Need An LA Bus Accident Lawyer?
Los Angeles is known for its heavy volume of traffic. In addition to passenger cars, trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, and other vehicles, different types of buses also travel on the streets and roads around the city. Bus accidents can injure multiple victims, and bus drivers owe a higher duty of care to their passengers than the duties that are owed by other types of drivers. People who are seriously injured in a bus accident either while traveling as a passenger or while driving in a different vehicle might be entitled to recover compensation for their losses. An experienced bus accident lawyer at LA Personal Injury Attorneys can review your case and provide an assessment of its merits. We will aggressively fight for you! Call us today for a free consultation.
Los Angeles Office: 323-553-1000 | Torrance Office: 310-256-2299
Types Of Bus Accidents In Los Angeles
Several different types of buses in Los Angeles can be involved in accidents, including the following:
- School buses
- METRO buses
- Shuttle buses
- Private buses from national companies
- Charter buses
- Church buses
The process for filing a lawsuit after a bus accident will differ, depending on whether the bus was a private or a public bus. This distinction is important because claims against the government must be filed much sooner in California than claims against private bus companies.
Negligence in bus accident cases
Bus accident lawsuits frequently are based on claims of negligence. Negligence occurs when a person or entity fails to use reasonable care, and the failure results in injuries and harm to others. In California, bus drivers are common carriers and owe a higher duty of care under Cal. Civ. Code § 2100. Under this statute, bus drivers must use the utmost degree of care when they are transporting passengers.
To prove negligence, a plaintiff must prove all of the following elements:
- The defendant’s duty
- The defendant’s breach of the duty
- Causal link between the breach and the injuries
- Damages
Potentially Liable Parties
In a bus accident, several parties might contribute to the cause of the collision. Some of the potentially liable parties include the following:
- The bus driver
- The private company that owns the bus
- A public entity that owns the bus, including a school district, a municipality, or the state
- Manufacturer of defective parts
- Party responsible for repairing or maintaining the bus
- Third-party motorists
Identifying all of the parties that may be liable for the cause of a bus accident is important. This can help plaintiffs to recover compensation in amounts that will fully cover their losses.
Public vs. Private Bus Accident Claims
When people are seriously injured in bus accidents, whether the bus was owned by a private or public entity is important. The statute of limitations for California personal injury claims is generally two years from the date of the accident. However, when the defendant is a public entity, including a city, school district, or government agency, the claim must be filed within six months of when the accident occurred. The California Tort Claims Act contains specific requirements for how plaintiffs must file claims against the government.
How Insurance Companies Handle Bus Accident Cases
Since bus accidents can cause injuries to a large number of people, bus companies must carry insurance with high policy limits. Insurance companies may be forced to pay substantial amounts of money to settle all of the claims against them when bus accidents occur. Because of the large sums that can be involved, the insurance companies aggressively litigate against injury claims. Commonly, they will send investigators to the accident scenes as soon as they are notified that the collisions occurred. The investigators will examine evidence from the scene, interview witnesses, take measurements, and photograph the damage to the bus and any other involved vehicles.
Insurance companies may try to extend settlement offers to the accident victims soon after the incidents happen. An insurance company representative might contact the victims and ask them to give recorded statements and sign medical authorizations. You should never accept an early settlement offer, agree to give a recorded statement, or sign a medical authorization without talking to an attorney. Insurance companies try to settle directly with bus accident victims to minimize what they might have to otherwise pay. Many of these offers are far lower than the actual values of the claims. Insurance companies try to get recorded statements from victims to obtain statements that can be used against the victims in their claims. Finally, they want medical authorizations so that they can dig through the victims’ medical records to try to blame their injuries on different incidents. If you are offered a settlement or are asked to sign anything, you should tell the insurance company that you want to talk to an attorney first.
Why Hire A Bus Accident Attorney?
A Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney can review your case and provide an assessment of its merits. We understands the different strategies that bus and insurance companies use to try to avoid liability. We will aggressively fight for you to recover the maximum possible compensation. Call us today for a free consultation.
Los Angeles Office: 323-553-1000 | Torrance Office: 310-256-2299
Learn more about other accident case types:
Personal Injury | Car Accident | Uber & Lyft Accident | Motorcycle Accident | Rear-end Accident | Truck Accident | Rollover Accident | Bus Accident | Government Vehicle Accident |
Read More On Our Attorneys
Return Personal Injury Home