Bus Accident Lawyer Los Angeles
Deadly bus accidents are more common than most people assume. The NHTSA reports around 300 deadly bus accidents take place every year on roads and highways throughout the United States. Buses are so large and heavy that they are likely to cause significant injury or death upon impact. Furthermore, most buses lack safety belts so they are that much more dangerous from a passenger’s perspective.
Legal Deadlines for Bus Accidents
The typical bus accident presents a brief window of time available for legal action. Most buses are owned and operated by the city, state, or federal government. Whenever someone wishes to bring a claim for injuries caused by a governmental entity or someone working on its behalf, you must file a Claim for Damages within six months of the date of the accident. (http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=911.2.&lawCode=GOV)
Therefore, if you were injured in a bus accident and would like to take legal action against a negligent bus operator or the governmental agency that hired, trained or managed the bus driver, a Claim for Damages must be filed with the appropriate governmental entity within six months of the day the bus accident occurred.
Negligent Parties in Bus Accidents
If you were injured in a bus accident you have a potential claim against the governmental entity that operated the bus and employed the bus driver. If you were riding a bus that was involved in an accident with another vehicle, you have a potential claim against all three of the following: the governmental entity that operated the bus, the bus driver, and the driver of the vehicle that hit the bus. In order to determine what person or entity is responsible for causing your injuries, it is critical that you meet with our personal injury attorneys as soon as possible.
Our legal team is here to help you determine if you must also file a Claim for Damages against the governmental entity operating the bus. All too often we see situations where an injured person thinks that another vehicle is responsible for the accident, so they do not file a Claim for Damages. Later on, it turns out that the bus driver was at fault. However, if a Claim for Damages was not filed against the governmental entity employing the bus driver within six months, the injured person will be unable to pursue their case against the bus driver. If you make a claim against the driver of the vehicle and you fail to file a Claim for Damages against the governmental entity and the bus driver, and it later turns out that the bus driver is at fault, you may be barred from bringing a claim against the responsible party- the bus driver.
Meet with our attorneys as soon as possible. We will review the facts of your unique bus accident case to determine if the bus driver is responsible for causing the accident. If the bus driver is not at fault, there is two-year window in which you must take legal action against the negligent driver.
The Operators of Buses can Also bring a Negligence Claim
If another driver’s negligence caused the bus accident, the operator of the bus has two years to take legal action against that driver. However, this opportunity is only available if the driver who caused the accident was not driving for the city, state or federal government. If the driver who caused the accident was driving for any governmental entity, then the six-month deadline to file a Claim for Damages applies.
Parties Our Law Firm Represents
Our legal team has the experience necessary to win lawsuits and compensation on behalf of the following claimants:
- Bus passengers riding a bus when struck by another vehicle
- Bus passengers riding a bus when an accident was caused by the bus driver
- Bus drivers driving when the bus was struck by an automobile, including another bus
- Drivers hit by a bus
- Motorcyclists hit by a bus
- Pedestrians hit by a bus
- Bicyclists hit by a bus
Our attorneys have an extensive history of winning lawsuits pertaining to bus collisions. We understand the subtle aspects and challenges of these unique accidents as well as the nuanced regulations applicable to bus operators. Even the details of traffic rules for cars, buses and trucks play a part in shaping our legal arguments and the outcome of our clients’ cases. We sweat all the “small stuff” on behalf of clients to maximize compensation.
The Types of Damages That can be Recovered in Bus Accident Cases
California law states those injured in a bus collision are eligible to recover two specific types of damages, those of the economic variety and those that are non-economic.
Examples of economic damages are as follows:
- The cost of medication
- Durable medical equipment costs such as crutches
- Property damage to one’s vehicle or belongings
- Medical bills
- The cost of a rental car
- Loss of earnings including diminished earning capacity
Damages that are non-economic are as follows:
- Anxiety
- Emotional harm
- Grief
- Mental distress
- Physical pain
- Diminished life enjoyment
- Inconvenience
California law states that if an injury results from a bus collision, the victim can receive compensation for all of the items listed above. Furthermore, the victim can recover past as well as future damages. Our legal team is here to ensure you receive full and fair compensation after this unfortunate event.
Too many bus accident victims fall into the trap of letting the insurance company minimize the value of their claim. You need an elite attorney on your side who understands how to maximize your recovery within the confines of California law.
Steps to Take Right After the Accident
There are some specific steps that you must take after a bus accident in order to help prove your case and secure full and fair compensation. Follow these steps and you will have done everything in your power to receive as much financial compensation as possible:
- Check to see if everyone is alright. If immediate medical care is necessary, dial 911 right away.
- Contact the police to report the accident. Request a Collision Report including an identification number for your records.
- Write down the names, vehicle makes/models, insurance information, driver’s license numbers, license plates and other information pertaining to all involved drivers. Take pictures of each of these documents.
- Write down the agency that operates the bus. It will also help to write down the name of the bus operator, including his or her bus, badge, and route number.
- Collect the names and contact information such as email addresses, street addresses and phone numbers of all of those who witnessed the accident, including other passengers.
- Snap pictures of the collision scene. Be sure to take photos of the vehicle positions after the collision. Take closeup shots of the damage caused to the vehicles, traffic lights/control signals and the intersection closest to the collision.
- Snap pictures of injuries from several different angles.
- Reach out to our law office for a consultation.
Why Select Our Legal Team for Representation?
Our law office has successfully litigated on behalf of personal injury victims for three decades. We have obtained compensation for countless bus accident victims. In fact, our managing attorney, Gary Eisenberg, started his career defending insurance companies. This experience provided Gary with the insight necessary to fully understand how this field works.
The truth about the insurance industry is insurers will do everything in their power to reduce the value of claims to maximize profit. Our goal is to boost the value of our clients’ cases, ensuring full and fair compensation is provided in the aftermath of this unfortunate event. Lean on us during this difficult time and we will fiercely advocate on your behalf with a custom-tailored legal strategy that bolsters your compensation.
Our Law Firm emphasizes the following in order to properly serve those involved in bus accidents:
A record of success: Our law firm has recovered significant compensation on behalf of those who have been victimized by negligent bus drivers, car drivers and other parties. Our legal services have proven especially helpful to those who have endured a catastrophic personal injury. We exhaust all possible avenues to maximize victim compensation in accordance with the law.
Individualized legal service: Unlike other attorneys, our legal team is happy to interact with clients at any time during the morning, day, or early evening. Reach out to us and there is a good chance you will speak directly with an attorney as opposed to a litigation assistant or secretary.
Legal representation without risk: Schedule a consultation at our law office. Our clients do not pay for our legal services unless we win their case. There is absolutely no risk when you schedule a free, no obligation consultation with our firm because we do not charge anything up front or out of pocket.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation Today
If you are a bus accident victim or have been in any other type of accident resulting from another’s negligence, act quickly. Our legal team is here to fiercely advocate on your behalf. Dial 818-591-8058 or send us an email at Office@gcelaw.com to learn more about our legal services and schedule a consultation.