Buses in the United States are a standard mode of transport, especially in ferrying large groups of people in the private and public sectors. Unfortunately, bus crashes account for approximately thousands of injuries across the country every year.
What should you do after sustaining injuries in a bus crash in Riverside? The most important step is contacting a local injury lawyer.
Claiming compensation for medical expenses and personal damages highlights the need for a bus accident attorney.
Common Types of Bus Accidents in Riverside
There are many circumstances under which a bus accident occurs that determines how it should be handled from a legal perspective. Often, bus accidents involve the following types of vehicles:
- Riverside Transit Agency bus accidents: Many people in Riverside rely on public bus transport to navigate from point to point. The Riverside Transit Agency offers several dozen routes throughout the county. If you have been injured as a passenger within a RTA bus or struck by one, reach out to an attorney due to the complexity of claims involving the RTA.
- School bus accidents: School bus accidents may involve drivers, student passengers, and/or pedestrians. School buses can lose control or collide with other vehicles.
- Charter bus accidents: Charter bus rentals are frequent for groups traveling together through Riverside County. When a charter bus crashes on the freeway or connecting roads, catastrophic injuries can occur.
- Freight bus accidents: This type of accident involves cargo buses ferrying items from one point to another. Cargo buses are common on Riverside streets and often cause accidents when least expected.
- Shuttle bus accidents: The tourism sector is primarily associated with shuttle buses, usually used to ferry passengers to different destinations. Like other buses, shuttles are also involved in accidents, some of which cause severe injuries and fatalities.
Injuries From Bus Accidents
Injury severity in a bus crash varies depending on the impact, circumstances, and speed, among other factors. Buses are usually large, meaning that impacts emanating from collisions can culminate in severe injuries. Seeking the indulgence of a professional bus accident lawyer in such instances is recommended.
The common injuries sustained in bus accidents include:
- Fractures
- Bruises
- Whiplash
- Torn ligaments
- Internal bleeding
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injury
- Hip dislocation
- Wrongful death
- Broken jaws and teeth
The injured parties during a bus crash have the right to demand compensation and damages. Note that the injured parties are not necessarily the bus occupants.
Pedestrians and other motorists may also sustain injuries in the process. Therefore, consulting a Riverside bus accident attorney is integral in determining fault and the compensation awarding criteria.
Who is at Fault for a Bus Accident?
Bus accident victims are entitled to compensation if the fault is adequately and sufficiently proven. The complex nature of bus accident claims requires adequate legal consultation to ensure that individuals at fault are identified and compensation granted.
Bus crashes involve different parties, including governments and rental companies, hence the need for a procedural approach to determine who is at fault. With the help of traffic police, victims can gather evidence in readiness for presentation in a court of law. Victims (if not severely injured) can also assist with gathering evidence before the police arrive at the scene.
When the bus driver is identified as the cause of the accident, further scrutiny is needed to establish if the bus owner, the driver, or both are involved.
For example, lack of proper bus maintenance can be faulted on the bus owner. Traffic rules violation falls on the bus driver. A detailed bus accident analysis is indispensable and requires an attorney’s input.
How to Obtain Compensation for A Bus Accident
As a bus accident victim, it is important to seek compensation, especially if you sustained injuries in the process.
Obtaining compensation can be achieved in three steps as follows:
- Filing a bus accident claim: As a bus accident victim, filing a personal injury claim immediately after the occurrence is recommended. Delays are discouraged since you can easily compromise your claim, which might deny you compensation. A professional Riverside bus accident lawyer can assist with the claim filing.
- Negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance: Upon filing, your attorney takes up the negotiation role. In this case, the attorney’s sole focus is to prove fault and propose the fair amount insurance companies involved should compensate.
- Compensation: Having reached a consensus, the insurance company processes compensation and dispatches it to the claimant. The bus accident lawyer’s mandate is to follow up on the compensation process to completion.
What to Do After a Bus Accident
Surviving a bus crash is overwhelming. It is essential to take the appropriate steps to calmly navigate the situation and your future ahead.
Here are crucial things to do after a bus accident:
- Call the police: Contact emergency responders and direct them to the scene for the necessary intervention.
- Gather evidence: Ensure you take enough clear photos of the scene before the police arrive. That will assist with providing evidence to the insurance company.
- Seek medical attention: Instant medical attention prevents aggravation, which may result in fatalities.
- Call a Riverside bus accident lawyer: Maneuvering the legal processes after accidents could be a challenge to many. Hiring an attorney knowledgeable of bus accident claims is recommended.
Contact Our Skilled Riverside Bus Accident Attorney Now
The JLF Firm offers experienced legal counsel after a bus accident in Riverside. We believe in providing compassionate, reliable services and assisting individuals with claiming the full compensation they are entitled to after bus crashes.
Having assisted other victims with their bus crash claims, we are committed to professionally taking you through the claim process. Call us now for instant assistance in Riverside County and surrounding areas.
