Bus accidents are far too common, and unfortunately, many of them lead to serious and sometimes fatal injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in a bus accident, the first thing you should do is contact an attorney who can determine who is at fault. A number of different parties can be held liable for bus accidents, including:
Bus Drivers
Bus drivers can cause serious accidents if they choose to drive recklessly or operate a bus while intoxicated or distracted. If a bus driver’s negligence causes an accident, he can be held liable for others’ injuries.
Bus Company
Companies that own and operate buses can be held liable if the bus accident was caused by the driver. This is because of the “respondeat superior” legal doctrine, which says the employer can be held liable for damage caused by employees’ actions.
Local or State Government Agencies
Many of the buses that you see on the streets today are owned and operated by local or state government agencies. If you are injured in an accident involving one of these buses, you may be able to hold the government agency liable. However, the process of filing a personal injury claim against a government agency is very different from filing a claim against a negligent driver. One of the main differences is the requirement that you must file a notice with the government agency within 180 days after the accident. It’s imperative that you don’t miss this deadline, which is why it’s important to immediately contact an attorney after a bus accident.
Parts Manufacturers
Sometimes, the bus accident is completely out of the driver’s control because it is caused by a defective part. For example, let’s say a bus’s brakes begin to malfunction and the driver is unable to stop the bus from colliding into another vehicle. In this case, the manufacturer of the defective brakes could be held responsible for the accident.
School District
Far too many bus accidents involve school buses that are used to transport innocent children to and from school. These buses are often owned and operated by the school district, which means the district could be held responsible in the event that a school bus is involved in an accident.
School districts often hire private bus companies to handle the transportation of students instead of operating the buses on their own. In this situation, the liability would fall on the bus company and not the school district.
It can be challenging to identify the liable parties in a bus accident, but a personal injury attorney can help. If you have been injured in a bus accident, contact Reisch Law Firm today by calling 303-291-0555 or filling out this online form. It’s important that you move quickly to meet the tight deadlines for filing a claim, so don’t delay any longer.
