
• Bus mechanics and manufacturers are responsible for keeping the vehicles running safely. If a mechanic does not properly service the vehicle or a manufacturer makes a faulty part, and the bus malfunctions as a result, those parties could be liable.
• Government entities that own tour buses or maintain road conditions. If a city- or state-owned bus is involved in an accident, the city or state that owns that bus could be liable. 
• School systems that are responsible for school buses and drivers. If a school bus is involved in an accident, the school system or school board could be responsible for paying for the damages.

The most important factor in proving that any party is liable is negligence. Negligence occurs when a certain party, whether it’s a driver, owner, or manufacturer, fails to uphold its duty of care. The duty of care is the standard to which any reasonable person can be held in their treatment of other people. 

When a party is found negligent, and their negligence is proven to have caused your damages, then they are liable to pay for those damages. A skilled Kennesaw bus accident attorney will be able to gather evidence to prove that any and all parties responsible for your accident owe you compensation.

Compensation You Could Get After a Bus Crash

For your accident claim, your compensation will be decided by the specific damages that the other party’s negligence caused. To show how much you’re owed, your lawyer will have to use your medical documents, bills, receipts, and more to calculate the extent of your damages, both those you’ve already suffered and those that you’ll pay in the future.

This may seem simple, but understanding the full scope of damages done to you and your quality of life can be difficult. That’s because, not only are there damages you might not even realize you’ve experienced, but some of your damages don’t have any monetary price tag, like pain and suffering.

Damages that you could recover in your bus accident claim can include:

• Medical expenses
• Ongoing bills for physical therapy and other long-term treatment
• Lost wages due to missed work or diminished earning potential
• Property damage
• Punitive damages
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Loss of consortium and other benefits available to loved ones in a wrongful death claim

If you’ve suffered any of these damages or others because of the negligence of a bus driver, bus company, or another party, you don’t deserve to pay for them yourself. Whoever caused your accident should be held accountable.

The amount of compensation that you do receive will depend on the extent of your damages and the amount of fault exhibited by everyone involved. It’s impossible to calculate how much your settlement may be without first knowing more about your situation. At your free consultation, a personal injury lawyer can assess your case and give you an estimate.

Special Laws that Apply to Buses in Georgia

Because of the heightened responsibility of bus drivers and their companies, there are special laws that apply to buses that do not apply to other motorists on the road. In some cases, that can make it easier to prove that the other party was negligent.

In Georgia, depending on what service they are providing, drivers have to have special licenses to operate a bus. All bus drivers, including school bus drivers, need a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to legally drive their vehicle. School bus drivers also need to pass some extra exams.

Apart from licensing laws, bus drivers must also adhere to stricter laws about where they can drive and how fast they can drive. If a bus driver is violating any law or requirement at the time that an accident occurs, then it is likely that they can be found negligent.

Experienced bus accident lawyers in Kennesaw know what standards bus drivers are held to and know how to find out if a party was negligent at the time of your accident. By finding evidence like driving records, video footage, and more, your attorney can investigate your case and find out what caused your crash.

Kennesaw Bus Accident FAQs

If you don’t see your question answered here, feel free to contact us by phone or online for support.

Can You Sue for a Bus Accident Injury?

Yes, if some other party was responsible, even if they didn’t mean for the accident to happen, you can sue for your bus accident injury. As long as there was a duty of care and someone else breached that duty, you can file a personal injury claim and try to get compensation.

The truth is, though, most claims don’t actually become lawsuits. That’s because both parties usually don’t want to go to court to engage in a long, difficult lawsuit process. Instead, your Kennesaw personal injury lawyer could be able to get the other party and their insurance company to settle, getting you the compensation you need without having to sue.

Should I Hire a Bus Accident Lawyer in Kennesaw?

If you have any intention of filing a personal injury claim or suing for anything else that happened in your accident, yes, you may want to hire a bus accident lawyer in Kennesaw. Without someone helping you with the legal process, the chances of you getting all of the compensation you’re owed are slim.

People who decide to file their own claim and represent themselves often find that the hurdles are too high or that the insurance company is too difficult. Many such people accept a settlement that is a mere fraction of what they’re owed. 

To figure out if you should talk to a lawyer about your claim, ask yourself the following questions:

• Did someone else cause my accident?
• Was I injured or did I suffer monetary damages because of that accident?
• Do I have time for a short, no-fee consultation with an attorney who can help me figure out if I have a valid accident claim?

If the answers to those questions were “yes,” then you should at least get a free initial consultation with a bus accident lawyer. A professional can talk your situation over with you and tell you what your options are.

Is It Worth Getting a Kennesaw Bus Accident Attorney?

With an accident attorney who takes contingency fees instead of charging upfront, yes, it may very well be worth hiring them. That’s because an attorney who takes contingency fees doesn’t charge anything until you get compensation. That way, you can rest assured that you aren’t paying for a lawyer who won’t get you results.

Because contingency fees come out of a portion of your settlement, you will almost never pay more for a lawyer than you get from your claim. When you first meet with your lawyer, they will give you an idea of how much they will charge out of your settlement. Once you both come to an agreement, they will get to work to make sure you have enough to recover.

Talk to a Bus Accident Attorney in Kennesaw Today

Your injuries and other damages can pile up and become very expensive, not to mention time-consuming and stressful. The last thing you need is to deal with a lengthy legal battle alone. Let the Kennesaw bus accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates handle the legal details while you focus on recovery.

Contact us online to get your FREE initial consultation with a member of our team. One meeting can be your first step to moving on from your accident.