Can You Sue When Involved in a Bus Crash?
Can you sue if you’ve been in a bus crash? The answer to this question is simple; yes. A bus driver has the legal responsibility of safeguarding his or her passengers, despite of the causes of accidents, and if they fail in that duty and the passengers suffer injuries, they may be able to provide personal injury advice.
Notably, the bus companies owe their passengers a duty of care and their drivers are required to drive with reasonable care. Therefore, if the driver falls below this standard, one could and should be able to sue. To do so, the passenger should make note of the driver’s name, the vehicle’s registration number, the bus route number, and always retain the bus ticket if possible.
Besides, a passenger can also sue when they are involved in a bus crash because when it comes to bus accidents, there are various added risks, which tend to crop up. Such risks are as a result of the practical aspects of the bus travel and the characteristics of most buses. First, most buses don’t feature supplemental safety devices or any form of safety restraint, that is to say, no airbags or seatbelts. Second, the risk of rollover or a tip-over accident is higher for buses when compared to the standard passenger cars.
When involved in a bus crash, one will probably need to enlist the assistance of an experienced, qualified attorney to help them with the claim. Ideally, the process of suing a bus company is likely to be very complex, and the involved person will need to have someone to help them maximize their recovery.
All damages when it comes to the civil case presume that the passenger involved has the right to recover for any income they have lost. Also, for any necessary and reasonable medicals expenses and for the bodily injury they have suffered as a result of the accident. The passengers involved also have the right to recover for any suffering and pain they incurred as a consequence of the bus crash. Hence, the more severe the injury of a passenger is the greater the potential for their compensation.
Additionally, a passenger may as well have the right to sue for punitive damages when it has been established that the driver was criminally at fault. Those damages are awarded so as to discipline the wrongdoers. Moreover, drivers working for national bus companies are required to conform to strict interstate regulations, which include the amount of sleep they have had in recent day or two and the number of hours they can drive. Subsequently, there is a real opportunity to sue if they are found disobeying these regulations or the law, thereby, causing a bus accident.
Sometimes, some initial investigation will be required to help determine the liability in a bus crash. Several potential factors may contribute or cause a bus crackup. Such factors include:
• Equipment and coaches that are improperly or poorly maintained
• Buses, which are not correctly loaded or overloaded
• Drivers driving under intoxicants influence
• Drivers who have not been adequately screened for employment or properly trained
• Bus drivers working despite being fatigued
The best first step when a person is involved is a bus accident is to get the medical attention they need. Doing so will give them the chance to put their health first, and later on, they can use their medical bills and records to support and document any injury claim they will choose to make.