Bus Accidents
In the United States, buses are considered "common carriers" under the law. A common carrier is any vehicle that is used to transport passengers or goods and is available to the general public. Available to the general public does not mean that it is necessarily free or publicly owned, can also mean private modes of transport that issue tickets or can be rented. The designation of common carrier is important if you have been involved in a bus accident because the bus operator, and sometimes the bus manufacturer, is more responsible than other business owners for the safety of passengers.
In general, bus accidents for which you can claim compensation are those caused by negligent driving, poorly maintained roads, defective bus components, bus negligence, and improper response to unsafe driving conditions. Situations in which the bus driver cannot be held solely responsible are accidents involving terrorism, extreme acts of nature, and accidents caused by another vehicle or a pedestrian.
While buses are relatively safe, bus accidents can be devastating. This is often due to the large quantity of victims, the lack of seat belts, and the size of the bus. Other accidents can occur on the bus if it is unsafe or poorly maintained; these are called premises liability accidents. Common bus accident injuries include: amputation, brain injury, bruising, burns, disfigurement, fractured or broken bones, internal bleeding, nerve damage, paralysis, scarring, spinal cord injury, and whiplash.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of a bus accident, you may be able to obtain compensation for your injuries. You do not have to be a passenger to file a claim; if you were involved in a bus accident and you were a pedestrian, the driver of another vehicle, or the passenger in another vehicle, you can also file a personal injury suit.
School Bus Accidents
School bus accidents are especially devastating because we entrust buses and drivers with our children's safety when we send them to school. There are 475,000 school buses in the United States, and as many as 20,000 school bus related accidents every year. Many of these accidents happen when a child is entering or exiting the bus; as many as 16,500 children are hospitalized for bus accident injuries each year, and as many as 100 children die in bus related accidents. A personal injury or wrongful death attorney may be able to assist you if your child has been in a school bus accident.
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