Many of us rely on buses for our transportation needs. Even if you never personally ride a bus, you likely encounter them every day during your travels. Because buses are so large and unwieldy, they have sizeable blind spots that can pose serious risks to other drivers. Additionally, buses can take a long time to react in emergency driving situations, potentially causing accidents to occur.
Bus drivers are responsible for protecting their passengers and other drivers on the road. If riders or nearby drivers sustain injuries in a bus collision, they could have the right to pursue damages for their harm. A dedicated Braselton bus accident lawyer could help you seek the appropriate compensation from those responsible. Contact Smith Hulsey today to discuss your unique circumstances with an experienced personal injury attorney.
It is possible to sustain injuries from a bus accident as either a passenger or another driver on the road. Collisions between a bus and nearby cars are treated the same way as if the at-fault driver was in their own vehicle. In order to hold the bus driver legally responsible for an accident, the injured party must prove that the driver negligently operated their bus. Negligence is a legal term that requires the plaintiff to prove that the defendant owed them a duty of care, and then breached this duty. In collisions, a plaintiff could make a powerful case if they can prove that the bus driver was violating the rules of the road at the time of the accident. Disobeying traffic laws may be considered a violation of this duty of care.
A second group of plaintiffs may arise if they endured harm while riding the bus. Buses are a common carrier, meaning that they take on passengers for a fare. If riders sustained harm while on the bus, the driver and the parent company could be held liable for damages stemming from a collision or reckless driving on behalf of the bus driver. A Braselton attorney could help an injured party investigate the cause of the crash and determine if financial compensation for their injuries is possible.
Bus collisions involving another motorist can be severe. Due to their size, buses can potentially cause fatal harm to occupants of smaller vehicles. Even if the nearby drivers avoid this fate, they can still be pushed into other vehicles or have their car flipped over. This can result in devastating injuries, such as:
During an accident, bus passengers can sustain injuries that are just as severe. Buses traveling forward carry a large amount of energy due to their mass. A sudden stop, especially in vehicles without seatbelts, could propel passengers forward into other seats or windows. As a Braselton bus collision attorney could further explain, these riders have the same right to demand compensation for their losses as those who were harmed outside of the bus.
In many personal injury cases, the sole defendant is the person who caused the accident. However, in bus accident cases, the situation becomes more complex. If a city or town runs the bus, that city or town may be an additional defendant in the case. All towns have their own specific procedures for initiating personal injury lawsuits that can be significantly different than filing a lawsuit in a local court. A Braselton bus crash attorney could examine every claim to determine the proper defendant and the correct forum to hear the case.
If the bus is a private company’s property, that company may be considered a co-defendant along with the driver. The company itself is responsible for the actions of its employees due to the concept of agency. A defendant company may be held accountable through the legal concept of respondeat superior.
Bus accident claims can be unexpectedly complex. Not only do you need to prove that the bus driver was negligent, but you also need to choose the correct defendants and forum to bring the claim. A mistake in meeting either of these requirements could lead to a reduced compensation package or even a total denial of liability.
A Braselton bus accident lawyer could work with you to obtain the compensation you deserve for your avoidable injuries. Depending on the exact circumstances behind an incident, the time to file a claim may be limited. Do not delay. Contact Smith Hulsey today to discover how we could help.
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