Injured in a Bus Accident?

The high capacity of buses, vans, trains, and other forms of mass transit put a large number of people at risk in a crash. Many of these vehicles don’t have passenger-restraint systems, so you can be thrown or jarred during an accident. Injuries can be of various types, but often include orthopedic injuries, spinal cord trauma and brain damage.

Bus lines, taxi companies, and other transportation providers have complex bureaucratic procedures they want victims to follow after an accident. Lots of paperwork. Lots of questions. Before you sign anything or speak with anyone about the accident, talk to a mass transit accident attorney. Don Strickland analyzes the accident, identifies who is at fault, and pursues compensation for your injuries.

A school district or municipality generally owns school and mass transit buses. If the school district hired an outside bus company to manage their routes, the bus company may bear liability for an accident. Commercial and tour buses are usually owned by a bus line, but may be chartered by another organization.

Bus accidents are like truck accidents, in that the size and weight of buses put other motorists at a much greater risk of injury or death. Many accidents are caused by buses that have not been properly inspected or maintained. Equipment defects or poor maintenance can make other parties, such as parts manufacturers, share the blame for the crash.

Taxi drivers stop and go, pick up and drop off passengers, and focus on their next destination and fare. As a result, they often slide in and out of fast-moving traffic. This increases the risk of collisions. As with buses, the company that owns and operates the taxi is usually held accountable in a lawsuit.