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Bus Accident Lawyers

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The lawyers and attorneys at our firm offer free case evaluations to the victims of bus accidents and their families.  Bus accidents seriously injure and kill hundreds of people each year.  If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury as a result of a bus accident, we urge you to contact one of our bus accident lawyers as soon as possible to discuss your rights.

If you or someone you know have been injured in a bus accident, you need an experienced lawyer on your side.  Because buses are often owned and operated by government entities, such as school districts, issues of liability can become complicated.  Our bus accidents lawyers have helped many people in the aftermath of these devastating accidents, and we will use that experience to make sure you are treated fairly.

Bus accidents can involve those used for public transportation, buses run by private companies for long distance travel, tour buses, and even school buses.  Bus accidents can be caused by a number of factors including driver error or fatigue, poor road conditions and maintenance issues.   Regardless of the cause, our bus accident lawyers will work hard to make sure that the victims of these incidents, and their families, receive the compensation they need to resume a normal life.

Bus Accident Injures

Between 1999 and 2002, there were approximately 325 buses  involved in fatal accidents.  According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 19,000 people were injured in bus accidents in 2002. California, New York and Florida had the highest number of bus accidents. School buses accounted for 39 percent  of the fatalities and municipal buses were responsible for 37 percent.  Other vehicle drivers made up 58 percent of the fatalities and non-motorists (pedestrian and bicyclists) made up 27 percent.

Bus accidents can result in horrible injuries to passengers, pedestrians, and riders in other vehicles. These include brain and spinal cord injuries; sprains; fractures; abrasions; internal and soft tissue injuries; burn injuries; and death.  The victims of these accidents and their families face enormous medical bills, and are often too disabled to work.  The bus accident lawyers at our firm will do everything possible to make sure our clients have access to the resources they need to rebuild their lives.

Causes of Bus Accidents

There are many reasons for bus accidents.  Buses are so large and heavy, they can be difficult to drive.  Inexperienced or poorly trained drivers have been a major factor in many bus accidents.  Drivers who are overly tired or distracted have also been the cause of some bus accidents.  In more than a few instances, driver intoxication or drug use has been a factor in bus accidents.

The condition of a bus is also behind many accidents.  Because they are so massive, the braking system on a bus must be well-maintained. Unfortunately, bus companies make money only when their buses are on the road.  Because of this, maintenance problems are often ignored until it is too late. 

Other factors, like poor road conditions, overloaded buses and the absence of safety equipment on a bus can also cause or contribute to bus accident injuries.  Our clients can be assured that our bus accident lawyers will thoroughly investigate an incident to make sure that all parties responsible are held accountable for a bus accident.

Bus Accident Legal Issues

Dealing with a bus company, government entity or the insurance company after a bus accident is nothing like dealing with an incident involving a private passenger car. It is very important that you retain an experienced bus accident lawyer who can  act quickly on your behalf to file the required notices and preserve your claim against the responsible party.

Liability for bus accidents is usually easy to establish if a bus is privately owned.  When it comes to private companies, states consider the owner or owners of a bus to be "common carriers".  Under most state laws, common carriers have a higher level of responsibility to drive with the utmost care and protect the passengers and other vehicles sharing the road. In some cases, this means that establishing liability against a common carrier is relatively easy.

Liability can be more difficult to establish in cases where a bus is owned by a government authority.  Even when the bus driver is clearly at fault there may be an attempt to avoid compensating injured persons on the basis of governmental immunity. Because such governmental immunity laws vary by state and can be complicated, it is important to have an experienced bus accident lawyer on your side to protect your rights.

Legal Help for Victims of Bus Accidents

If you or a loved one have been injured because of a bus accident, you have valuable legal rights.  Please fill out our online form or call 1-800 LAW INFO (1-800-529-4636) to discuss your case with an experienced bus accident lawyer.