How to Avoid Complications by Getting an Experienced Bus Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles

When you get on the bus each day for work, school or shopping downtown, you trust that it will get you there safely. Same goes when you’re walking across the street or driving alongside a bus. However, your safety is not guaranteed. Accidents can and do happen. Drivers may be impaired. They may not be as alert as they should be. They may be distracted by their phones. The bus itself may be compromised. There are any number of possibilities.

Sadly, bus accidents happen with much greater frequency than you may think. You may find yourself in an accident and injured. Now, you’re suddenly faced with figuring out what to do next. Avoid unnecessary complications and stress by getting an experienced bus accident lawyer in Los Angeles to help you.

Get your free consultation now at 800-323-POWER.

Why Get a Bus Accident Lawyer?

You may not think that you need an attorney after a bus accident, but the truth is, it’s always good to have someone with experience in this type of situation than not. Being involved in a bus accident isn’t like a car, motorcycle or other type of accident. Bus companies and drivers have to follow strict rules and regulations.

Experienced lawyers know what to look for so they can determine if the company was at fault in some way. Maybe they failed to maintain their vehicles the way they should. Maybe they failed to properly vet their impaired driver, who turned out to have a history of alcohol abuse. Whatever the case may be, your lawyer will get to the bottom of it to assign blame.

A Bit of Background

School bus accidents in particular are more prevalent than you may think. Annually, the country’s 450,000 public school buses travel 4.3 billion miles to transport 23 million children to and from school and school-related activities.

School bus transportation remains one of the safest forms of transportation in this country. However, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are 26,000 school bus crashes each year, resulting in 10 deaths over the past decade; 25 percent of the victims were drivers and 75 percent were passengers. Frontal crashes accounted for two passenger deaths each year.

Getting the call that your child has been injured in a school business accident can be terrifying. Being in a city bus accident while on your way to work is equally as stressful and painful. Ensuring you or a loved one receives critical, timely medical care is of paramount importance.

Hiring a Qualified Bus Accident Attorney

Here are some factors to keep in mind when hiring a bus accident lawyer in Los Angeles. Remember, hiring a lawyer when you’ve been injured is the first step in avoiding complications in your case.

Driver Fault

Many things can cause bus accidents, from driver fatigue to carelessness to intoxication. Sometimes the school bus driver is 100 percent at fault, while other times liability is shared with the driver of another vehicle or a pedestrian. Your lawyer will properly identify all liable parties when deciding whether or not to file a bus injury lawsuit.

Employer Fault

The owner of the bus company could be held liable for the accident, as well. This could be due to:

• Un-safe hiring practices
• In-adequate driver training
• Lack of vehicle maintenance

If the bus company’s responsibility is called into question, they could be named in your personal injury lawsuit.

Special Procedures

Your lawyer may also target a school district or municipality, in addition to the operator of the bus system, as a defendant. Let’s say there is sufficient evidence that the school district was negligent in its contract with a provider having a track record of serious driver and vehicle safety issues. You could prove that this negligence contributed in some way to the accident.

Statute of Limitations

In California, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim is two years. However, there are some situations that demand you act more quickly. Let’s say you’re filing a claim that involves a government entity such as the Los Angeles Unified School District. In this case, you may have as little as six months to file a claim.

Contact Power Legal Group

If you have been injured in a bus accident, don’t hesitate to contact Power Legal Group, where we offer free initial consultations for your peace of mind. Call us today at 800-323-POWER.