Every crash on the road is tragic, but accidents that involve buses are particularly traumatic. In bus collisions, people are more likely to sustain severe injuries than they would in a collision between two passenger vehicles. On a bus, people do not have access to the same safety equipment as other vehicles, such as seat belts or airbags. They could potentially be standing or moving throughout the bus at the time of the accident. Likewise, the driver and passengers of other vehicles involved in the wreck are likely to sustain injuries due to the difference in size and weight between a bus and most other vehicles on the road.
When you have been hurt while riding a bus, a Lynwood bus accident lawyer could help you receive compensation for your losses to help you return to your normal life. Reach out to one of our dedicated personal injury attorneys to review your case.
What Are Common Causes of Bus Wrecks?
Injuries from car wrecks can come with high costs in the form of medical expenses and lost wages, among other items. Insurance may help cover some of these costs, but usually not all of them, and perhaps not any of them. In these cases, an injured person may have to sue to recover any gap in compensation.
When bringing a lawsuit for a crash, the first step is always to determine what caused the wreck. Common causes of bus accidents include:
- Distracted driving
- Exhaustion or fatigue
- Improper maintenance of the bus
- Lack of appropriate safety policies
- Inattention to the bus pulling into or out of bus stops
Determining the cause of a wreck in a specific instance, however, is not always easy. Events can unfold quickly, and people usually have different perceptions about what occurred leading up to and during the accident—some or all of which may not be entirely accurate.
A Lynnwood attorney that specializes in accident cases that involve buses or other public transportation could help by investigating and reconstructing the scene of the collision to help shed light on the actual cause of a collision.
Who Is Liable for Bus Crashes?
Of course, simply knowing what happened to cause an accident is not enough on its own. Determining who is ultimately liable for the wreck is of the utmost importance because an injured person can bring a successful lawsuit only against the person responsible for the accident.
Every case is different, but the person or entity responsible for the bus crash, and therefore liable for paying for any injuries, could include:
- The bus driver
- The bus manufacturer
- The bus company or other owner of the bus
- The company responsible for providing maintenance for the bus
In some situations, other parties may be responsible as well. For example, when an accident was caused by a poor design of a roadway, or the failure to properly maintain a road, then the Washington Department of Transportation or local government where the accident occurred could be held liable. Bringing a lawsuit against a governmental entity has its own unique set of challenges, but a Lynnwood lawyer with experience pursuing compensation in collisions involving public transportation could help overcome those obstacles.
Reach Out To a Lynnwood Bus Crash Attorney Today
When you have been hurt in a crash, you should not have to pay for your own injuries, nor fight to recover fair compensation on your own. A Lynnwood bus accident lawyer could assist you with these matters, and you will not have to pay any attorney’s fees unless you are compensated for your injuries. Call one of our hard-working attorneys to schedule an initial consultation and get started on your case.