Though buses represent a generally safe mode of travel, bus-involved motor vehicle accidents still occur and can lead to significant consequences for victims. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries from a bus accident, consult with a Locust Grove bus accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates. Your lawyer will work to ease the financial stress and losses your injuries have caused.
Our Locust Grove personal injury lawyer can review what happened and explain your possible next steps.
Factors that Make Bus Accidents More Complex than Car Accidents
A bus accident can leave you with the same injuries and financial losses as you would experience in a car accident. The difference is the process for determining at-fault parties, filing a claim, and collecting a settlement after a bus accident can be far more complicated.
Buses operate under regulations not applicable to privately owned cars, and if the bus involved in the accident is government-owned, such as a public or school bus, there are additional laws and regulations to navigate.
To ensure your claim addresses all legal requirements properly and your negotiation is managed with expertise, trust your bus accident case with an experienced bus accident lawyer in Locust Grove.
How Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Rules Can Affect Your Settlement
All buses, public or private, must adhere to regulations established by the FMCSA. Under these regulations, bus companies are responsible for ensuring:
- Bus operators meet specific standards and qualifications.
- Drivers abide by behavioral requirements, such as abstaining from driving while intoxicated, texting and driving, and other distracted driving behaviors.
- Drivers’ hours fall within scheduling regulations which establish the allowed number of hours drivers can work over consecutive days or within seven- or eight-day periods.
- Buses undergo regular inspections and maintenance.
- Buses are outfitted with the required safety features.
If the bus company and/or driver failed to adhere to any of the FMCSA regulations, those failures serve as important evidence supporting your claim. Your Locust Grove bus accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates will know how to access driver records, bus maintenance records, and other evidence to build your case and help you receive a fair settlement.
How School Bus Regulations Can Affect Your Settlement
Along with meeting FMCSA standards, school buses face additional regulations documented in the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia.
For example, school districts must perform background checks on all drivers and ensure drivers have certifications and undergo continuing education. School buses must undergo yearly inspections by the Department of Motor Vehicle Safety and monthly inspections conducted by local service providers. Districts must limit the duration of bus routes, follow the rules governing the number of passengers allowed on each bus, and provide safety instructions for passengers.
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How Sovereign Immunity Can Affect Your Settlement
In November 2020, Georgians voted out sovereign immunity, a policy that protects government entities from lawsuits. Under sovereign immunity, a government or government entity could not be sued unless the entity itself consented to the lawsuit. This means that victims of bus accidents involving government-run vehicles, such as public or school buses, faced serious, uncompensated losses if the government refused to consent to the suits brought against them.
Even with the 2020 decision, suing the government or a government entity remains difficult and requires specific knowledge of all relevant laws and legal proceedings. Suits against the government involve special pre-trial proceedings affording the government an opportunity to compensate victims without facing a formal suit.
Your Locust Grove bus accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates has the knowledge and experience to file and proceed with your case according to these and other special requirements.
Additional Factors Your Locust Grove Bus Accident Attorney Will Investigate to Determine Fault
Along with investigating the bus company and drivers’ adherence to applicable regulations, your lawyer will investigate other avenues to determine who is culpable for your injuries.
If poor road maintenance, lack of road lighting, or non-working or non-visible traffic signals contributed to the accident, your bus accident attorney in Locust Grove will hold parties responsible for overseeing those areas accountable. When accidents are caused by vehicle malfunction, your lawyer will discover who was responsible for manufacturing, installing, and inspecting the malfunctioning part.
This thorough investigation helps ensure all parties responsible for your injuries pay you the compensation you deserve.
Get the Settlement You Need
A bus accident can cause extensive consequences reaching into all areas of your life. Your lawyer will evaluate your situation and determine the value of a settlement that provides financial relief and justice.
Though every settlement is different, your lawyer will most likely pursue compensation for your:
- Medical expenses, those already incurred and those you will continue to face because of your injuries
- Economic losses caused by lost time at work and the inability to return to work and collect income
- Property damage to recover or repair belongings damaged or destroyed in the accident
- Suffering, physical, emotional, and psychological, you have endured because of the accident and subsequent injuries
- Diminished quality of life if you are no longer able to participate in activities or relationships or anything else you enjoyed prior to your accident
Your lawyer’s goal is to get you the highest settlement possible, assuring you of a secure financial future and access to the best medical care, and bringing you a sense of justice.
Securing Representation from a Locust Grove Bus Accident Lawyer Is the Best Course of Action
The aftermath of a bus accident can be overwhelming, and you may not like the idea of making yet another phone call to speak to a lawyer. That one phone call, however, will save you from many other calls, reduce your stress, and ultimately increases your chances of securing a just settlement.
Your lawyer from the Strong Arm of Georgia will:
- Examine your case and determine the value of a settlement to meet your needs.
- Collect extensive evidence, making sure all possible reasons for the accident are investigated.
- File all required legal documents according to Georgia law.
- Negotiate with at-fault parties and their representatives, protecting you from low settlement offers.
- Represent you in court should you opt to take your case to trial.
- Communicate with you regularly.
We Are on Your Side
Schedule a consultation with a Locust Grove bus accident lawyer from John Foy & Associates today. You can visit our contact page and call or send us a message. We will respond quickly to review your case.
When you have one of our lawyers on your side, you have expert legal representation from an advocate who will keep your best interests front and center.
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