If you have been involved in a bus accident, you need help from a skilled attorney who can handle the complexities of the case.
Unfortunately, bus accidents are not at all uncommon here southern California. Just a few days ago a particularly serious bus accident took place at Woodruff Avenue and Centralia Street when a pickup truck allegedly turned in front of a Long Beach Transit Bus. The bus driver swerved to avoid the truck and crashed into a light pole.
Fortunately, there were only four passengers on the bus at the time. All passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. However, the driver did not fare nearly so well. He was actually trapped inside the crushed front portion of the bus for nearly two hours before firefighters managed to rescue him. Reports indicate he suffered traumatic injuries.
At this time, it is unknown if any of the bus accident victims will decide to file personal injury claims against the driver of the pickup truck or the driver of the bus. However, if they do decide to file a bus accident injury lawsuit, they may have to contend with these 3 factors that can complicate a bus accident case.
Corporate Attorneys
Any time you are involved in a motor vehicle accident caused by an employee driving a company vehicle, you can expect some serious attorneys working on the defendant’s side. This is true whether you are talking about a private bus company such as Greyhound or a public transit authority. If it is clear that the bus driver or the bus owner was at fault in the bus accident, you will likely receive a settlement offer very quickly. If it is not clear who was liable for the accident, the bus company’s attorneys will set to work doing everything they can to strengthen the company’s position and make it difficult for bus accident victims to build a strong personal injury claim.
Serious Injuries
Another complicating factor associated with bus accidents is serious injuries. Because most buses do not have seatbelts, bus passengers are likely to be badly hurt in the event of a crash. And because buses are bigger and heavier than cars, other motorists involved in an accident with a bus are also likely to suffer a serious injury. This can complicate matters because serious injuries may require extensive compensation for things such as future medical care and pain and suffering. It is essential to have a skilled bus accident injury attorney helping you establish an appropriate amount of damages to seek in such a case.
Abundance of Witnesses
One final factor that may complicate a bus accident case is that there may be many witnesses to the accident. This can be a boon or an obstacle, depending on the quality of witnesses’ recollections. In addition to the passengers on the bus there may be other witnesses viewing the accident from different vantage points. The testimony of all these witnesses may not agree depending on their vantage point, the amount of time that passed before their testimony was recorded, and other factors. It is important to have a skilled attorney on your side to help weed out the good witnesses from the unreliable ones and build a strong case for compensation.
