Public transportation vehicles experience crashes every year, resulting in occupant injuries and fatalities. Passengers have a reasonable expectation that they will arrive at the destination safely. Nevertheless, this isn’t always the case. Plenty of factors can contribute to a bus accident, such as poorly trained or new drivers, inclement weather, vehicle handling problems and equipment defects, or blind spots. Bus crashes may not be as common as car accidents, yet they still happen. The results are usually tragic. Even if the passengers are kept safe, the vehicle can put pedestrians, cyclists, and other traffic participants at risk.
One of the most horrifying bus crashes in the history of the United States took place on May 21, 1976. A chartered school bus transporting 53 passengers smashed through a guard rail on a bridge ramp and fell off the freeway ramp, taking the lives of the high school choir, on a last trip before summer vacation. Deadly bus crashes are rare, which explains why we seldom hear of such events. When catastrophes do happen, they provide a shock to which the public responds. Not only do bus crashes impact the local community but also the nation.
Bus crashes can cause various injuries, including sprains, broken bones, bruising, whiplash, concussions, internal organ damage, and bleeding. If you’ve been injured after a bus accident, you can recover compensation in a personal injury claim. You have a legal right to sue the at-fault driver for the injuries you’ve sustained, including aggravating and pre-existing injuries. The question now is: Who is liable for the bus crash? It all depends on the circumstances that led to the mishap. It’s often difficult to determine who is responsible.
The Tricky Business of Determining Fault and Liability in A Bus Crash
More often than not, the bus crash is due to the negligence of the bus driver. If indeed they are to blame, the employer is liable for the driver’s negligence because they were acting within the scope of their employment. Establish whether the bus is owned by a city or a government. A great many vehicles on the road are owned by local transit authorities or used by the government for specific purposes, e. g. school buses. If the bus was hit by another car, you can make a claim against the third party, seeking compensation for damages such as medical bills and loss of income.
You may run into problems if other people were injured in the collision because the motorist’s insurance will provide coverage up to a certain limit. To be more precise, you have fewer compensation rights. Government bodies tend to self-insure, so if your claim is denied, you’ll be left with a fairly complicated claim, which requires a sophisticated level of understanding, not to mention that it’s time-consuming. You should meet with a personal injury lawyer from Ehline Law Firm bus accident attorney and discuss your situation. They’re experienced in handling these cases. With the right support for your case, you may be able to recover the damages suffered.
Establishing fault and liability in a bus crash might seem simple, but the truth is that it’s not always so clear. If the collision was caused by a defective automotive part like fault brakes, the manufacturer may be held liable for your injuries. You can recover compensation for your suffering and financial losses, as product liability laws offer consumers legal recourse for any injuries sustained.
