All road accidents are unfortunate, accidents involving buses or common carriers are more so, because of the greater number of casualties a single accident can cause. Injury while travelling as a passenger on a bus or other form of public transport may result due to the collision with other vehicles or non road accidents like a fall of a passenger due to hard braking, non use of seat belts, rapid acceleration, taking sudden turns, fall of standing passengers, slip and fall on stairs during entry or exit from buses etc. Injuries sustained by bus passengers may include death, bruises, back injuries, broken bones, neck sprains, chipped teeth, facial cuts, internal lacerations etc.
California Courts have held that bus owners and common carriers owe a duty of care to all passengers and must ensure that buses are safe for use and drivers do not drive recklessly and/or negligently so as to endanger the safety of passengers. If you were a passenger on a bus that was involved in an accident, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation for your injuries. In case you are involved in a bus accident you must take a note of information relating to your driver, owners of your bus, witnesses and the others involved. You must report the accident to the police as early as possible. We advice that you seek immediate medical attention for all injuries or a general check up as some internal injuries are latent and take time to materialize.
To strengthen your case you must preserve all medical records and documentation relating to expenses incurred by you on alternative travel arrangements, prescription drugs, medical treatment etc. You must preserve all evidence of travel identifying the bus and the time of travel. This evidence may be in the form of bus pass, paper ticket, online ticket, reservation chart, travel agency records, carrier records, camera recordings on buses, photos, depositions of co-passengers etc.
A bus injury compensation claim may be made against the driver of your bus, driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision, the owner of the bus, or the State of California in case of injury involving government vehicles. An injured may file a lawsuit against the driver and the carrier alleging willful misconduct, negligence and/or premises liability, and claiming compensatory or punitive damages. Prior history of bus accidents involving the same carrier, poor driving record or DUI evidence may lead to a finding that the accident was reasonably foreseeable and the carrier was negligent in preventing it.
If you have been injured travelling on a bus, please call the Law Office of Scott D. Hughes, for a free consultation. Scott D. Hughes is a Personal Injury attorney in Orange County, California and practices in State and Federal Courts. We at the Law Office of Scott D. Huges, are committed to fighting for your rights. We will do everything required to ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve. We understand the challenges that you, as an injured bus patron, face when trying to bring your claim for compensation. We assure vigorous pursuit of your litigation objectives, able representation and personalized attention to your case.