You're Safe with Drake - California's Premier Personal Injury Attorneys
Have You Been Hurt in a Bus Accident?
Buses are a common site throughout California. Hundreds of thousands of commuters use buses each year to travel from place to place. Some buses offer local transit around a city and service commercial districts, while others use buses as their way to commute to and from work. Still others decide to ride on a bus as they travel out of state to see loved ones. Whatever the reason, California residents are boarding buses in large numbers every year and that is a pattern that is expected to continue in the coming decades.
The majority of these residents travel safely while aboard these buses but unfortunately, many sustain injuries every year in California bus accidents. Commonly these injuries are very significant, partially because passengers do not wear seat belts while riding on most buses. With many bus companies servicing Northridge and California in its entirety, it may not be shocking that these bus crashes account for numerous injuries annually and unfortunately some may result in death. If you sustain an injury, be sure to speak with a Northridge bus accident attorney ASAP.
What are some of the common causes of bus accidents?
Bus drivers encounter many of the same challenges as any driver, plus a few other unique problems. Some common reasons for bus accidents include:
What injuries are common in bus accidents?
Just like any type of collision on Northridge roadways, the injuries from a bus accident can in part depend on the speed of travel and the size of the other vehicle or vehicles in the collision.
The most common injuries consist of:
What legal rights are available to a bus crash victim?
As a bus crash victim, the law may offer you one or more civil claims to pursue. The cases available will rely on the circumstances of a specific accident and who is at fault in the accident.
At Fault Third Parties
If another driver causes an accident with a bus while you are a passenger on that bus, you may have a claim against the other driver for your injuries. If the other driver does not have sufficient insurance coverage available for all of the injuries sustained in the accident or if the other motorist has no insurance available at all, you may also have a right to bring an uninsured or underinsured case against your own insurance company or the bus company itself, if there is UM coverage available.
At Fault Bus Driver
Alternatively, if the accident is because of a negligent bus driver and you were either a bus passenger or in another vehicle, you may have a claim against the bus driver and the bus company. This is true even if the bus owner is a municipality, like a city bus used for public transportation.
Safety Defects on a Bus
Finally, if the crash is caused by some defect in the bus itself and not by actions of any drivers, you may have a claim against the:
Any bus driver that is hurt in a crash may also have a claim for worker's compensation for their injuries.
The possibility of so many claims makes a bus accident case complicated and complex. Usually the more vehicles involved in the crash, the more complicated the case( s). This is a reason that when selecting a bus crash lawyer in Northridge, you want to pick one with experience prosecuting personal injury cases.
What do I do after I'm involved in a bus crash?
You might be shaken and in a state of shock after being involved in a bus crash. But there are a few important things that you need to do before leaving the scene.
How much can I recover financially after a bus accident?
The amount of money you may collect after a bus accident will depend a lot on the extent of your injuries. Generally, you may recover the costs of your:
Families that have lost a loved one in a Northridge bus crash might also collect for any treatment their loved one sustained prior to dying in addition to compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of companionship, and various other damages. Speak with an expert Northridge bus crash attorney to learn all of your options.
Have you been injured in a Northridge Bus Crash?
The Northridge bus accident attorneys at Drake Law Firm will strive to help you get the financial recovery that you deserve. Bus crash damages may include: medical expenses, disfigurement, pain and suffering, loss of normal life, loss of income, and much more. We additionally look to recover present and future expenses when defending an accident victim.
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