Attorneys for California Bus Accidents

Experienced Lawyers for High-Stakes Personal Injury Lawsuits

When a bus accident occurs in California, it is typically not minor. Whether a commuter bus on the freeway, a tour bus on a mountain road, or a school bus in your neighborhood, the injuries can be catastrophic and the long-term impact can be deep.

Bus crash lawsuits must be handled by attorneys who are prepared for the complexities of such cases. We are well equipped for these cases and we know how to get you and your family maximum compensation in these high-stakes lawsuits. We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients throughout California. Call us to discuss how we can help you. 

A growing number of Californians are using rapid transit and public transportation as their main source of travel. This includes school children who are increasingly reliant on bus transportation because of school closures. Children and adult commuters are traveling further and further to get to their jobs and school and this means a greater reliance on mass transit. Furthermore, as gas maintains its high cost and air travel is often too expensive, many of us turn to buses. With this rise in users, the number of deaths and injuries from bus accidents is also rising. 

Bus accident cases can be very complicated depending upon the circumstances involved. Lawsuits can be filed against either public or private companies. Often times, public bus entities are shielded by complex negligence standards. There are also many regulations that are specific to common carriers, such as bus companies and government transit lines. For example, the statute of limitations may restrict the amount of time available to file a claim after a bus accident, particularly if a government entity is involved. It is therefore essential to retain the help of a knowledgeable attorney. 

Causes Of Bus Accidents 

A report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration concluded that bus drivers are the main cause of such accidents. In most of the cases involved in the study, the driver’s failure to properly react to a situation was the primary cause of the catastrophe. Delayed reaction can occur when the driver fails to accurately examine the road and immediate surroundings. Other examples of driver neglect include:

• driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• inattention through texting or other distraction
• abrupt lane changes
• driving while fatigued
• traveling too fast for road conditions

Though bus drivers are often responsible, there are many accidents that are not caused by driver negligence. Some accidents are the result of defective equipment such as brake failure, door latch defects, steering mechanism failure, and other mechanical failure that indicate product defects. In these cases, the manufacture of the bus or a component part can be held responsible. Improper bus maintenance may also cause an accident, as well as a government’s failure to maintain the roadways. In many cases, there are multiple causes and multiple parties who can be held responsible for the tragedy of a mass transit vehicle accident. We know to pursue compensation from all of them on your behalf.

Call us for a free consultation. If we take your case and we do not win, you owe us nothing. When you reach out to us, we will be candid about the merits of your case and we will advise you on the next steps to take.   

Determining Liability in a Bus Crash

There are several potential liable parties in a bus accident. These may include any of the following:

• Bus driver: a negligent driver may be held individually liable for passenger injury, however the driver’s employer and its insurance company are usually held financially responsible.
• Bus maintenance company: if a maintenance company failed to properly maintain the bus, and such negligence was the proximate cause of an accident, the maintenance company may be liable. 
• Other motor vehicle driver: if the negligence of another motor vehicle driver caused a bus accident, the driver and the owner of the vehicle may be liable. If the driver was performing work related tasks at the time of the accident, the driver’s employer may be liable as well.
• Manufacturers of the bus or one of its parts: the manufacturer of a defective bus or part may be liable if the defect caused an accident.
  
• Private bus company: a bus company is responsible for hiring qualified drivers and may be liable for a driver’s negligence. The company may also be liable if it failed to properly maintain its buses.
• State or local government: a city, county, or state entity may be responsible for the negligence of its drivers and for failure to maintain its buses. The government may also be liable if it failed to properly maintain public roads if an unsafe condition caused an accident.

Catastrophic Injuries

While not every accident leads to head trauma, paralysis, or serious burns, if you or a loved one has been catastrophically injured in a bus accident, you need a qualified California  attorney to represent you. Based on the merits of your case, we will represent you no matter the severity of injuries involved but you are particularly encouraged to call on us if the injuries involved are life-altering.  Our attorneys can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, life care expenses, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, punitive damages, and other possible damages in such cases. When the stakes are high, you need the most qualified personal injury lawyers on your side.