Buses are known for the mass transportation of people and goods. An average bus carries at least 50 passengers, with others accommodating up to 70 people. In fact, many cities embrace the use of buses to reduce the number of smaller passenger vehicles on the road. While this is commendable, buses have a range of issues that pose a safety risk to passengers and other road users.
When a loved one is injured in a bus accident, he or she is left with an enormous financial burden. Additionally, they have to deal with serious physical and emotional suffering caused by their injuries. Fortunately, a personal injury lawsuit allows such victims to receive justice by filing a claim for compensation against the responsible parties. However, the legal process for recovering damages is often complex and requires one to know the applicable state laws. For the average Baytown citizen, understanding these laws is difficult, one may be prone to making mistakes that would end their case altogether. To avoid this, it’s recommended that they consult with a Baytown bus accident lawyer to represent them.
What’s worse, bus accidents are in some cases fatal. Thousands of people have lost their lives due to bus crashes, while others have suffered permanent disabling injuries. Sadly, there’s often no closure to grieving the loss of a loved one. But filing a claim for wrongful death may help surviving family members move on with life without uncertainty on what the future holds for them. Reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney from our firm to learn how we can assist you in your case.
The party or persons likely to be held liable will be dependent on the type of accident as well as the cause of the crash. Therefore, it’s in your best interests that you first investigate the crash before filing a claim against any party. Liability is often a difficult aspect of a personal injury case. This is because multiple parties may be involved, and even if the fault is straightforward, the defendant may fail to admit liability. Typically, this sets the stage for a legal showdown between the injured victim (plaintiff) and the party at fault (defendant).
Unfortunately, the average victim lacks the resources and legal experience to battle it out with well-resourced insurance companies. For this reason, it is important that you retain a skilled lawyer for your bus wreck case. Your attorney’s main tasks will be to investigate your accident, establish fault, and prove that you have suffered harm as a result of the defendant’s negligence.
Depending on the cause of the crash, the following parties may be held directly liable for your damages:
In some cases, you may have multiple defendants in one case. Your attorney will advise you on the best legal option to pursue maximum compensation. Even if you were partly to blame for the accident, comparative negligence laws still allow you to recover a settlement for damages suffered.
In most personal injury cases, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant was negligent in his or her actions or inactions. The major elements of negligence are:
All motorists including bus drivers owe a duty of care to all road users including pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists, and other drivers. They must act reasonably not to endanger the lives of Baytown residents while going about their activities.
If a Baytown bus driver fails to act reasonably while behind the wheel, it means that they have breached their duty of care. Bus manufacturers must also ensure that their products and vehicle parts are of the highest safety standards. If a product’s defect is established to have caused the crash, it’s then assumed that the manufacturer breached their duty of care.
Not all bus crashes result in injuries. There are some rare cases where nobody is hurt in a crash. In such a case, you may not be entitled to injury compensation if you suffered no substantive harm. Filing a legal claim means that you were injured as a result of the crash. A dedicated lawyer can help you prove this by documenting the medical bills and receipts related to the bus accident.
If you have any questions about the legal process, contact Lone Star Injury Attorneys today. Our Baytown bus accident lawyers will discuss your case confidentially, advising you on the best approach to use between negotiating with insurance companies and going to trial. To schedule a free consultation, call us today or contact us online.
