Rockaway Beach Bus Accident Lawyer
While they are rare, traffic accidents involving commercial and public buses still happen, leading to severe injuries for passengers and passers-by. Unfortunately, getting fair compensation for those injuries can be a complex and challenging process, especially when dealing with commercial bus companies or government agencies.
Given the unique circumstances of your case, assistance from a seasoned personal injury attorney could be vital to getting a positive resolution. If you have been hurt by the negligence of anyone involved in a public or private bus operation, contacting a Rockaway Beach bus accident lawyer should be your top priority.
Who Could Be Liable for a Bus Wreck in Rockaway Beach?
Just like any other motor vehicle driver, a bus driver can be considered legally liable for causing a traffic collision if they acted recklessly or carelessly behind the wheel. For example, courts may consider a bus driver negligent if they broke a traffic law or became distracted in such a way that resulted in the collision. Unlike some other personal injury cases, however, injured parties may be able to seek compensation from multiple different parties.
Rather than suing an individual bus driver, those injured in an accident should name both the driver and the company or government entity that employs them as defendants in a lawsuit. The legal doctrine of respondeat superior allows people to hold employers legally liable for the negligence of their employee(s) under certain circumstances. Sometimes, it is also possible to file suit directly against the bus company for their negligence. A company may be liable for a bus accident if they knowingly hired a driver with a history of DUI convictions or did not properly train new drivers before sending them out on routes.
Other parties who might hold partial or even primary fault for causing a bus accident may include:
- Government entities responsible for road maintenance and repair
- Mechanics and/or manufacturing companies who failed to ensure a bus was in safe working condition
- Other motorists who recklessly collided with a bus
- Passengers who limited the bus driver’s ability to make reasonable decisions behind the wheel
Because buses are a public form of transportation, injured parties may find it difficult to know who or what caused an accident. A Rockaway Beach attorney could help determine who is liable for a bus accident and guide injured parties through their legal options for compensation.
Strict Statute of Limitations for Public Bus Accident Claims
For the most part, bus accident litigation follows the same rules and is subject to the same restrictions as any other personal injury claim. However, because public buses are often owned and operated by the government, these claims may be subject to a shorter statute of limitations.
State law sets a deadline of 90 days after an accident resulting from negligence by a government employee or entity to file a formal claim against the prospective defendant. Injured parties then have one year to file a lawsuit. This deadline is much shorter than the three-year statute of limitations that applies to most personal injury lawsuits. When someone in Rockaway Beach is injured in a public bus wreck, assistance from a skilled lawyer could be crucial to constructing and filing a strong case within these deadlines.
Talk to a Rockaway Beach Bus Accident Attorney Today
Even when moving at slow speeds, buses are large, heavy vehicles that can cause lasting consequences when involved in an accident. No matter what type of injuries or losses you suffer, you may have a difficult time getting compensation without professional legal guidance.
A capable Rockaway Beach bus accident lawyer could be an irreplaceable ally throughout insurance negotiations, settlement talks, or a lawsuit in civil court. Call Goldstein and Bashner today to learn more about how we could help.
