When a bus accident happens, you might be left with severe injuries and losses. The medical bills and lost earnings that you faced as a result of the accident can quickly add up and leave you with a significant financial loss. The emotional trauma that bus accident victims face is also a very serious matter. You need a legal advocate working on your behalf to ensure your access to fair compensation after a bus accident. Contact a personal injury attorney to learn more about your legal options after a bus accident.
Bus Accident Facts
Bus accidents happen across the country every year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has published the following statistics regarding bus accidents.
- In 2020, 4998 buses and large trucks were involved in fatal traffic crashes.
- The number of accidents involving large vehicles decreased from 2019 to 2020.
- Accidents that caused property damage decreased over the years by 21 percent.
Filing a bus accident claim can be complex. After suffering from an injury in a bus accident, you need professional legal services to get the fair compensation that you deserve. A financial recovery is available. Consult a personal injury attorney immediately if you have suffered an injury in a bus accident.
Potential Defendants In Bus Accidents
There are many potential defendants in bus accident claims. The following are some of the most common defendants in bus accident cases.
- The bus driver
- The bus company
- Maintenance providers
- Government entities
Damages Available In Bus Accident Cases
The availability of compensation after a bus accident depends on the circumstances surrounding your case and the damages you have suffered from the accident. Working with a skilled bus accident attorney is the best way to identify all your losses and create a strategy to ensure you receive a full financial recovery.
The following are examples of types of damages that a bus accident victim can recover compensation for after a crash.
Economic Damages
Economic damages include the physical losses an accident victim might face after a crash. These types of losses are usually easily identifiable. Bus accident victims are entitled to recover for their economic damages.
Examples of compensable economic damages include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Property damages
- Lost earnings
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damage is another major category of damage. These losses include intangible losses and can be hard to identify and quantify. Working with an experienced personal injury attorney is the best way to get what you deserve regarding non-economic damages.
Examples of non-economic damage can include the following.
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Embarrassment
- Disability
- Lost enjoyment of life
- Reduced quality of life
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are available on a limited basis. Punitive damages are not compensable. That means they are not awarded to a victim to repay them for losses associated with the accident but are given as a punishment. Judges often award punitive damages to deter defendants from taking the same actions in the future. Speak to your attorney to learn if punitive damages are available in your case.
Miscellaneous Damages
Given the size and weight of buses, the impact of a crash can leave the victim in need of specific recovery to live with their permanent losses. Some of the following miscellaneous damages might be available after a bus accident.
Home Modifications
Home modifications might be required depending on your injuries. For example, if a bus accident leaves a victim paralyzed, the victim might require changes to be made to their home. Home modifications, generally, are not cheap. Filing a bus accident claim is a good way to get the compensation you’ll need to make modifications to your home.
Transportation Costs
If your injuries cause you to lose the ability to drive, you might require transportation accommodations. Whether you decide to make modifications to your vehicle, take public transportation, or make other arrangements, you will likely face a financial cost. A bus accident claim can help make up for the cost of transportation accommodation.
Assistance With Daily Living
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you might need help completing activities of daily living. For example, head injury victims might need help with daily activities temporarily or permanently.
Bathing, cleaning, cooking, and dressing are examples of activities of daily living. Hiring a caregiver can be costly. Recovery from a bus accident claim can help alleviate the financial burden of hiring domestic help after an injury.
Future Damages
Some injuries are so severe that they require ongoing treatment and have life-long effects. Examples of two categories of these kinds of damage include future medical costs and lost earning capacity.
Future Medical Costs
Bus accident victims can face severe and long-lasting injuries. Some injuries require long-term care to ensure the victim is fully healed or healed enough to return to life as normal. Some examples of potential long-term care can include the following.
- Rehabilitation care
- Physical therapy
Often included in future medical care is the cost of medical equipment. Examples of medical equipment can include the following.
- Wheelchairs
- Crutches, leg, and knee braces
- Implants
- Protheses
- Other durable medical equipment
Lost Earning Capacity
Lost earning capacity refers to a victim’s lost ability to earn as they did before the accident. The victim might have lost the ability to work in the same industry. For example, the bus accident victim may have been in a physically demanding job before the crash, but their injuries left them unable to stand for more than ten minutes at a time. They can still work, but they now need to have a desk job. The victim might try to be compensated for the difference between their previous and current salaries.
You deserve to be compensated for your injuries. Getting the financial recovery you need to get your life back on track after an accident might mean facing an uphill battle. Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney can help bridge the gap between you and the financial recovery that you need.
