Who Is Liable For Bus Accidents In California?

Bus accidents can happen due to someone’s negligence. Hence, the victims affected by that negligence have the right to receive damages they’ve incurred because of the bus accident. After all, bus accidents can cause exorbitant medical bills, long-lasting emotional distress, and significant income loss.

That said, the defendant in your case isn’t always obvious. Most people would sue the bus driver or the other driver involved in a collision. However, more people (and companies) could be liable for the physical, emotional, and financial losses you experience as a result of the accident.

How Is Liability Assessed In Bus Accident-Related Injuries In California?

Determining who is accountable for damage to property and injuries in bus accidents is a fact-specific question. However, a California personal injury lawyer will take the following into account:

1. Every business or entity in charge of operating and maintaining the bus

2. Whether a government organization was in charge of choosing the safest bus routes or operating the bus

3. What other vehicles were involved, and whether or not the drivers of those other vehicles are responsible

4. The employer of the bus driver is responsible for verifying the qualifications and abilities of the drivers it recruits for its buses

5. If poorly kept roads contributed to the collision, city or state road maintenance authorities could be held liable

6. Any companies that created the bus or changed it, particularly if a mechanical problem caused the accident

7. The agencies responsible for planning safe transportation

Any one or more of these individuals or groups may be held accountable. Your California personal injury attorney can examine your case and identify any potentially liable parties who ought to be paying you for your damages, both monetary and non-monetary.

When Must You Speak With A California Personal Injury Lawyer?

People who suffer injuries in a bus accident should get in touch with California personal injury attorneys as soon as possible. Under California law, a person who has suffered harm must file a lawsuit for compensation for two years.

If the harmed party wants to sue the city or county, they must file a claim for damages within six months. You virtually forfeit your right to file claims if you miss the deadline.

Given the complexity of bus accidents and the number of parties that may share some guilt, the individual will have a better chance of receiving the maximum possible compensation by hiring a lawyer rather than waiting until the last minute.

Will My Needed Injury-Related Compensation Be Paid By An Insurance Company?

Most of the time, insurance companies will pay a commercial bus operator for the harm suffered by a passenger. Regardless of how much a victim’s claims may be worth, these companies will likely attempt to quickly and inexpensively resolve them. Immediately after an accident, but before the victim is entirely aware of the extent of their property losses and injuries, insurance firms routinely contact people.

If you hire them to represent you in filing claims, your knowledgeable California Personal Injury Attorney will manage talks and negotiations with insurance carriers. They will attest that you have not consented to a settlement until the insurer pays you the total amount of the appropriate compensation.

Bottom-line

If you’ve heard of people suing multiple parties for a single accident, that’s because those parties are in some way liable for the injuries the plaintiff sustains. Even if you’re not driving the bus yourself, you could be contributing to the accident by failing to maintain the vehicle, failing to catch a manufacturing defect, ignoring hazardous debris, or failing to maintain roads and buildings.