Bus accidents mostly cause serious injuries to people especially if the other vehicle involved is quite small in size. The possible reasons could be many and the victims and their families can file a personal injury lawsuit to seek compensation for the economic and non-economic losses they suffered. For that, they will need the help of an expert bus accident lawyer who can assist them throughout the legal procedure.
Let us see the different types of bus accidents.
Tour Bus Accident
Tour bus companies often force their drivers to stick to tough time schedules and drive for longer periods of time, thereby increasing the chance for accidents.
The tour bus company may be held liable for the damages caused by the negligence of its driver. In some cases, the employer can be held fully liable for the driver’s actions, for example, the employer being negligent in hiring, supervising and training the driver. Not reviewing the driver’s past record and qualifications can make the employer liable for negligent hiring.
Tour bus operators along with other commercial bus operators are regarded as common carriers that transport people or goods for a fee. If a tour bus company is negligent in inspecting the vehicles for safety issues, repairing them, giving training to drivers, and supervising them, then the company might be violating the duties as a common carrier and may be held liable in case an accident occurred due to any of the aforementioned reasons.
School Bus Accident
If the negligence of a school bus driver caused an accident, then liability is determined according to whether the school or some private company operated the bus. If it was the school, then the authorities could be held liable for the negligence from the part of the driver and if it was the private company, then they could be held liable.
Public Transportation Bus Accident
Public buses may be operated by the city, county, state, or some other regional authority. The public accident lawsuits are often filed against the government and hence the requirements for the process are a bit different from filing lawsuits against private parties.
There is a particular time period during which we can file personal injury lawsuits. The time duration is termed the statute of limitations and any claim filed after this period is invalid. The compensation awarded in a bus accident lawsuit may cover the costs of medical bills, vehicle repair, loss of income in the past and future, emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment, attorney fees, and more.