Factors That Influencing Compensation In a Bus Accident
No two bus accidents are the same. The final settlement value depends on the facts surrounding the case. Working with a skilled bus accident attorney is the best way to ensure you get your claim’s total value. Some of the following factors significantly influence the compensation you might receive after a bus accident.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
The emotional impact of a bus accident is a compensable loss for crash victims. Some mental health support might be required to ensure proper recovery from the crash. The cost of psychological and other forms of mental health support might be compensable for the victim.
Witness Testimony and Evidence
Witness testimony is important evidence that can help build your case. Having witnesses corroborate your claims is a good way to ensure you get the compensation you deserve after an accident.
Preexisting Medical Conditions
Insurance companies will try to use the existence of preexisting medical conditions as a way to avoid making a reasonable settlement offer. It is vital to comply with the doctor’s orders and share your medical records with your attorney to help you avoid insurance tactics that will leave you without the compensation you deserve.
Local Laws and Regulations
State laws and local regulations affect your final settlement after a bus accident. Speak with an attorney to learn how state laws and regulations can affect your case.
Legal Representation
Having a bus accident lawyer can increase your odds of gaining financial recovery after a bus accident. For example, insurance adjusters might feel comfortable short-changing you with a lowball settlement offer if you do not have a bus accident attorney. A lawyer can also help identify your losses so you are not tempted to downplay the extent of your injuries.
Liability
The at-fault party, also known as the liable party, is responsible for paying for the accident victim’s losses. Determining which party is liable for causing the accident is a critical part of the claim. An experienced personal injury attorney will work for you by sifting through the facts of your case to determine liability for the bus accident.
Property Damages
Bus accident victims can recover for the cost of their property damages. Speak to a lawyer to learn about the availability of financial recovery for property damages.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering refer to one type of intangible loss an accident victim may recover from after a bus accident. Accident victims can recover from the anguish and inconvenience that they face after being injured in a bus crash.
Lost Earnings
Some injuries are so severe that it causes the victim to lose hours at work. You can be compensated for your lost money while out of work. Victims might also be entitled to recover for lost earning capacity after a bus accident. Lost earning capacity refers to the accident victim’s inability to return to work in the same industry or position as they could have worked before the accident.
Medical Expenses
Accident victims can recover for their medical expenses after a bus crash. Depending on your injuries, you might have extensive medical expenses. Accident victims can recover for their emergency medical costs and the cost of ongoing medical care. It is vital to disclose your medical bills to your attorney fully. After a review of your medical bills, your attorney will have a better idea of the value of your accident claim.
Severity of Injuries
The severity of your injuries influences the overall value of your bus accident claim. Severe injuries are often expensive to treat and have long-term effects. Accident victims are entitled to recover for the cost of care and the long-term emotional impact of their injuries.
Why Should I Work With An Attorney?
Pursuing compensation for your injuries after a bus accident can be tempting. However, working with an attorney gives you a support system and guidance throughout the life of your bus accident case. Here are some critical ways bus accident attorneys help their clients.
Gather Evidence
An attorney will help gather evidence after a bus crash. You need relevant evidence to help support your claim. Some evidence is more complicated to collect than other types of proof. Your personal injury lawyer will help access evidence you might have trouble collecting alone. Examples of evidence victims should collect after a bus accident include the following.
- Traffic camera footage
- Accident reconstructionists
- Medical experts
- Bus driver and bus company insurance policies
Calculate Damages
An attorney will help estimate the value of your case. While no two accident cases are the same, an attorney can review the facts and your losses to estimate the value of your case.
Negotiate With Insurance Companies
Settlement negotiations are a vital part of the case. Insurance adjusters have experience in settlement negotiations. Insurance adjusters know how to save the company money, which usually means short-changing you. An attorney will help avoid any tactics insurance companies use against you to protect their bottom line.
Represent You In Court
If your case is not resolved in the settlement phase, your attorney might file a lawsuit for you and take your case to trial. Going into a courtroom, especially for the first time, can be intimidating. An experienced bus accident attorney will represent your interests and protect your rights in court.
Pursue Additional Claims
Your case might require you to pursue third-party claims to receive full compensation. An attorney with experience representing bus accident victims will know when to pursue these third-party claims. Your personal injury lawyer will offer advice and guidance about the benefits of pursuing additional claims after an accident.
Contact a Bus Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a bus accident, you need an attorney today. An experienced accident attorney is an invaluable source of support and guidance through the legal process. Your legal team will help you understand and protect your rights after a crash. Contact an attorney today to start the road to financial recovery after a bus accident.