While many people consider buses a safe means of transportation, just like with other vehicles driven by human beings, buses are only safe when their drivers are responsible. Any mishap by a bus driver can lead to people getting injured and possibly even death.
According to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) report, hundreds of people succumb to bus accidents, while thousands more suffer serious injuries every year. Whether you were making your daily commute to work or shuttling from the airport to your hotel for a big night out with friends, if you or someone you know got injured in a bus accident, we can help.
The North Las Vegas bus accident attorneys at Pacific West Injury Law have years of experience handling such cases. With us, you can rest easy knowing that you’ll get the best legal assistance to navigate this challenging time. Call or text us to learn more about your legal options.
Damages You Can Recover After A Bus Accident
After suffering a serious injury in a bus accident, you will likely be eligible to recover a wide range of both economic and non-economic damages. Potential damages include:
- Medical costs
- Future medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income
- Lost earning ability
- Mental anguish
- Decreased quality of life
- Property damage
- Loss of consortium
- Permanent disability
Steps To Take When Injured In A Bus Accident
There are three steps you should take after getting injured in a bus accident in North Las Vegas:
- Collect adequate information and evidence about the accident: Accurately record the date, location, time, description of the bus, and the circumstances that led to the accident.
- Document your injuries in detail: Record the part of your body that got injured, the pain levels, and sources of bleeding. Preferably you should take pictures and record videos.
- Contact a bus accident attorney in North Las Vegas: Make sure the lawyer has expertise in handling such cases.
Filing A Personal Injury Claim
Victims of bus accidents may suffer debilitating injuries. The cost of attending to these injuries could amount to thousands of dollars. The long hospitalization period, together with loss of income due to the inability to go to work, can disrupt your financial well-being.
However, there could be some hope. Filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault party could force their insurance company to offer you an attractive settlement deal to cater to your treatment and other financial obligations. You should hire an attorney who is familiar with the law of bus accidents in North Las Vegas to assist you with your personal injury claim.
After you hire an attorney, they will investigate your accident to determine fault and gather evidence to support your claim. They will then proceed to assess the full value of your damages, file a lawsuit with the court, go through the steps of the pretrial process, and finally represent you in court if your case ends up going to trial.
How To Know When You Need A Lawyer After A Bus Accident
If you have suffered an injury in an accident that involves a bus, you could be entitled to compensation for your damages. This is regardless of whether you were a passenger of the bus, a motorcyclist, a pedestrian, the conductor of another vehicle, or a cyclist sharing the same road when the bus caused the accident.
If you suffer such a misfortune, you don’t have to go through the whole process alone. You can consult the bus accident attorneys at Pacific West Injury Law to help you navigate the personal injury claim litigation process.
Who Is At Fault For Your Bus Accident?
Determining the at-fault party in bus accidents and other types of mass transportation crashes is usually complicated. The North Las Vegas bus accident attorneys at Pacific West Personal Injury Law can help you get compensation no matter who the at-fault party is. Here are some of the people who may be to blame for your suffering in bus accidents:
- The transit company: They may be liable for accidents if, among other reasons, they hire inadequately trained drivers or fail to carry out proper vehicle maintenance.
- Bus drivers: The driver may be held accountable if their negligence or errors such as intoxication, traffic violations, fatigue, or impaired driving caused the accident.
- Municipal entities: They are held liable for accidents involving buses owned and operated by the county, city, or state government agencies, like RTC transit buses.
Who Has The Responsibility For Collecting Evidence?
Unlike car accidents, where the driver has the burden of collecting evidence and filing a liability claim with the insurance company, in bus accidents, the employees of the bus company that caused the accident take over the investigation.
Because of this, the chances are that there will be a conflict of interest since the company will try to reduce or even release its liability for the accident. With that in mind, you need to work with an experienced bus accident attorney to obtain adequate compensation for your suffering.
Your lawyer can conduct their own investigation into the case, including visiting the accident scene and interviewing witnesses to make sure that the bus company is not trying to avoid its responsibility for the crash.
Time Limits For Filing A Bus Accident Claim
Apart from a few exceptions, the time limit for filing personal injury claims in North Las Vegas is two years. Given that bus accidents are subject to the statute of limitations, the insurance company can decide to deny your claim if you take too long to file.
Special circumstances could either lengthen or shorten the amount of time you have to file. If you suffered an injury in a bus accident in Las Vegas, you need to seek the guidance of a bus accident attorney to find out when you should file your lawsuit.
Challenges And Issues Of Bus Accident Liability Claims
Navigating the litigation process for a bus accident claim can be challenging. Here are some reasons why:
- City buses lack safety restraint systems like seat belts which can minimize passenger injuries. This industry standard makes it difficult to litigate these cases.
- The height of buses makes them inherently dangerous and at more risk of tipping over.
- In case you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, you need to get the at-fault party’s information and file a claim. This is often difficult in bus accidents since passengers rely on the bus company to offset the expenses of the whole accident.
- If an accident involves a public bus like a city transit bus or school bus, the passengers face a huge problem since they have to file a claim against a government body.
How Much Does A Bus Accident Attorney Charge?
When considering hiring an attorney, one of the biggest concerns people have is the cost. Many lawyers charge a high hourly rate, regardless of the outcome of their clients’ cases. However, cost should never be a concern when it comes to hiring a bus accident attorney. Bus accident lawyers and other personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis.
Under this fee system, you will not be charged for the hours your attorney puts into your case, but rather for the results they achieve. Your lawyer will receive a single fee for their services which will be assessed as a fixed percentage of the compensation you recover.
That means that your lawyer will get paid more for getting you a larger compensation payout. At the same time, it means that if you don’t recover any money from the liable party, your attorney doesn’t get paid for their services.
A Bus Accident Attorney With Pacific West Injury Law Can Help You
Were you injured in a bus accident in North Las Vegas? Pacific West Injury Law has vast experience and expertise in litigating bus accident injury claims. Suppose you or your loved one gets injured in a bus accident, you can depend on us to secure your legal rights. We will move swiftly to help you get compensation to take care of your current and future medical needs.
To get a free case review, contact our firm today. We operate in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson.
