Any accident on the road can mean expensive damages and painful injury. Bus accidents are even more dangerous. Because of the size of the vehicle and the need for the driver to weave in and out of traffic, more people are affected in a bus wreck than a car wreck, and a bus typically does more damage.
If you were involved in a bus accident and need to pay medical bills, repair costs, or other expenses as a result, you may be able to get compensation. A bus accident lawyer in Riverdale from John Foy & Associates can help you file a claim and hold whoever caused your accident accountable.
Who Is Liable in a Bus Accident?
When someone’s negligence or wrongdoing causes an accident that puts you at a financial loss, that party is liable for your damages. In most traffic accidents, the at-fault party is usually one or two negligent drivers, and they and their insurance company are liable. However, bus accidents are more complicated.
Because there are more factors at play when a bus is on the road, including driver schedules, training, and bus upkeep, there may be a liable party that you might not expect, or even multiple parties.
Liable parties in a bus accident can include:
Bus Companies
Commercial bus companies like Greyhound are legally known as common carriers, which are entities that regularly transport goods or people along a set route. Under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA) § 46-9-1, common carriers have to exercise “extraordinary diligence” to keep people safe.
If a company fails to uphold their duty of care by keeping an unsafe bus, undertraining their drivers, or showing any other example of negligence, they are liable for the damages that they cause.
Government Entities
Similar to bus companies, government entities are also responsible for training their drivers and keeping their buses safe and functioning. However, because local, state, or federal governments aren’t subject to the same “extraordinary” standard of duty and because they often have more strict liability limits, it’s often more difficult to get compensation from a public entity.
School Districts
In a school bus accident, drivers and contracted companies are often liable. However, if the school district has directly hired a bus driver or a contracted company, they may also be liable for damages that occurred.
If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, you do have options, but it can be difficult to sue. A personal injury attorney can meet with you to help you understand your options and what a claim means for you.
Manufacturers or Mechanics
Sometimes, buses crash due to no fault of the driver, the company, or anyone else on the road. Instead, faulty parts or unaddressed issues with the bus are to blame. If a bus accident occurs because of a faulty part, the company that manufactured that part or the mechanic who serviced that bus could be liable.
How a Bus Accident Lawyer in Riverdale Can Help
No matter who caused your accident, if you’re dealing with damages that weren’t your fault, you shouldn’t have to pay for all your expenses alone. A Riverdale bus accident attorney can help you pursue the compensation you’re owed.
To make sure you have the strongest bus accident claim possible, your attorney will:
- Collect evidence that shows what happened and who was at fault
- Calculate your damages to prove exactly how much you’re owed
- Negotiate with the insurance company to make sure they don’t take advantage of you
- Represent you in court if the insurance company refuses to settle
Most claims don’t make it to court. Usually, if you have a skilled lawyer working on your case, they are able to get the insurance company to settle and avoid a lengthy, costly lawsuit. However, on rare occasions, negotiations break down and you have to file a suit.
Whatever happens during your claim, you can rest assured that you won’t have to pay until you get your compensation. Our firm uses contingency fees, which means our attorneys don’t take anything up front. Instead, their fees come from just a portion of your settlement.
Riverdale Bus Accident Lawyer Near Me 404-400-4000
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Bus Accident Claims?
Every state has its own deadline for accident claims, known as the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations for bus accident claims in Georgia is two years, according to OCGA § 9-3-33. That means you have until two years from the date of your accident to take legal action.
Because you have two years, you shouldn’t feel pressure to take the insurance company’s first offer. They may make it seem like your time is running out, but their initial offer is likely less than you would receive if you have a lawyer to help you with your claim.
However, you shouldn’t wait too long to get in touch with an attorney. The longer you wait, the harder it is to gather the evidence you need to make a convincing case. You should contact a lawyer as soon as you can to ensure that you have a fighting chance at compensation.
Talk to a Riverdale Bus Accident Attorney Today
Bus accidents are often more damaging and more complicated than regular car accidents. The number of details you need to keep straight may be too much, and you should be focused on recovery, not the legal process.
The Riverdale bus accident lawyers at John Foy & Associates can help you with your claim. Call us or contact us online today to get your FREE consultation. Someone from our firm is available to talk 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call or text 404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form